FAQs

A Urologist is a  physician/surgeon who specializes in the treatments of disorders of the male and female urinary tract and male reproductive organs. Urologists see patients in an office setting and perform some in- office procedures as well as surgeries in an operating room.

You should consult with a urologist when you have a medical condition affecting your urinary system or, in the case of men, for problems reguarding your reproductive system. A man or woman should see a urologist if he or she experiences blood in urine; recurrent urinary tract infections; poor bladder control, including urine leakage; difficulty urinating; or if there is suspicion of kidney stones due to flank pain. A man should see a urologist for an annual prostate health check or if he has erectile dysfunction or desires a vasectomy.

Painful Urination could be caused by many things, However the most common are Infections in the prostate or bladde.r  Obstruction in the urethra or prostate, and kidney or bladder stones are also well-known causes of painful urination.  

Urinary infection is the most common cause of blood in the urine. Kidney or bladder stones, cancer of the urinary system, injury to the urinary system and certain lifestyle choices can lead to blood in the urine. The exact cause of blood in the urine can only be determined after a thorough evaluation by an urologist.

Common signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection include the following:

• Burning during urination
• Frequent urination
• A strong urge to urinate but the bladder is not full
• New or worsening urine accidents
• Foul-smelling urine
• Blood in the urine

Sometimes the bacteria will move all the way to one or both kidneys and cause a kidney infection (pyelonephritis). Common signs of a kidney infection include the signs above as well as:

• Fever
• Vomiting
• Back pain

The best way to diagnosis a urinary tract infection is to get a urine culture. The results of the urine culture will tell your doctor the best way to treat the infection

PSA or Prostate Specific Antigen is a substance produced by the prostate gland. The PSA level in a man’s blood is an important marker for prostate cancer.

If you  have been told you have an elevated PSA copntact a urologist right away for further testing.

Kidney stones form when certain minerals and substances in the urine reach a high enough concentration that they crystallize and form stones. This can result from dehydration, metabolic disorders or bowel disease.  There are some other factors that may increase your chances of getting kidney stones which include; family history of stones, dietary or genetic factors and recurrent urinary tract infections

When treating kidney stones there are a few different options. You can attempt to pass the kidney stone spontaneously with the help of pain medications, Place a stent in the ureter bypassing the stone or a surgical procedure where the Urologist delivers a shock of waves to fragment the stone for easier passage. The method used to pass the stone often depends on the amount of pain you are in, Where the stone is located and how large the stone is.

When trying to prevent kidney stones the most important thing to remember is to drink a large amount of water. A good indicator that you are drinking enough water is to watch your urine. If your urine is clear to light yellow you are getting enough water. If your Urine is dark you probably are not getting the amount of water that you need.  If you have had more then one episodes of Kidney stones a chemical workup of your stones should be performed. Diatry and medication recommendations can be given after this workup.

The difference between a No-Scalpel Vasectomy and a conventional vesectomy is the way the doctor approaches the vas deferens.

In a conventional vasectomy, after the scrotum has been numbed with a local anesthetic, the doctor makes one or two small cuts in the skin and lifts out each tube in turn, cutting and blocking them so the sperm cannot reach the semen. Then the doctor stitches the cuts closed.

In a No-Scalpel Vasectomy, the doctor feels for the vas deferens under the skin and holds them in place with a small clamp. Instead of making two incisions, the doctor makes one tiny puncture with a special instrument. The same instrument is used to gently stretch the opening so the tubes can be reached. The vas deferens is then blocked using the same methods as conventional vasectomy. There is very little bleeding with the no-scalpel technique. No stitches are needed to close the tiny opening, which heals quickly, with no scar.

No. After a vasectomy, there are always some active sperm left in your system. It takes a minimum of 25 ejaculations to clear the active sperm .  It is recommended that you and your partner use some other form of birth control until your doctor tests your semen and tells you it is free of sperm.

First and formost check for any kinks or twists in the drainage tubing. If you had some bleeding with clots, you probably need to have the catheter irrigated to flush out the clots. It is our recommendation that you call during office hours to set up a time you can come by the office to get the tubing flushed or the catheter replaced, However if it is after hours, you will need to go to the nearest ER to get treatment.

Some other things to consider are:

• If urine is leaking around the catheter, This may be occuring due to sitting for a long period of time, during a bowel movement, or from bladder spasms. This is transient, and should improve with repositioning of the leg bag or the drainage tubing.
• If your tube connection is leaking. Clean the connection site to remove old tape or residual tape adhesive. If there is a hole in the tubing to a leg bag or night drainage bag, you can cover the hole with duct tape, and then you can come by the office to get you replacement tubing.
• If you are having symptoms like urinary urgency, frequency, and bladder pain, you are having bladder spasms from catheter irritation. Medications that relax the bladder, called anti-cholinergics, may be prescribed. If the symptoms are getting worse, you might need to have the catheter changed.