Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is when a man has trouble getting or keeping an erection. ED becomes more common as you get older. But male sexual dysfunction is not a natural part of aging.

Some people have trouble speaking with their doctors about sex. But if you have ED, you should tell your doctor. ED can be a sign of health problems. It may mean your blood vessels are clogged. It may mean you have nerve damage from diabetes. If you don't see your doctor, these problems will go untreated. Your doctor can offer several new treatments for ED. For many men, the answer is as simple as taking a pill. Getting more exercise, losing weight or stopping smoking may also help.

Male Infertility

Infertility is a term doctors use if a man hasn’t been able to get a woman pregnant after at least one year of trying. Male infertility can result from physical problems, hormone problems, and lifestyle or environmental factors.
About a third of the time, infertility is because of a problem with the man. One third of the time, it is a problem with the woman. Sometimes no cause can be found.
If you suspect you are infertile, see your doctor. There are tests that may tell if you have fertility problems. When it is possible to find the cause, treatments may include medicines, surgery, or assisted reproductive technologies. Happily, two-thirds of couples treated for infertility are able to have babies.

 

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is loss of bladder control. Symptoms can range from mild leaking to uncontrollable wetting. It can happen to anyone, but it becomes more common with age.
Most bladder control problems happen when muscles are too weak or too active. If the muscles that keep your bladder closed are weak, you may have accidents when you sneeze, laugh or lift a heavy object. This is stress incontinence. If bladder muscles become too active, you may feel a strong urge to go to the bathroom when you have little urine in your bladder. This is urge incontinence or overactive bladder. There are other causes of incontinence, such as prostate problems and nerve damage.
Treatment depends on the type of problem you have and what best fits your lifestyle. It may include simple exercises, medicines, special devices or procedures prescribed by your doctor, or surgery.

 

Prostate Cancer

The prostate is the gland below a man's bladder that produces fluid for semen. Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in men of all ages. It is rare in men younger than 40.
Levels of a substance called prostate specific antigen (PSA) is often high in men with prostate cancer. However, PSA can also be high with other prostate conditions. Since the PSA test became common, most prostate cancers are found before they cause symptoms. Symptoms of prostate cancer may include

Problems passing urine, such as pain, difficulty starting or stopping the stream, or dribbling

Low back pain

Pain with ejaculation

Prostate cancer treatment often depends on the stage of the cancer. How fast the cancer grows and how different it is from surrounding tissue helps determine the stage. Treatment may include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy or control of hormones that affect the cancer.

 

Bladder Cancer

The bladder is a hollow organ in your lower abdomen that stores urine. Bladder cancer occurs in the lining of the bladder. It is the sixth most common type of cancer in the United States.
Symptoms include

Blood in your urine

A frequent urge to urinate

Pain when you urinate

Low back pain

Smoking is a major risk factor for bladder cancer. Exposure to certain chemicals in the workplace is another. People with a family history of bladder cancer or who are older, white or male have a higher risk.
Treatments for bladder cancer include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and biologic therapy. Biologic therapy, or immunotherapy, boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer.

 

Kidney Cancer

You have two kidneys. They are fist-sized organs on either side of your backbone above your waist. The tubes inside filter and clean your blood, taking out waste products and making urine. Kidney cancer forms in the lining of tiny tubes inside your kidneys. It happens most often in people over 40. Risk factors include smoking, having certain genetic conditions and misusing pain medicines for a long time.
Often, kidney cancer doesn't have early symptoms. However, see your health care provider if you notice

Blood in your urine

A lump in your abdomen

Unexplained weight loss

Pain in your side

Loss of appetite

Treatment depends on your age, your overall health and how advanced the cancer is. It might include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or biologic therapy. Biologic therapy boosts your body's own ability to fight cancer.

 

Prevencion de las infecciones de las vias urinarias

A kidney stone is a solid piece of material that forms in the kidney from substances in the urine. It may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a pearl. Most kidney stones pass out of the body without help from a doctor. But sometimes a stone will not go away. It may get stuck in the urinary tract, block the flow of urine and cause great pain.
The following may be signs of kidney stones that need a doctor's help:

Extreme pain in your back or side that will not go away

Blood in your urine

Fever and chills

Vomiting

Urine that smells bad or looks coludí

A burning feeling when you urinate

 

Cystoscopy

Cystoscopy is a procedure to see the inside of the bladder and urethra.

How the Test is Performed

Cystoscopy is performed with a cystoscope -- a specialized tube with a small camera on the end (endoscope). There are two types of cystoscopes:

Standard, rigid cystoscope

Flexible cystoscope

The way the cystoscope is inserted varies, but the test is the same. Which cystoscope your doctor uses depends on the purpose of the exam.

If the standard rigid cystoscope is used, you will lie on your back with your knees up and apart. If a flexible cystoscope is used, this position will not be necessary.

The procedure usually takes 5 - 20 minutes. The urethra is cleansed. A numbing medicine is applied to the skin lining the inside of the urethra, without using any needles. The scope is then inserted through the urethra into the bladder.

Water or salt water (saline) flows through the cystoscope to fill the bladder. As this occurs, you will be asked to describe the feeling. Your answer will reveal information about your condition.

As fluid fills the bladder, it stretches the bladder wall. This lets your health care provider see the entire bladder wall. You will feel the need to urinate when the bladder is full. However, it must remain full until the examination is complete.

If any tissue appears abnormal, a small sample can be taken (biopsy) through the cystoscope and sent to a lab for analysis.

How to Prepare for the Test

You should make arrangements for someone to take you home from the hospital.

How the Test Will Feel

You may feel slight discomfort when the cystoscope is passed through the urethra into the bladder. You will feel an uncomfortable, strong need to urinate when your bladder is full.

You may feel a quick pinch if a biopsy is taken. After the cystoscope is removed, the urethra may be sore. You may have blood in the urine and a burning sensation during urination for a day or two.

Why the Test is Performed

Check for cancer of the bladder or urethra

Diagnose and evaluate urinary tract disorders

Diagnose recurrent bladder infections

Help determine the cause of pain during urination

Normal Results

The bladder wall should appear smooth. The bladder should be normal size, shape, and position. There should be no obstructions, growths, or stones.

Significado de los resultados anormales

Bladder stones (calculi)

Bladder wall decompression

Chronic urethritis

Congenital (present at birth) abnormality

Cysts

Diverticula

Irritable bladder

Polyps

Prostate abnormalities:

Enlarged prostate

Obstructed prostate

Traumatic injury of the bladder and urethra

Tumors

Ulcer

Urethral strictures

Risks

There is a slight risk of excessive bleeding when a biopsy is taken.

Other risks include:

Bladder infection

Rupture of the bladder wall

Considerations

You must be sure to drink 4 - 6 glasses of water per day after your cystoscopy.

You may notice a small amount of blood in your urine following this procedure. If the bleeding continues after you urinate 3 times, contact your health care provider.

Contact your health care provider if you develop any of these signs of infection:

Chills

Fever

Pain

Reduced urine output

Alternative Names

Cystourethroscopy; Endoscopy of the bladder

 

Vasectomy

Vasectomy is a type of surgery that prevents a man from being able to get a woman pregnant. It is a permanent form of birth control.

Vasectomy works by blocking the tube through which sperm pass. The surgery usually takes no more than 30 minutes. Almost all men go home the same day. In most cases, recovery takes less than a week.

Vasectomy can sometimes be reversed, but not always. Having a vasectomy does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV/AIDS. Men who have had vasectomy should still practice safe sex to avoid STDs.

 

Circumcision

Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin, which is the skin that covers the tip of the penis. In the United States, it is often done before a new baby leaves the hospital. There are medical benefits and risks to circumcision. Possible benefits include a lower risk of urinary tract infections, penile cancer and sexually transmitted diseases. The risks include pain and a low risk of bleeding or infection. These risks are higher for older babies, boys and men.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) does not recommend routine circumcision. Parents need to decide what is best for their sons, based on their religious, cultural and personal preferences.

Transurethral resection of the préstate

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is surgery to remove all or part of the prostate gland, to treat an enlarged prostate.

See also:

Estos procedimientos por lo regular se hacen en el consultorio médico o en una clínica de cirugías ambulatorias.

La cirugía se puede hacer de muchas maneras diferentes, dependiendo del tamaño de la próstata y lo que la hizo crecer. El médico tendrá en cuenta el tamaño de la próstata, su estado de salud y el tipo de cirugía que usted desea.

Why the Procedure is Performed

The prostate gland often grows larger as men get older. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The larger prostate play causes problems with urinating. Removing part of the prostate gland can often make these symptoms better.

Before you have surgery, your doctor will suggest you make changes in how you eat or drink. You may also be asked to try taking medicine. Your prostate may also need to be removed if taking medicine and changing your diet do not help your symptoms.

TURP is one of the most common procedures for this problem. But other less invasive procedures are also available. Your doctor will consider the size of your prostate gland, your health, and what type of surgery you may want. Prostate removal may be recommended if you have:

Difficulty emptying your bladder (urinary retention)

Frequent urinary tract infections

Bleeding from the prostate

Bladder stones with prostate enlargement

Extremely slow urination

Damage to the kidneys

Risks

Risks for any surgery are:

Blood clots in the legs that may travel to the lungs

Blood

Breathing problems

Infection, including in the surgical wound, lungs (pneumonia), or bladder or kidney

Heart attack or stroke during surgery

Reactions to medications

Additional risks are:

Problems with urine control (incontinence)

Loss of sperm fertility (infertility)

Erection problems (impotence)

Passing the semen into the bladder instead of out through the urethra (retrograde ejaculation)

Urethral stricture (tightening of the urinary outlet from scar tissue)

Transurethral resection (TUR) syndrome (water buildup during surgery)

Damage to internal organs and structures

Before the Procedure

You will have many visits with your doctor and tests before your surgery:

Complete physical exam

Visits with your doctor to make sure medical problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart or lung problems, are being treated well

If you are a smoker, you should stop several weeks before the surgery. Your doctor or nurse can help.

Always tell your doctor or nurse what drugs, vitamins, and other supplements you are taking, even ones you bought without a prescription.

During the weeks before your surgery:

You may be asked to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), vitamin E, clopidogrel (Plavix), warfarin (Coumadin), and other drugs like these.

Ask your doctor which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.

On the day of your surgery:

Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery.

Take the drugs your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water.

Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.

After the Procedure

After surgery, you will have a Foley catheter in your bladder to remove urine. The urine will look bloody at first. It will clear with time. A bladder irrigation solution may be attached to the catheter to continuously flush the catheter. This helps keep it from getting clogged with blood. The bleeding will gradually decrease, and the catheter will be removed within 1 to 3 days.

Outlook (Prognosis)

TURP usually relieves symptoms of an enlarged prostate. You may have burning with urination, blood in your urine, urinate often, and need to urgently urinate.

Men's Health

While the life-expectancy gap between men and women has decreased, it's no secret that men still need to pay more attention to their bodies. Several things work against men. They tend to smoke and drink more than women. They don't seek medical help as often as women. Some men define themselves by their work, which can add to stress.

There are also health conditions that only affect men, such as prostate cancer and low testosterone. Many of the major health risks that men face – like colon cancer or heart disease - can be prevented and treated with early diagnosis. Screening tests can find diseases early, when they are easier to treat. It's important to have regular checkups and screenings.

Children's Health

Your child's health includes physical, mental and social well-being. Most parents know the basics of keeping children healthy, like offering them healthy foods, making sure they get enough sleep and exercise and insuring their safety.

It is also important for children to get regular checkups with their health care provider. These visits are a chance to check your child's development. They are also a good time to catch or prevent problems.

Other than checkups, school-age children should be seen for:

Significant weight gain or loss

Sleep problems or change in behavior

Fever higher than 102

Rashes or skin infections

Frequent sore trotas

Breathing problems