Tuesday, 20 March 2012

Enlarged Prostate and Labiaplasty

A male reproductive system contains a gland called prostate that produces the fluid carrying sperm during ejaculation. When the gland becomes bigger it comes to be known as enlarged prostate. It is a common in men as they grow older. The growing gland presses the urethra causing bladder and urination problems. 

Though the cause of enlarged prostate is not known, it has been linked to aging and the testicles. However, men who have had their testicles removed may not develop enlarged prostate. The symptoms may include

·         Dribbling after urination.
·         Urinary retention.
·         Incomplete emptying of bladder.
·         Incontinence.
·         Urge to urinate frequently at night.
·         Urination followed by pain or bloody urine.
·         Slow or delay the urinary system.
·         Straining while urinating.
·         Weak urinary system.

At Dr. Safir’s, the treatment for enlarged prostate may be based on the severity of the symptoms. The treatment may start with some self-care measures such as the patient being asked to

·         Urinate at the firs urge.
·         Avoid alcoholic beverages after dinner.
·         Avoid drinking fluids 2 hours within bedtime.
·         Avoid medications containing decongestants or antihistamines as they may increase the symptoms.

The patient may be prescribed medications such as 

·         Alpha-1 blockers to relax muscles of bladder neck and prostate. It may help to urinate easily.
·         Finasteride and dutasteride to reduce size of prostate increasing the urine rate. 

Additionally, surgical procedures may also be performed. The two most common surgical procedures are

1.      TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate). The patient is administered a general anesthesia or spinal anesthesia. The surgeon may insert a cystoscope or endoscope through urethra. A special cutting tool may then be inserted that removes prostate n pieces with an electric current.
2.      TUIP (transurethral incision of the prostate). It may be performed on men having smaller prostate. A cystoscope or endoscope is inserted and incisions may be made in the prostate enlarging the urethra opening and bladder outlet.  

Labiaplasty is a cosmetic procedure performed in women to improve the vagina’s external appearance by reducing labia. In some women, the labia may be asymmetrical or big on one or both sides while in others it occurs after childbirth or aging. Labiaplasty may be either labia minora or labia majora.

At Dr. Safir’s, Labiaplasty is performed under local anesthesia and may be performed in 1-2 hours. It is done on an outpatient basis without requiring any need for hospitalization. The after surgery precautions may include avoiding sexual activities and heavy strenuous activities for 6 weeks. It may also be recommended to maintain local hygiene. 

Monday, 19 March 2012

Erectile Dysfunction and Urinary Incontinence

Among the various specializations of medical science is urology that studies urinary tracts of males and females and male reproductive system. The surgeons specializing in the fields of urology are called urologist who may diagnose, treat and manage disorders such as erectile dysfunction in men and urinary incontinence in women.

An erectile dysfunction is a sexual dysfunction where a man is unable to develop or maintain an erection of the penis during sexual activity. Usually, to achieve a normal erection may require coordination between vascular, neurologic, hormonal and psychological factors. Any condition or factor that may interfere with the coordination may cause erectile dysfunction. The causes of erectile dysfunction are generally grouped into either endogenous factors or exogenous factors. The endogenous factors include endocrine imbalances, cardiovascular, other medical conditions and emotional causes. On the other hand, exogenous factors may include medications, surgery, trauma, irradiation, smoking, alcohol and substance abuse.

Similarly, in women, urinary incontinence is the inability of the urine to keep leaking from urethra. Urethra is the tube carrying urine out of body from bladder. Urinary incontinence may be classified as 

·         Stress incontinence. It may occur during coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercise.

·         Urge incontinence. It may create a strong and sudden need to urinate followed by bladder contraction and loss of urine.

·        Overflow incontinence. It may occur because of the bladder not able to empty completely resulting in dribbling.

Urinary incontinence may be caused by neuromuscular disorders, dementia, medications such as diuretics, antidepressants, tranquilizers, antihistamines, etc., pregnancy, infection or inflammation of urinary tract, weight gain, Alzheimer’s disease, bladder cancer and spasms, pelvic prolapse and spinal injuries.

During an initial treatment at Dr. Safir’s the patient may be asked to alter their lifestyle by avoid smoking, reduce obesity and control alcohol and substance abuse. The patient may be prescribed medications such as Viagra that has a longer effect, increases penile blood flow and produces erection. Also, penile prostheses may be used that are semi-rigid or inflatable devices. During the procedure, the patient may be administered general anesthesia and incisions are made in the abdomen and perineum. The device is inserted through these incisions along with fluid reservoir and pump that are placed in groin and scrotum respectively. The devices are connected by tubes and may be tested before closing the incisions.

The treatment for urinary incontinence at Dr. Safir’s follows many approaches. It may involve methods such as bladder retraining and kegel exercises. Both these methods may help to strengthen the muscles of pelvic floor. In some cases, surgeries such as anterior vaginal repair and vaginal sling procedures may be performed. An anterior vaginal wall repair may tighten the front wall of the vagina. It either sinks the bladder into the vagina or sinks urethra into the vagina. On the other hand, in a vaginal sling procedure,  a sling made of mesh tape or tissue graft is used that supports urethra.          

Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Labiaplasty - Surgery for Women’s reproductive organs

For women these days, in order to achieve vaginal rejuvenation, vaginoplasty and labiaplasty are great surgical ways in which this can be accomplished. Many people are not aware that these procedures are safe, affordable and available to women across the country.

Women seeking these procedures are often trying to gain back the tightness and control that they had in the past. This can be the case for women who have given birth, and their private areas are not as tight or aesthetically the same as before. This can also be the case for women who have never given birth before. Muscles tend to wear out with age.

Many women who seek vaginoplasty are seeking that as part of vaginal restoration and/or vaginal rejuvenation. Which it includes labiaplasty, perineoplasty, vaginoplasty, among other procedures. After this procedure is completed, women can be back to having a sexual life after 5 to 6 weeks. This is a very short period of time to begin enjoying the results and a better quality love life provided by going through these procedures.

While vaginoplasty may be a great option for women looking to having the same conditions as they did when they were young, people seeking a sex change can also turn to vaginoplasty. Men who are looking to have a sex change can now go through a procedure that is not only safe but available. The first sex reassignment was performed in the United States in 1966.

Whether you’re trying to achieve a younger look or a better sex life, vaginoplasty and vaginal restoration are great ways to do this.
               

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Problems with Urinary Incontinence and Erectile Dysfunction

The problems men face on a daily basis with these two problems are a cause for much stress and a bad quality of life. These two problems can cause emotional issues and lead to embarrassing and sometimes uncomfortable situations. The men who suffer from erectile dysfunction can sometimes have problems in their love life, as well as their self-esteem being affected.

                In terms of Erectile Dysfunction, among older men, the problems are mostly physical. However, for men under 40, these symptoms may be the cause of psychological problems.  Some of the problems include: unrecognized homosexuality, (performance) anxiety, sense of loss, death in the family or financial problems.

                As for older men, the problems as stated before are physical. Although pills such as Viagra, Cialis or Levitra usually work, they are not the only form of treatment men can seek. Urologists are able to determine which drug or treatment is best. If drugs don’t work, usually urologists may suggest injectable medications, and/or penile implants (or pumps). The injectable medication is called alprostadil, and it is able to produce an erection for men in 10 to 15 minutes. Implants such as “pumps” are implants that are inflatable and make the penis produce an erection in just a few simple pumps.

                As for urinary incontinence, it is a problem that affects older men, usually stemming from an enlarged prostate or urethral stricture. These two problems are different but sometimes lead to the same problems such as urgency to urinate, leakage of urine, waking up several times during the night to urinate, weak or interrupted urine stream, among others.

                Seeing a urologist can be the way to go to figure out what the problem may be. There can be many problems or diseases attributed to these sets of problems. However, if left untreated or worse yet undetected, many other issues can arise and conditions may worsen. The best way to go is to visit a urologist often (especially men after 40), to check on issues and diagnose conditions at an early stage.

Monday, 16 January 2012

Erectile Dysfunction - Men’s Health: Sexual Functions and Aging

As men enter middle age, problems with reproductive organs tend to be more common. These problems include Urinary Incontinence, Erectile Dysfunction, and Enlarged Prostate issues. These are among the most common issues; however, there are other Urologic issues that can threaten men’s health during these years. Some of these problems affect sexual performance among men, which can be embarrassing and uncomfortable.

                Many celebrities and famous people have admitted to having Erectile Dysfunction. One memorable example was Bob Dole’s TV commercial Ad in the mid 1990s for Viagra. With the advances in drugs, such as Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra, many men have turned to these drugs to have better and more lasting erections. Although, many doctors recommend the use of drugs, others tend to focus on physical and emotional issues to finding the solution to this problem. It is widely believed by doctors that men suffer from Erectile Dysfunction due to physical reasons.

                Other issues such as Urinary Incontinence can highly affect the quality of life among middle-age men. This condition can affect men’s sleep, and can make it difficult to perform certain activities. This issue can be caused by many different factors including excessive urine production, drinking certain diuretic fluids, and an enlarged prostate. Although this condition can affect men while they sleep, it is also possible for incontinence to occur during the day.
                An Enlarged Prostate can make the lives of middle-age men uncomfortable, and at times, painful. The causes for an Enlarged prostate can vary and are complex to understand. There are however, many different treatments that are invasive and non-invasive. If left untreated, it can be a progressive disease that can lead to more serious health issues.

                Although incidence in the United States is low as compared to the rest of the underdeveloped world, Enlarged Prostate it is a serious and common issue that affects middle-age men from all ethnic backgrounds.

                For many middle-age men, a Urologist should be one type of physician that should be visited on a constant basis. The best way to treat these issues is through early detection and the right treatment. Men should be aware of these issues after the age of 40.