Different Signs + Different Men = Difficult To Diagnose
Symptoms of prostate cancer can be different for each man, and any of the symptoms can be due to other less serious conditions. This makes diagnosing prostate cancer more difficult for doctors, so screenings are necessary.
This walnut sized gland is needed for sperm to travel to its destination, so its pretty important. It gets larger over time, but that doesnt necessarily mean a man has cancer.
If you have some of the warning signs, it doesnt necessarily mean you have cancer, while at the same time you can be diagnosed with prostate cancer without any of the signs. This is confusing and frustrating for both doctors and patients.
There are few, if any, early signs but there are certain signals that indicate something is wrong.
Inflammation Of The Prostate Gland
Bacteria sometimes cause prostatitis . More commonly, the underlying cause is uncertain. Consult your doctor promptly if you experience:
- pain in the groin
- urgent and frequent urination.
Treatment with antibiotics is essential for acute bacterial prostatitis. Admission to hospital is often necessary and, as with chronic bacterial prostatitis, specific antibacterial drugs are required for a long time.
Personal And Family Medical History
Taking a personal and family medical history is one of the first things a health care provider may do to help diagnose benign prostatic hyperplasia. A health care provider may ask a man
- what symptoms are present
- when the symptoms began and how often they occur
- whether he has a history of recurrent UTIs
- what medications he takes, both prescription and over the counter
- how much liquid he typically drinks each day
- whether he consumes caffeine and alcohol
- about his general medical history, including any significant illnesses or surgeries
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Surgery For Male Urinary Dysfunction
At NYU Langone, doctors often recommend surgery for men with certain types of male urinary dysfunction, including benign prostatic hyperplasia and stress incontinence thats caused by prostate surgery. Rarely, surgery is required to treat neurogenic voiding dysfunction.
The goal of surgery is to improve bladder function. There are several types of prostate surgery, and the one thats best for you often depends on your symptoms and the size of the prostate.
Radical Prostatectomy Retropubic Or Suprapubic Approach
You’ll be positioned on the operating table, lying on your back.
An incision will be made from below the navel to the pubic region.
The doctor will usually perform a lymph node dissection first. The nerve bundles will be released carefully from the prostate gland and the urethra will be identified. The seminal vesicles may also be removed if necessary.
The prostate gland will be removed.
A drain will be inserted, usually in the right lower area of the incision.
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Further Treatments To Control The Cancer
Your first treatment may help keep your cancer under control. But over time, the cancer may change and start to grow again. If this happens you might be offered other treatments, including:
- more hormone therapy
- clinical trials
More hormone therapy
Your prostate cancer may respond well to other types of hormone therapy, such as abiraterone , enzalutamide , steroids or oestrogens, or to a combination of treatments.
More chemotherapy
If youve had hormone therapy on its own as a first treatment, you might be offered a chemotherapy drug called docetaxel . This may help some men to live longer, and can help to improve and delay symptoms. If youve already had docetaxel, you might be offered more docetaxel or another chemotherapy drug called cabazitaxel .
Radium-223
This is a type of internal radiotherapy that may be an option if your cancer has spread to your bones and is causing pain. A radioactive liquid is injected into your arm and collects in bones that have been damaged by the cancer. It kills cancer cells in the bones and helps some men to live longer. It can also help to reduce bone pain and delay some symptoms, such as bone fractures. Read more about radiotherapy for advanced prostate cancer.
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What Is Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Benign prostatic hyperplasiaalso called BPHis a condition in men in which the prostate gland is enlarged and not cancerous. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is also called benign prostatic hypertrophy or benign prostatic obstruction.
The prostate goes through two main growth periods as a man ages. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. The second phase of growth begins around age 25 and continues during most of a mans life. Benign prostatic hyperplasia often occurs with the second growth phase.
As the prostate enlarges, the gland presses against and pinches the urethra. The bladder wall becomes thicker. Eventually, the bladder may weaken and lose the ability to empty completely, leaving some urine in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and urinary retentionthe inability to empty the bladder completelycause many of the problems associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
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What Is Frequent Urination
Frequent urination means that you have to urinate more often than you usually do.1,3 This symptom can result from an overactive bladder or a weak bladder. Frequent urination is a symptom that affects both men and women. When a patient needs to urinate frequently at night, the medical term is nocturia.
On average, a healthy adult generally needs to urinate around 4 to 8 times during a day. Talk with your healthcare provider if you need to urinate more often than that on a daily basis, or if you find yourself needing to urinate more often every day than you usually do.
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How Do I Know If Its Frequent Urination
The characteristics of frequent urination are easy to spot. If you feel the need to pee more than four to eight times in one day, odds are that you have issues with frequent urination. Your healthcare provider may ask you a few questions to confirm this symptom. These could include questions like:
- What medicines are you taking?
- How much fluid do you usually drink?
- Are you drinking more than usual?
- Do you drink alcohol or caffeine?
During a visit, the healthcare provider may also take a urine sample to test for bacteria and white blood cells. UTIs are typically discovered this way. An ultrasound could be used to look for tumors or other structural issues that might be causing frequent urination. Another test you may have is a cystoscopy, which is used to look inside your bladder.
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Problems With Enlarged Prostate Gland
Benign enlargement of the prostate gland is more common as men get older. It can cause troublesome symptoms, although it doesnt always.
The urethra passes through the prostate gland, so men may have problems urinating if the enlarged gland restricts the flow of urine. If the flow stops completely, a catheter is required to empty the bladder. It is rare for this form of acute urinary retention to cause kidney damage.
An enlarged prostate doesnt always cause urinary problems. Studies indicate that the size of a mans prostate gland has little influence on the type or severity of his urination problems. BPH is just one possible cause of urinary symptoms.
Another cause of urinary symptoms can be changes to the muscular wall of the bladder, which may cause spasms of the bladder or weaken the bladder, causing problems passing urine.
What Is An Artificial Urinary Sphincter And How Does It Help With Urinary Incontinence
An artificial urinary sphincter can help men who have moderate to severe urinary incontinence due to poorly functioning muscle or sphincter valve after prostate cancer surgery.
The AUS has three parts:
- An inflatable cuff that is placed around the upper urethra. The cuff closes off the urethra to prevent leakage of urine.
- A pump that is inserted into the scrotum. It’s completely on the inside and not visible, and the pump controls the opening and closing of the cuff.
- A small pressure-regulating balloon that is placed in the abdomen, under the muscles. The balloon maintains fluid under pressure within the urethral cuff to pressurize the system and hold urine back.
If you have this surgery, youll press on the pump when you feel the need to pee. This opens the cuff to allow urine to pass. When youre done peeing, the cuff automatically closes again on its own.
The AUS procedure provides a very good and satisfactory result in 90% of cases. Risks are uncommon and include:
- Failure of the device .
- Erosion of the cuff into the urethra.
All of these would require additional surgery.
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Scheduling Appointments For Blood In Urine Treatment At New York Urology Specialists
We have excellent reviews from patients and their partners. Information for out-of-state and international patients. Find out our office hours or directions to our office.
We offer affordable appointment prices with or without insurance. Same-day virtual video appointments and in-person appointments are available.
Dr. Shteynshlyuger MD is a board-certified urologist in NYC who specializes in treating urinary problems in men and women. He has performed hundreds of bladder, kidney, vaginal, and prostate surgeries.
or make an appointment online
Dr. Alex Shteynshlyuger is a fellowship trained board-certified with expertise in evaluation and treatment of urinary problems in men. He uses modern effective and proven treatment methods including prostate enucleation and Urolift for BPH. He is highly recommended by top primary care physicians in the New York area.
He has successfully performed hundreds of prostate procedures in adults. Urolift procedures are performed in the office under local anesthesia, in a surgical center and affiliated hospitals under anesthesia.
If you or someone you know has been experiencing urological symptoms, to take advantage of Dr. Shteynshlyugers expert advice. Please feel free to Contact Uswith any questions.
If you have any questions, to schedule a consultation or if you need a second opinion, pleasecontact us or call:
Early Warning Signs Of Bladder Cancer
Blood in the urine : This is typically the first sign of bladder cancer. It may be present on a regular basis or disappear and reappear over the course of days or weeks. Sometimes blood is present in such a small amount that it cant be seen with the naked eye, called microscopic hematuria, buta urine test may be able to detect it.
Even a small amount of blood may cause the color of urine to change to orange, pink or, rarely, dark red. When blood causes urines color to change, its called gross hematuria.
Early-stage bladder cancer doesnt usually cause pain or other symptoms besides bleeding. But blood in the urine doesnt always mean theres a tumor in the bladder. Its more likely to be caused by a less serious condition, such as an infection. kidney stones, bladder stones, or noncancerous tumors or kidney diseases.
Its also important to note that blood from menstruation may show up in a womans urine test, which may cause a false-positive test result. In this case, doctors may recommend repeating the test.
Urination changes: Changes in urination are more commonly a sign of a less serious condition, such as a benign tumor, infection, urinary tract infection, bladder stones, an overactive bladder or, in men, an enlarged prostate. But they also may be another early sign of bladder cancer symptoms. These changes may include:
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Preservation Of Sexual Function Is Important To Bph Patients
In a global survey of over 13,000 men age 40-80 across 29 countries, nearly 50% rated sex as being very to extremely important.18 Erectile dysfunction contributes to anxiety, depression, loss of self-esteem and diminished quality of life.19 In choosing a BPH treatment, it is important to consider the impact that ejaculatory and erectile dysfunction have on patient satisfaction.
Transurethral Electro Resection Of The Prostate
Removing the enlarged part of the prostate is usually the best long-term treatment for an enlarged prostate gland. The portion of the gland that is not squeezing the urethra stays in place. The outside capsule around the gland is also untouched.
Transurethral electro-resection of the prostate is the traditional way to remove prostate tissue using minimally invasive surgical techniques. No outside incision is needed. Thereâs less pain, fewer complications and faster healing.
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‘just Cant Wait’ Card
You can get a card to show to staff in shops or pubs etc. It allows you to use their toilets, without them asking awkward questions. You can get the cards from Disability Rights UK or the Bladder and Bowel Community. They also have a map of all the public toilets in the UK.
You could get a key to disabled toilets if you need to access them quickly. You buy the RADAR key from Disability Rights UK. But this should only be used by people who need quick access to a disabled toilet due to a disability or medical condition.
Tips
- Find out where the toilets are.
- Take extra pads and spare underwear.
- Organise a Just cant wait card or key for disabled toilets if you need it.
- Do your pelvic floor exercises regularly.
How Long Does Frequent Urination Last After Prostate Surgery
However, for most men, regaining full control of their urine is a gradual process that takes several weeks or months. By six months, most men who were continent before the surgery no longer need pads, though some prefer to wear just a liner for security even if they do not leak.
Fixing Urinary Leakage After Prostate Cancer Surgery | Ask A Prostate Expert, Mark Scholz, Md
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When To See A Doctor
Most people begin to feel better and have an improved urine flow within 4 to 6 weeks after TURP surgery.
Overall, the risk of serious complications after TURP surgery is quite low. But as with all surgeries, there are some potential health risks associated with the procedure that require medical attention and intervention.
Reasons to seek medical attention after TURP surgery include:
- reduced urine flow or urinary symptoms, such as incontinence or urinary urgency 6 weeks post-surgery
- blood in the urine that is severe or lasts longer than 4 to 6 weeks
- severe clots of blood in urine or urine that is entirely red
- weakness and fatigue that does not improve after 4 weeks
- impotence or erectile dysfunction
What Is Prostate Cancer Ablation
To begin, its important to understand what ablation is. Ablation means the removal of diseased body tissue such as cancerous tumors. Image-guided ablation is performed by applying thermal energy that physically destroys the cancer. For prostate cancer, ablation is an alternative to surgery or radiation.
Thermal ablation for prostate cancer has two main advantages over surgery:
- Same day outpatient procedure
- Very rapid recovery time and return to normal activities
Ablation also has a unique advantage over surgery and radiation, which are both whole-gland treatments. Ablation can be done as a focal treatment with added benefits:
- Targets only the tumor plus an extra safety margin
- Avoids damage to healthy prostate tissue
- Greatly reduces the risk of impaired urinary and sexual function as compared to surgery
Today, focal treatment for prostate cancer is recognized as an excellent option for patients who are accurately diagnosed and determined to be appropriate for a focal approach. Besides being clinically qualified, psychologically they desire high quality of life after treatment and are committed to actively participating in their doctors follow-up monitoring protocol using PSA blood tests and multi-parametric MRI scans at prescribed intervals.
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Frequent Urination In Men: Causes Symptoms Treatments
Frequent urination in men is not just a nuisance. It greatly affects your quality of life.
Yet many men accept it as a natural part of getting older.
This is simply not true.
Going to the toilet more often than you are used to whether at day or during the night is a sign that something is wrong. And that something is your prostate.
Treatment For An Enlarged Prostate
Treatment for BPH varies depending on the severity of your condition.
Medication options include:
- Alpha blockers help men urinate easier.
- 5-alpha reductase inhibitors5-alpha reductase inhibitors help shrink the prostate.
- Combination drug therapyTaking an alpha blocker and 5-alpha reductase inhibitor together.
- Tadalafil Typically used to treat erectile dysfunction, they can also treat BPH.
Surgical options include:
- ProstatectomyA prostatectomy is a commonly performed procedure that removes part of the prostate. Surgical correction of an enlarged prostate has the largest number of complications, so it should only be considered when other options have failed.
- Transurethral prostatectomy A transurethral prostatectomy is the most commonly used treatment for BPH. During a TURP procedure, the core of the prostate is removed to shrink the prostate. Most men experience symptom relief from this procedure.
- Transurethral incision of the prostate During a transurethral incision of the prostate, your urologist will relieve pressure on the urethra by making small incisions on the prostate gland. Not everyone is a candidate for this procedure.
- Open prostatectomyIf the prostate is very large, your doctor may recommend an open prostatectomy. During an open prostatectomy, large prostatic nodules are removed through the bladder. Complications from an open prostatectomy are common, so this is used as a last resort.
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How To Treat Frequent Urination
Treating frequent urination is focused on treating the underlying cause. This will vary based on the problem. Some treatments and coping strategies include:
- Frequent urination related to nerve problems may require lifestyle changes, drugs or surgery.
- A UTI may require treatment with antibiotics.
- An enlarged prostate may require surveillance, medication, or surgery.
- Vaginitis may require treatment with medication in the form of a cream, tablet, or suppository.
- If frequent urination is accompanied by incontinence, it may be helpful to protect clothes by wearing an incontinence pad. You may also protect bedding with a pad.
- Avoiding too much fluid just before bed and avoiding alcohol and caffeine may also help.
There is a stepwise plan for managing overactive bladder with incontinence with frequency or urgency . This includes dietary changes, medications such as Oxytrol or Gemtesa , and other interventions.
Urge incontinence is differentfrom stress incontinence which has different management.