Is It Incontinence or an Overactive Bladder? What You Need to Know

Everyone has been there before: You’re out with friends or enjoying a walk in the park when you feel the need to use the bathroom. For a lot of people, this isn’t a big deal - just wait until you find one available and take care of business. 

However, if you have bladder issues such as an overactive bladder, it’s a very big deal. Generally, feeling this urge means you have to go and you have to go NOW.

If you’ve found yourself in that situation more than once, you might be experiencing an overactive bladder or urinary incontinence. In this article, we will go over the subtle difference between the two and what possible options you may have to get your life back. 

What is an Overactive Bladder?

Overactive Bladder (OAB) is not a disease but a name for a group of urinary symptoms. These symptoms usually include:

• A sudden, uncontrolled need to urinate

• The need to urinate many times during the day and night

• Leaking urine when feeling the sudden urge to urinate

A “normal” bladder slowly fills with urine, and the bladder sends a signal to the brain that it needs to empty. This triggers a mild feeling of needing to urinate, and that feeling intensifies the more the bladder fills over time. 

With OAB, a person’s signaling process malfunctions. Instead of sending signals at intervals of growing intensity, the bladder may only send the strong signal indicating it needs to empty immediately.

OAB affects an estimated 33 million people in the United States and disproportionately affects women over men. OAB symptoms can range from being a nuisance to being debilitating depending on their severity. OAB can disrupt work, your social life, exercise, and sleep with the constant worry that you can’t be far from a bathroom.

It’s important to keep in mind that OAB is not a normal part of aging, and it’s not something you just have to live with. Treatment for symptoms of OAB is available to help you.

What is Urinary Incontinence?

While OAB causes a strong urge to urinate frequently, urinary incontinence is the actual involuntary loss of urine. While there are different types of incontinence depending on what is causing it, the type that is common with OAB is called Urge Incontinence.

Urge Incontinence occurs when the bladder contracts involuntarily, causing the uncontrollable loss of urine. Symptoms of Urge Incontinence can include:

• A sudden need to urinate that leads to wetting accidents

• A sudden need to urinate at night

• Accidental leakage while sleeping

Normally, muscles called sphincters control the flow of urine from the bladder. When someone has Urge Incontinence, however, the muscles of the bladder override the sphincter muscles causing urine to leak out of the bladder. 

Like OAB, it’s important to note that urinary continence of any sort is not a normal part of aging. If you find your urinary incontinence is affecting your daily life and keeping you from enjoying normal activities, don’t hesitate to contact your doctor. For most people, simple lifestyle and dietary changes or medical care can treat symptoms and help them return to a more normal life. 

Treatment for Overactive Bladder and Incontinence

While both of these conditions can create stress by affecting your daily activities, symptoms of both are treatable and there is help to alleviate that stress. 

Some treatments for Overactive Bladder and incontinence include:

Behavioral Therapy 

The most non-invasive and usual first choice for treating an overactive bladder are behavioral therapies such as exercises. Some of these therapies include:

1. Pelvic Floor Exercises - These exercises help strengthen your pelvic floor and the muscles that help you control your bladder. 

2. Weight Management - Extra weight may make your symptoms worse, so losing weight may help alleviate them. 

3. Scheduled Toilet Trips - Scheduling set times to use the bathroom may help you urinate in a timely fashion that doesn’t force you to wait until you feel the urge. 

Medication

There are a variety of medications on the market to help with overactive bladder. These medical therapies usually help relax the bladder to help relieve symptoms and reduce episodes of Urge Incontinence. 

Bladder Injections

In small doses, Botox injections into the bladder tissues can help relax your bladder muscles. Studies also show that these injections also alleviate severe Urge Incontinence. These effects usually last about 6 months, so regular treatment is required to manage your symptoms. 

If you’re experiencing the symptoms described here and would like more information on how you can relieve them, your first step is to talk to a specialist like the doctors at Normal Urology. For almost 35 years, our practice has helped thousands of patients feel better and reclaim their life. Contact us today to set up an appointment with one of our doctors to discuss how we can help you do the same.

The Surprising Link Between Smoking and Bladder Cancer

Since 1964, when the U.S. Surgeon General released the first report on the negative side effects of smoking on health, medicine has recognized causation between smoking cigarettes and a number of other life-threatening diseases like throat, colon, pancreatic and tracheal cancer.

Even so, nearly 40 million U.S. adults still smoke, and approximately 4.7 middle and high school students use at least one tobacco product.  

Though most of us associate smoking with lung cancer and respiratory disease, physicians have long known the link between smoking and urinary tract health, including an increased risk of bladder cancer. 

Some Eye-Opening Statistics

According to the American Cancer Society, smokers are 3 times as likely to get bladder cancer than nonsmokers, and that smoking is the most important risk factor for bladder cancer. 

Former smokers are two times more likely to develop bladder cancer than those who never smoked, and current smokers are four times more likely.

One study by the NIH (National Institutes of Health) found that a staggering 50% of all cases of bladder cancer are found in smokers. 

Bladder Cancer and Women

Although the raw numbers show the incidence of bladder cancer is higher among men, the number of women who receive a diagnosis of bladder cancer is steadily increasing. This may be in part due to the fact that women--- and young women in particular -- are now more likely than ever to smoke.

But why would a young woman even try smoking, knowing all the negative health impacts? 

Among many other factors, tobacco marketing heavily targets women with shrewd ads portraying cigarette smokers as more socially desirable, more independent, and generally more fun to be around. Plus, ad agencies have emphasized the relationship between smoking and weight loss.

How Does Smoking Increase My Risk of Getting Bladder Cancer?

The public conversation around smoking often highlights the damage smoking does to the lungs when potent toxins are inhaled. 

What many of us don’t stop to think about is that those same toxins must also leave the body--- and they do so through the urinary tract which consists of the kidneys, ureters, urethra, and bladder.

When urine is held in the bladder for many hours at a time, the bladder is exposed to very high concentrations of the same toxins that were initially inhaled while smoking a cigarette.

These toxins can then cause changes in the cells of the bladder lining which can lead to bladder cancer. Toxins like nicotine, nitrosamines, and formaldehyde not only cause damage but actually block DNA cell repair in the bladder.

Studies have shown that smoking e-cigarettes can also trigger cancer-related damage to bladder tissue. 

The bottom line? The number one way to reduce your risk of bladder cancer is to stop smoking. 

What Are Some Common Signs of Bladder Cancer?

Because symptoms can present as relatively mild, some patients don’t know they have it until it’s too late.

The good news is that bladder cancer is highly treatable in its early stages so it’s helpful to be aware of some specific symptoms:

• Blood in the urine (hematuria)--- this is the most common early symptom of bladder cancer.

• UTI-like symptoms (Urinary Tract Infection)

• Recurrent bladder infections

• Frequent or burning urination

• Unexplained pain (usually in the flank area, abdomen, or pelvis)

When Should I See My Doctor?

If you have any of the above-listed symptoms, it’s a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor. Even if the cause is something relatively innocuous, like a UTI, it’s best to know so it can be treated. 

If your doctor suspects a more serious underlying condition, they may perform a Transurethral Resection of a Bladder Tumor (TURBT). This allows a surgeon to place a scope through the urethra into the bladder to remove tumors from the bladder wall. 

This procedure allows a urologist to perform a biopsy of the bladder wall to make a definitive diagnosis of cancer.

The physicians at Norman Urology are experts in this field and are trained to detect and treat bladder cancer early on.

If you feel you may be at risk for bladder cancer, why not schedule an appointment with us today? 

Drink Up! 3 Ways Dehydration Can Impact Your Urology System

Long touted by health gurus as the way to glowing skin and weight loss, perhaps more importantly, proper hydration is also critical to keeping the urology system functioning and healthy. 

Drinking water helps kidneys rid your body of waste in the form of urine, and also helps keep your blood vessels open making it easier for blood to flow, delivering essential nutrients to the kidneys.

Chronic, severe dehydration can lead to permanent kidney damage including low kidney function and kidney failure.

Signs You May Be Dehydrated

There are varying degrees of dehydration, each presenting with different symptoms. Mild dehydration--- the main cause of heat exhaustion -- may result in symptoms like:

• Extreme thirst

• Less frequent urination

• Fatigue, loss of strength or stamina

• Headaches

• Muscle weakness or cramps

• Constipation

Signs of more severe dehydration can include:

• Altered kidney, heart, or digestive function.

• Markedly decreased urine output, or no urination at all

• Dizziness / confusion that inhibits your ability to stand or walk normally

• Rapid heart rate

• Low blood pressure

• Fever

• Seizure

• Shock

• Bloody stool

The good news is that mild to moderate dehydration has one very simple, very obvious solution: drinking more fluids, water being the ideal thirst quencher.

However, severe dehydration requires medical intervention as it can affect kidney function, increase the risk of painful kidney stones and even cause kidney failure. 

3 Ways Dehydration Can Impact Your Urinary System

#1 Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs)

UTIs are very common, but women tend to get them more frequently because their urethra is shorter than men and so are continually exposed to pathogens from the vagina and rectum. In fact, around 50-60% of women will experience a UTI in their lifetime.

When bacteria is not flushed from the system with adequate hydration, the lining of the bladder and urethra may become irritated, which can result in a UTI.

Staying hydrated and urinating frequently flushes out the bacteria, decreasing the risk of getting a UTI.

Most healthy adults urinate around 6-7 times in a 24 hour period, but some urinate as few as 4 times or as many as 10. Any deviation outside these norms may require a visit to your doctor.

#2 Kidney Stones

Without frequent urination, calcium, uric acid and salts can build up in the kidneys which can result in the formation of kidney stones. 

Also called renal calculi, nephrolithiasis or urolithiasis, kidney stones don’t generally cause permanent damage but, as anyone who has had them will tell you, they can be extremely painful to pass.

Symptoms include pain that radiates to the lower abdomen and groin, sharp pain in the side and back below the ribs, pain or burning sensation when urinating, and pink, red or brown urine.

#3 Painful Bladder Syndrome (BPS)

Also called interstitial cystitis (IC), painful bladder syndrome is the result of a spectrum of diseases including autoimmune disorders, allergies and vascular disease.

A normal, healthy bladder expands until it’s full and then sends signals to your brain through the pelvic nerves, letting you know when it’s time to urinate.

In patients with IC, these signals get jumbled up, causing a need to urinate more frequently and in smaller volumes than is considered normal. 

How Can I Stay Hydrated?

According to the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, adequate daily fluid intake is about 15.5 cups of water for men and 11.5 cups a day for women, more for those who work out regularly. 

Whether you start the day with a long drink of water or end it with drinking water (perhaps keeping a water bottle beside your bed) it’s a good idea to make drinking water a habit. 

Drinking water with every meal can help you establish this habit and is another good way to stay hydrated. 

Many water bottles come with measurements on the side. Challenge yourself to drink the minimum amount of water recommended by doctors. 

If water isn’t your normal go-to drink of choice, try adding a lemon slice or fresh fruit to make it more palatable. 

If you’re feeling hungry, try drinking 8 oz of water. Thirst is frequently mistaken for hunger. Plus, drinking water can help you feel full if you’re trying to lose weight. 

When to See Your Doctor

If symptoms negatively impact your day-to-day activities, or if you are experiencing severe symptoms, it’s advisable to consult with your physician. Your urologist can provide you with information about how to keep hydrated for a healthy urinary system. 

The urologists at Norman Urology are experts in this field and are highly trained to treat disorders of the male and female urinary tract.

If you think you may be experiencing the negative effects of chronic dehydration, why not schedule an appointment with us today? 

Proactive Prostate Cancer Screenings: Why They Matter

Cancer screenings are a highly effective tool doctors use to help detect cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages.

The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test is used to specifically screen for signs of prostate cancer and can be a good idea, especially for patients with significant risk factors.

It’s still not clear what causes prostate cancer but, as with all cancer, changes develop in a prostate cell’s basic DNA, which then instructs the cell to grow and divide more rapidly than normal cells. Clusters of these cells form tumors that invade nearby tissue and, in some cases, spread (or metastasize) to other parts of the body.

The good news is that statistics show the number of deaths from prostate cancer has gone down since PSA testing became available.

What Does the Prostate Do?

Located just below the bladder, and in front of the rectum, the prostate gland is about the size of a walnut, and is part of the larger male reproductive system.

It, along with other glands, is responsible for producing seminal fluid, a thick secretion that carries sperm out of a man’s body so it can fertilize an egg.

What Is a PSA Screening?

PSA stands for “prostate-specific antigen,” which is a protein generated by both benign and cancerous tissues in the prostate.

The test screens for higher than normal levels of PSA in the bloodstream since cancer cells produce more of the protein than do non-malignant cells.

In addition to the PSA screening test itself, your physician will consider other factors to arrive at an overall risk score:

• Your age

• Size of prostate gland

• How rapidly PSA levels are rising in your bloodstream

• Whether you are taking any medication that can skew the PSA measurements

In addition to administering the blood test, your physician may also perform a digital rectal exam (DRE) to palpate the prostate in an effort to detect any abnormalities.

Why Are Prostate Cancer Screenings Important?

Early detection gains cancer patients a huge advantage, and detecting prostate cancer sooner rather than later can provide patients with more options for treatment. And treatments are generally more effective when cancer is found early on.

In some cases, detecting prostate cancer in its early stages gives patients the option to choose a less aggressive treatment, which is less likely to produce certain side effects such as incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Many patients find reassurance in knowing whether PSA levels indicate they are at risk of developing prostate cancer. For those patients, knowing is better than not knowing.

What Are My Risk Factors?

There are a number of factors that can influence a patient’s risk for being diagnosed with prostate cancer, including:

Age. Men over the age of 50 are at a higher risk than men under the age of 50.

Race. It isn’t yet known why, but Black men are at a greater risk for prostate cancer than other races, and they are more likely to receive an aggressive or advanced diagnosis. 

Family History. If a blood relative (e.g. parent, child, or sibling) has been diagnosed, it can increase your risk of prostate cancer. (Also it’s a good idea to discuss with your doctor if you have a family history of genes that can cause breast cancer like BRCA1 or BRCA2, as they can influence risk for prostate cancer as well.)

Obesity. Carrying extra weight may not actually increase your risk for prostate cancer, but it can increase the risk of recurrence post-surgery.

The SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database classifies prostate cancer into three different stages:

1. Local (no sign the cancer has spread outside the prostate)

2. Regional (the cancer has metastasized to nearby structures or lymph nodes)

3. Distant (the cancer has spread to organs farther away from the prostate, such as the liver or lungs)

Here’s the great news: the five-year survival rate for men diagnosed with local and regional prostate cancer is nearly 100%. 

When Should I Talk To My Doctor?

Discuss with your physician whether you are a good candidate for PSA and other prostate cancer screenings according to some guidelines:

• If you’re age 50 or older and have an average-risk level

• If you’re 45 and have a high-risk level

• If you’re 40 and have an even higher risk for developing prostate cancer (i.e., those who have more than one close relative who was diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age) 

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) suggests that, in general, men who are between 55 and 69 years old should definitely talk to their physician about PSA screening. (The organization does not recommend screening for men 70 or older.)

The physicians at Norman Urology are experts in this field and are trained to detect and treat prostate cancer early on. 

If you feel you may be at risk for prostate cancer, why not schedule an appointment with us today?

What You Should Know About Your Pelvic Floor Before, During and After Pregnancy

In this article, we will explore how you can better strengthen and take care of your pelvic floor before, during and after pregnancy to help ensure avoiding issues when your little one is here.

What is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that work together to create a support structure for your abdominal organs. These muscles form a kind of hammock that brace organs such as your uterus, bladder and rectum. Part of its job is to promote healthy bowel and bladder control as well as comfort during sexual intercourse. 

If something goes wrong with your pelvic floor, it can affect a variety of everyday functions. Pelvic floor disorders happen when muscles or connective tissues in this area are weakened or injured. This could cause urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, the inability to fully empty your bladder, or pain during sexual intercourse. 

Because of the toll pregnancy and childbirth have on this region in your body, pelvic floor disorders are not uncommon in women who have given birth. 

Before Pregnancy

If you’re planning on having children, there are some things you can do beforehand to get your pelvic floor muscles ready for the workout they’re about to get. The following exercises will help strengthen the muscles of your pelvic floor and help reduce the risk of disorders later.

1) Kegels

First, you need to identify what these muscles are. The best way to do it is to stop your urine midstream. These are the muscles you want to work out. To exercise them, simply contract these muscles for five seconds and then release for 5 seconds. Repeat this 10 times, 3 times a day.

2) Squats

Squats help engage some of the largest muscles in your body. Simply stand in an upright position with your feet a little wider than shoulder width apart. Bend your knees and push your hips and buttocks back like you’re about to sit in a chair. Straighten your legs and return to an upright position. Repeat this movement 15 times. 

Practicing these exercises prior to getting pregnant will help prepare your pelvic floor for the big job it’s about to take on.

During Pregnancy

As your fetus grows, your pelvic floor muscles are going to work harder than before to support the extra weight. In addition, pregnancy hormones also soften the muscles.

While pregnant, you can still exercise your pelvic floor muscles, but you will probably need to change your routine as the exercises you did before will be more difficult. A couple of exercises you can try include:

1) Belly Breathing

Sitting with your legs crossed and your back supported, slowly inhale through your nose and expand your belly. As you exhale through the mouth, draw in your abdominal muscles, envisioning pulling your navel to your spine.

2) Belly Dancing on All Fours

Get down on your hands and knees. Keeping your back flat, draw your abdominal muscles up and in and hold while breathing normally. Tilt your pelvis under, bringing your pubic bone toward your navel. Hold this position to the count of five. 

Remember that whether you give birth vaginally or by cesarean, your pelvic floors will be greatly impacted. With a vaginal birth, they will undergo considerable stretching and strain. However, during a cesarean, you’ll be experiencing cutting through multiple muscle layers. 

After Pregnancy

Once your little one is here, your pelvic floor is going to need a little extra love. During the first six weeks postpartum, your main focus should simply be recovery. 

The truth is that a little bit of urinary incontinence is very normal when you’re postpartum. But the good news is that once your pelvic floor is no longer strained by the added weight of the baby in utero and the muscle softening hormones, pelvic floor issues usually improve. For some, this may take days, for others, it may take months. 

If you’re still experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms after 12 weeks postpartum, it is advised that you seek the help of specialists like the professionals at Norman Urology. Our team can help guide you through what is normal and what needs to be addressed in a postpartum pelvic floor. 

Contact our office today to discuss with one of our professionals how we can help you get your postpartum pelvic floor strengthened again to help improve your quality of life.

4 Signs of a Pelvic Floor Issue (And What's Causing It)

Both men and women have a pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is a group of muscles that are found in the base of your pelvis and form the foundation for organs like your bladder, uterus (or prostate in men), and rectum.

These muscles are a support structure that keeps everything in place within your pelvis. When these muscles contract or relax, they give you control of your bowel movements, urination, and (particularly for women) sexual intercourse. However, issues arise with the pelvic floor when these muscles have either weakened or they are too tense. 

Many people experience pelvic floor issues where the muscles don’t work as they should. Women are particularly affected by pelvic floor issues with almost one-quarter of women facing pelvic floor disorders.

But how do you know if your pelvic floor isn’t working the way it should? In this article, we will show you 4 signs that you may have a pelvic floor issue. 

Sign 1: Urinary Issues

One of the most common signs of a pelvic floor issue is urinary problems. This could mean:

• Leaking urine when coughing, sneezing, laughing, or running

• Failure to reach the toilet in time

• Full incontinence

• An urgent need to urinate

• Painful urination

• Incomplete emptying of the bladder

If the muscles that help control your bladder are too weak or too tense, you may experience one or more of the above issues. 

Sign 2: Bowel Issues

As the pelvic floor muscles also help support the rectum, you may also experience bowel issues. This could include bowel incontinence or the inability to control passing gas if the pelvic floor is too weak. In addition, you may also experience constipation or straining during defecation if the muscles are too tense. 

Sign 3: Issues During Sexual Intercourse

This particular sign of pelvic floor issues is going to look different for men and women. For men, they may have difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection during sexual intercourse. For women, issues could come in the form of decreased arousal and sex drive as well as pain during intercourse. 

Sign 4: Vaginal Pain or Bulge

For women, when the muscles that hold the uterus, rectum, and bladder loosen and become too stretched out, it’s possible to experience pelvic organ prolapse, or organs that stick out of the vagina or rectum.

If you’re experiencing prolapse, you will feel vaginal pain or pressure, lower back pain, a feeling of heaviness or fullness in the vulva, pain during intercourse. 

What Causes Pelvic Floor Issues?

There are a variety of factors that can cause any of the above signs that you are experiencing a pelvic floor issue. 

One common misconception is that pelvic floor issues are a common part of aging. While it’s true that issues are most common in older men and women, they are not a normal part of aging. 

Instead, pelvic floor issues can be caused by any of the following factors:

• Childbirth - This is one of the main causes of issues in women. Chances of developing pelvic floor issues can increase the more children a woman delivers and if the baby was large at birth.

• Weight - Men and women who are overweight or obese are at a larger risk of developing pelvic floor issues than those who aren’t. 

• Trauma - A traumatic injury to the pelvic region can cause pelvic floor issues.

• Genes - Heredity could play a role in whether or not you’ll experience pelvic floor issues. Some people are born with naturally weaker or tighter connective tissue. 

If you have any of these symptoms of pelvic floor issues, you know that they can greatly affect your quality of life on a daily basis. But the good news is that the condition is highly treatable with the right care. 

The doctors and medical experts at Norman Urology Associates are dedicated to helping you get these issues under control to improve your quality of life. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to discuss the symptoms you’ve been experiencing so we can get you on the road to recovery quickly. 

What to Know About the Effectiveness of Vasectomies

A vasectomy (also known as male sterilization) is a procedure that prevents pregnancy by blocking sperm from entering semen. Without sperm, a woman’s egg cannot be fertilized, which results in pregnancy. 

The procedure involves cutting and sealing off the vas deferens, two tubes in the male anatomy that carry sperm from the testicles to the urethra. With these tubes closed off, sperm is prevented from reaching the semen. Ejaculation, therefore, just contains semen, and sperm is reabsorbed into the body. 

Vasectomies are common procedures with nearly 5% of all married men of reproductive age having one. An estimated 500,000 vasectomies are performed each year.

Why You Should Consider a Vasectomy

If you’re looking for a permanent solution to the issue of birth control, a vasectomy is a simple and more effective option than other forms of permanent birth control. If you’re considering a vasectomy, here are a few benefits of the procedure:

1) Simple Procedure

Compared to female sterilization (tubal ligation), a vasectomy is a pretty simple (and quick!) procedure. Performed at a doctor’s office or outpatient center, the procedure only requires local anesthesia and is usually complete in 10-30 minutes.

2) Quick Recovery

The average recovery time from a vasectomy is less than a week with full recovery time around 8-9 days. In fact, some men schedule their procedure on Friday and return to work on Monday with few restrictions. 

3) Lower Cost

The cost of a vasectomy is thousands of dollars cheaper than tubal ligation because of the comparative simplicity of the procedure. Most health insurance companies fully cover vasectomies. 

4) Low Risk of Complications

Major complications from a vasectomy are rare. Side effects are also usually limited to mild pain or discomfort and swelling after the procedure. 

How Effective is a Vasectomy?

Other than a low risk of complications and a quick recovery time, another benefit of a vasectomy is its effectiveness. In fact, vasectomies are one of the most effective forms of birth control.

While no form of birth control is 100% effective, vasectomies are pretty close. The long term effectiveness rate for vasectomies is over 99% and only 1-2 women per 1,000 get pregnant after their partner’s vasectomy in the first year. 

One reason they are not 100% effective is because sperm is not completely blocked right away. Your doctor will conduct a simple test after about 8 weeks to see how much sperm is still present in your semen. In all, it usually takes about 8 weeks or 20 ejaculations for sperm to be eliminated completely. 

Vasectomy failure is extremely rare and usually happens within the first year after the procedure. The best thing you can do to prevent a pregnancy after your vasectomy is to use another form of birth control until your semen is tested. 

It’s Permanent. . . Kind Of

You shouldn’t decide to get a vasectomy on a whim as they should be performed on men who have decided once and for all that they don’t wish to father any more children. With their over 99% effectiveness rate, fathering a child again with a vasectomy is against the odds. 

However, sometimes life circumstances change, and men with vasectomies may decide they would like the opportunity to father another child. In this case, vasectomy reversals are possible. The chance of impregnating a woman after a reversal is highest the closer the reversal occurs after the initial procedure. 

If you’re interested in a permanent solution when it comes to birth control, the specialists at Norman Urology Associates can help you make the right decision for you and your family. Contact us today to schedule a consultation where we will discuss the benefits and side effects of a vasectomy and help you decide what’s best for you.

How Botox Can Help an Overactive Bladder

Hors devours, champagne, and lounging around the pool with friends — we’ve all read about celebrities hosting swank Hollywood Botox “parties”’  But Botox isn’t just for reality TV housewives and movie stars. 

While injections may be an effective cosmetic procedure, Botox is also widely used by doctors to treat a number of medical conditions, including disorders like overactive bladder (OAB). 

While bladder relaxant medications are frequently used as an initial treatment for OAB, patients who are intolerant to those drugs are often treated with Botox. 

What Is OAB?

And although this condition can occur in both males and females, studies show that it impacts women disproportionately, affecting as many as 19% of older women in the U.S. 

People with this condition often experience the need to urinate throughout the day (as often as eight times or more). Many patients may also wake up more than once during the night to urinate (nocturia). 

Is There a Difference Between OAB and Incontinence?

There is a difference between stress incontinence and overactive bladder. Stress incontinence accompanies physical activity like exercise, coughing, or sneezing. 

Overactive bladder is characterized by a frequent, sudden urge to urinate that is difficult to control and can lead to leakage. It is sometimes described by patients as their bladder compressing without their intention to do so.

While two different conditions, it is possible for patients to suffer from both. 

What Is Botox?

Botox is an FDA-approved toxin produced by a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum. (Only two serotypes of this neurotoxin are used in clinical preparations.) It can be used to treat spasticity, involuntary muscle contractions, and other conditions. 

First discovered by a Belgian scientist named Emile Pierre van Ermengen in 1895, it was approved by the FDA for use in treating urinary disorders in 2011. 

How Is Botox Used to Treat OAB?

When a urologist injects Botox into the bladder muscle, a portion of the thick muscle bands (called trabeculation) are temporarily paralyzed, which causes the muscle to relax, allowing a patient more time to get to the bathroom when the urge hits. 

It should be noted that, technically, Botox is used to treat the issue of urgency more than the frequency of the need to go. 

Research shows Botox is 70-80% effective for people who have overactive bladder. 

What Can I Expect?

The Botox treatment itself is usually performed on an out-patient basis and is done under light sedation. A urologist will place a cystoscope into your bladder and will inject the drug into various sites within the bladder using a needle that fits through the device. 

Generally, the entire procedure can be done in less than 15 minutes. 

Once the procedure has been completed, your doctor will generally ask you to remain in the office for at least 30 minutes and until you’ve urinated. This allows the urologist to assess how well you tolerate the Botox.

When Can I Expect Relief from OAB?

Most patients experience relief from symptoms in as short as a few days. 

The treatment is effective for about six to eight months, after which you should consult your doctor to determine whether additional injections are necessary. 

While the FDA recommends injections are administered at least 12 weeks apart, there is no limit to how many times you can use Botox to treat OAB.

When to See Your Doctor

If symptoms negatively impact your day-to-day activities, it’s advisable to consult with your physician. Your urologist can provide you with information about Botox and how it works to alleviate symptoms of overactive bladder.  

The urologists at Norman Urology are experts in this field and are highly trained to treat disorders of the male and female urinary tract.

If you’re experiencing an overactive bladder, why not schedule an appointment with us today?

The Role of Water in Your Kidney and Bladder Health

Drinking enough water each day is one of the best ways to keep your body healthy. It might seem too simple — and of course, we need food and nutrients as well — but our bodies are made up of 60% water, which means staying hydrated is essential. There are many ways that drinking water can benefit our bodies, but two organs that especially need it are the bladder and the kidneys.  

The Role of the Urinary Tract

Though many people simply think of the bladder when they hear someone talking about the urinary tract, it is actually made up of more than that. The urinary tract includes our kidneys, our bladder, ureter, and urethra. Together, these parts of the urinary tract work as a drainage system to dispel waste from our bodies in the form of urine. When we drink enough water, it promotes proper urinary tract function by flushing the system and clearing toxins from the body. 

Why Your Bladder and Kidneys Need Water 

As mentioned above, water helps to flush out the urinary tract, keeping everything in working order. If we don’t drink enough fluids, we become dehydrated, which results in concentrated urine and reduced urine output. When we don’t produce enough urine, our body is not able to properly filter and expel waste, which can lead to a dysfunctional urinary tract.  

Water and Your Kidneys

Water is essential for healthy kidney function. The kidneys are located just below the ribcage and are the organs responsible for producing urine. About 1 liter of blood passes through the kidneys every minute. Toxins and waste in the blood are then filtered out in the form of urine. Drinking water helps keep our blood vessels dilated, which then nourishes our kidneys and keeps them functioning. 

Water and Your Bladder

Our bladders are the balloon-shaped organ in our pelvis that functions like a reservoir to hold the urine that is produced by our kidneys. After the kidneys filter our blood to expel waste in the form of urine, it is sent to the bladder, where it sits until we empty it. When we drink more often, the bladder fills more quickly, which typically urges us to empty our bladders more frequently. Though it can feel like a nuisance to use the restroom often, it is essential to keep the bladder flushed and healthy. 

Tips to Keep Hydrated for a Healthy Urinary Tract 

Though keeping yourself hydrated might seem fairly simple, it’s easy to get distracted throughout the day and forget to drink water. The following are a few useful tips to help you stay hydrated to keep your bladder and kidneys working properly:

1. Set a goal based on your body's needs: While you will typically find most experts telling you to drink about 8 glasses of water a day, this statement is not entirely accurate. It is certainly a good place to start, but each body has different needs. Men on average need about 3.7 liters a day, and women need about 2.7 liters. This can also fluctuate if you are someone who exercises more or less. 

2. Keep a water bottle with you and set reminders: It’s easy to forget to drink water when there isn’t any on hand. Make it a habit to carry a water bottle with you wherever you go and set reminders on your phone to take a few sips every 30 minutes or to finish and refill the bottle every hour or two. 

3. Cut out other fluids and replace them with water: If you are someone who enjoys soda, sports drinks, and other sugary drinks throughout the day, it might be a good idea to start replacing them with water instead. These types of drinks are full of added sugars, which can be harmful to your health. Replacing them with water will not only help your body function properly, but it will also help you cut calories as well. 

4. Drink a glass before and after each meal: If you don’t like the idea of carrying a water bottle around wherever you go, at least make it a goal to drink one to two full glasses with each meal. Most individuals eat about three meals a day, with the occasional snack in between. If you drink one glass of water before and after every meal and snack, it should get you close to 8 glasses a day. 

5. Eat more foods that are high in water content: There are lots of fruits and vegetables that contain high amounts of water. By introducing more of these foods to your diet, you can easily up your water intake throughout the day. Some examples include celery, lettuce, watermelon, and cantaloupe, but there are lots of other options out there. 

What Happens if You Get Dehydrated?

As water is essential for the health of our urinary tract, it’s important to follow the tips above to stay hydrated. If you don’t drink enough fluids, there are many ways your body can be affected, including:

• Developing a Urinary Tract Infection: When we don’t drink enough water, our urine becomes concentrated and often sits for long periods in the bladder before we feel the need to empty it. This can irritate the lining of the bladder and result in unwanted bacteria taking hold. 

• Kidney Stones and Infection: Inadequate water consumption results in concentrated urine, which can lead to a buildup of crystallized minerals in the urinary tract. When this happens, an infection can develop, which can lead to further complications such as kidney stones. If a kidney infection and stones are left untreated, it can lead to kidney failure. 

If you are suffering from symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI), it’s important to seek medical treatment right away to prevent further complications with your kidneys. Simple UTIs can often be treated by a general practitioner; however, if the situation becomes worse or chronic, you may need a referral to a urologist. 

At Norman Urology Associates, we are dedicated to providing the highest level of care for all of our patients. Schedule an appointment today to see how we can help you feel better and get your urinary tract healthy and functioning properly again!

4 Early Signs of Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are an unfortunate reality for millions of people. In fact, about 1 in every 11 people experiences kidney stones at some point in their lifetime!

Even though they are so common, many people still don’t really know much about kidney stones. There is some confusion out there about what they are and how to spot them. Identifying kidney stones early can help you prevent them from becoming so painful.

Before we talk about how to spot those early signs, let’s talk about what kidney stones are and how they are formed.

What Are Kidney Stones?

Kidney stones are hard deposits of minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys. These deposits affect much more than just your kidneys; they impact your entire urinary tract, including your bladder. 

These mineral deposits are commonly formed when your urine becomes concentrated because concentrated urine allows minerals to crystallize and stick together. 

Kidney stones do not cause permanent damage in the vast majority of cases. However, they can range from mildly uncomfortable to extremely painful, and many people struggle with the difficult experience of passing them through the urinary tract. 

What to Watch Out For

There are four main things you want to watch out for when it comes to kidney stones. Remember: the earlier you can catch them, the more effectively you can treat them without pain or discomfort. 

These are the things you should take note of and talk to your doctor about.

1. Discolored Urine

Discolored urine can mean a number of things, from something as minor as dehydration to as serious as liver disease. It is always worth discussing discoloration of your urine with your general practitioner or urologist. 

Kidney stones are often accompanied by brown, pink, or cloudy urine. These can also be symptoms of other kidney conditions or a urinary tract infection, so speak with your doctor about your concerns. 

2. Urinary Urgency

Frequent urinary urgency that seems to show up out of nowhere may be a sign of kidney stones. As a stone moves closer to the bladder, it can create additional pressure and the need to urinate more frequently. Sometimes, the urgency outweighs how much you really need to go; you’ll rush to the bathroom to release only a small amount of urine. 

3. Illness and Flu-like Symptoms

It may be hard to imagine, but sometimes kidney stone symptoms manifest as a fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting. As your body deals with the stress of trying to pass the stone, you may experience these uncomfortable symptoms. If you experience these symptoms with your kidney stone diagnosis, you should seek medical care immediately, as you may have developed a secondary infection or a rare kidney blockage. 

4. Kidney Stone Pain

If you don’t experience or don’t notice the other symptoms on this list, you will probably start realizing that it’s kidney stones when you experience kidney stone pain. 

This pain, which is also called renal colic, is typically felt in the back, belly, or side. When a stone moves into the ureter, a blockage occurs in the kidney. This combination of events is very painful. The pain will only be resolved with the kidney stone passes. Often, treatment at this stage means increasing fluids to get extra hydrated and possibly taking pain medications. 

Kidney Stone Treatment

We have good news: kidney stones are not typically difficult to treat. Many patients are able to treat kidney stones at home with proper hydration and pain medication.

If you experience persistent or recurring kidney stones, extreme pain, or other symptoms, you can seek treatment through your general practitioner or a referral to a urologist. Urologists treat conditions of the urinary tract, including kidney stones. 

At Norman Urology, we offer several treatments for kidney stones. We work with patients who may have thought that kidney stone pain is just a fact of life for them now. There is a solution to your pain and discomfort! 
Schedule an appointment today so that we can help you feel better as soon as possible!

Women with Incontinence: You're Not Alone

Many women feel embarrassed because they have incontinence issues, but we’re here to tell you that you are not alone!

When you experience bladder leakage, you may find that you are unable to enjoy your normal activities. You may hesitate to participate in physical activities you used to enjoy, from exercise and family outings to intimacy with your partner.

What is it like to deal with incontinence?

Women describe incontinence as embarrassing, discouraging, and even life-disrupting. 

Does this sound familiar?

• Rushing to the bathroom after an unexpected sneeze or cough because you need to change your underwear — and maybe your pants?

• Always having to wear a pantyliner or bladder leakage pad?

• Suffering when you have a cold or a stomach virus, not just because of your respiratory issues, but because of accidents every time you cough, sneeze, or throw up? 

• Keeping an extra pair of underwear in your bag in case of accidents?

• Shopping for discreet, disposable underwear that you can use to prevent embarrassing accidents?

It is so important to know that you are not alone in these experiences. Women all over the world have to deal with incontinence. 

Is bladder incontinence really that common?

Yes, it really is. There is nothing to be ashamed of, especially when you consider that it is such a common problem. 

1 in 4 women experiences urinary leakage, with the highest prevalence among women over the age of 50. The percentage goes up to 50% after the age of 50, with the most common triggers being coughing or sneezing and not having enough time to make it to the bathroom. 

Between the ages of 70 and 80, involuntary leakage increases significantly. 

What causes incontinence in women?

There are several culprits when it comes to women’s incontinence. 

They include conditional causes that can affect individual women differently: 

• Alcohol and caffeine consumption

• Carbonation

• Artificial sweeteners

• Chocolate

• Spicy foods

• Sugary and acidic foods

• Significant amounts of Vitamin C

It can also be caused by medications, such as heart medicine, blood pressure meds, sedatives, and muscle relaxants. 

Some illnesses and medical conditions can cause incontinence as well. 

• UTIs

• Constipation

• Pregnancy

• Hormonal changes

• Childbirth

• Aging

• Menopause

• Neurological disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, strokes, tumors, or spinal injuries

Do I have to just live with this problem, or is there a solution? 

You don’t have to live with urinary incontinence.

If you work with a urologist, the first thing they will do is help you determine the specific type of incontinence that you’re experiencing. 

The five types of incontinence are: 

Stress incontinence: Leaks that occur when pressure is exerted on the bladder and pelvic floor muscles, including exercising, lifting heavy objects, sneezing, coughing, or laughing. 

Overflow incontinence: Leaks that occur when the bladder does not empty completely, leaving women to experience frequent or even constant dribbling of urine.

Urge incontinence: A sense of sudden, urgent need to urinate, but only a small amount of urine is actually expelled from the bladder, leading to frequent urges. 

Functional incontinence: The inability to get to the bathroom in time, often because of a condition like arthritis, mental impairment, or physical disability.

Mixed incontinence: A combination of any of the above causes.

The treatment for your incontinence will depend on what is causing your leakage issues.

Treatment options

One of the most common treatment options for incontinence can be done at home, on your own time, without any expensive treatments or medications. Pelvic floor exercises can strengthen the sling of muscles that support your bladder, uterus, and colon, and these can often cause a significant improvement in your leakage issues. 

Another treatment option is to make lifestyle changes, such as cutting out caffeine in the evenings, reducing your alcohol intake, and limiting foods that cause bladder irritation. 

Finally, significant incontinence issues that affect your daily life are often best treated by urologists, medical doctors who specialize in the urinary tract.

Do you want help with your urinary leakage issues?

If your life is inconvenienced by any type of incontinence, you have options! Please don’t let embarrassment get in the way of reaching out and talking with us because we can help. Schedule an appointment with Norman Urology today so that we can help you get back to your life before incontinence.

How to Deal with Urinary Incontinence at Bedtime

Urinary incontinence is a relatively common ailment that affects both women and men. Women are more likely to experience urinary incontinence, with some studies finding that about half of women over the age of 50 experience it regularly.

Clearly, this is an important concern, and yet many people feel embarrassed to discuss it with their healthcare provider. 

Urinary incontinence is nothing to be ashamed of! It is a common condition, and there are treatments available. Some people only notice their incontinence when they sneeze or cough, while others deal with bladder leakage throughout their daily life. 

Urinary incontinence at bedtime is a related concern, and it includes both minor leakage and nocturnal enuresis, or bedwetting. 

What causes nighttime leakage?

Bladder leakage in the night can be the result of several causes. Understanding what is causing your leakage will help you determine the best strategies for addressing it. 

ADH Imbalance

ADH stands for Anti-Diuretic Hormone, and it helps your kidneys manage the amount of water in your body. This hormone should communicate to your body that it’s nighttime, and therefore it’s time to produce less urine. If your body doesn’t produce enough ADH, your urinary system might not get the message to reduce production, and you may end up with a full bladder throughout the night. 

Heavy sleepers may experience bladder leakage at night because of this deficiency. 

Treating ADH Imbalance: Medication is used to treat ADH deficiency. It may be administered via injections, pills, or a nasal spray. 

Weak Pelvic Floor Muscles

Your pelvic floor muscles do important work! In women, the pelvic floor is a sling of muscles that stretches from the pubic bone to the tailbone, and also from side-to-side. These muscles support your bladder, bowels, and uterus. 

In men, similar muscles function as a sort of “hammock” for the bladder and bowels. 

Weak pelvic floor muscles are a frequent cause of incontinence, including nighttime incontinence. Sometimes, these muscles are so weak that they do not prevent the leakage of urine from the bladder overnight. 

Treating pelvic floor weakness: You can do pelvic floor exercises at home to strengthen this muscle group, or you can seek pelvic floor therapy with a trained physical therapist. 

Too Much Caffeine

Many of us depend on caffeine to get through the day, but unfortunately, caffeine comes with some pretty big drawbacks when it comes to our bladders! Caffeine triggers urine production, and it also contributes to UTIs and bladder irritation. That irritation can cause incontinence. 

Treating caffeine-related incontinence: Cut back on caffeine. If you can’t eliminate caffeine from your routine entirely, set a limit for how much you drink, and set a “cut off time” in the afternoon or early evening so that you don’t have any in the hours before bed. 

Alcohol Consumption Before Bed

Many people experience bedwetting only after they have consumed alcohol in the hours before bedtime. Alcohol suppresses ADH production and irritates the detrusor muscle, which signals to your brain that it’s time to urinate. 

Treating alcohol-related incontinence: Reducing your alcohol intake can make a big difference in your life, especially if it is causing uncomfortable side effects like bedwetting. 

More Strategies for Dealing with Nighttime Incontinence 

We work with patients all the time who experience the uncomfortable reality of incontinence. In our experience, these tips can help you cope with nighttime-related leakage and bed-wetting. 

1. Purchase and use high-quality leakage protection. There are many discreet products that are made for managing incontinence at night, including liners, pads, and disposable underwear. Make sure that you choose a product that is specifically designed for urine leakage, rather than just a generic feminine hygiene product. 

2. Practice pelvic floor exercises at home. These exercises are not difficult to do, and they can lead to a significant increase in urinary function. There are even products that can help you train your pelvic floor muscles to get stronger! 

3. Don’t hesitate to see a doctor. Because people often choose not to talk about their incontinence issues, they may not realize that there are medical solutions for a medical problem! 

Speak with a urologist today to get help with your nighttime incontinence. 

If your symptoms are creating discomfort in your life, you will absolutely benefit from speaking with a physician! Your urologist can help determine the causes of your problems and find the best lifestyle changes and medical treatments to alleviate them.

The urologists at Norman Urology have helped countless women and men manage their symptoms. We can help you determine which treatments will be the most effective. 

If you’re experiencing urinary incontinence, reach out to schedule an appointment with us today. We look forward to helping you feel more in control!

Early Signs You Might Have Kidney Stones

Kidney stones (or renal calculus) are collections of salt and minerals (usually consisting of uric acid or calcium) that can build up in the kidneys over time.

Contrary to what you might think, pain levels aren’t connected to the size of a stone. While large stones are often associated with more pain, even a small stone can cause huge discomfort as it moves into the ureter (a tube that connects your kidney to your bladder).

A blockage in the ureter causes pressure build-up in the kidneys and triggers adjacent nerve fibers to transmit pain signals to the brain.

Understanding the warning signs of kidney stones can lead to an earlier diagnosis and treatment, sparing the patient some agony.

Who Is Most At Risk For Kidney Stones?

There are many causes for kidney stones, but common risk factors include a poor diet, chronic dehydration, obesity, certain medical conditions (like diabetes), and medications or particular supplements. 

Interestingly, while kidney stones can occur in both men and women, men are at a significantly higher risk for developing them--- about two times more likely. In fact, statistics show that more than one in eight American men will develop kidney stones at some point in their life. 

In general, people are more susceptible to this condition between the ages of 20 and 50, with the highest risk occurring around the age of 30. 

What Are Some Signs To Look For?

While in some cases the onset of excruciating pain can be sudden, kidney stones don’t manifest overnight. They grow over a period of months or years and may or may not be accompanied by any symptoms. 

Let’s take a look at some early warning signs that can mean you’ve got kidney stones and should book an appointment with your urologist as soon as possible. 

Pain And Pressure

If you’re having severe lower back or abdominal pain, or pain in your groin area, and can’t seem to get comfortable even after having changed position a number of times, you may be presenting early symptoms of renal calculus. 

Nausea And Vomiting

The kidneys and GI tract share a common nerve connection which, when triggered by kidney stones, can cause nausea and even vomiting. 

Additionally, some patients claim it’s the intense pain itself (often likened to childbirth or being stabbed) that causes dyspepsia. 

Fever And Chills

Fever and chills can be a sign of infection and in this case, infection of the kidneys or urinary tract, or both. 

To avoid sepsis, it’s important to seek immediate help. 

Blood In Urine

Hematuria (or blood in the urine) can be caused by kidney stones. They can produce noticeable bleeding which presents as pink, red, or brown urine. 

It’s also true that the presence of blood in the urine may be too small to see with the human eye, and can only be detected with a microscope. 

Pain Or Burning During Urination

This condition--- also known as dysuria -- can masquerade as a bladder infection, so it’s important to get a diagnosis as soon as possible if you’re having symptoms so you can get the right treatment sooner rather than later. 

Another symptom that’s shared by both urinary tract infections and kidney stones is the increased urgency and frequency of urination. 

Change In Rate Of Flow

A blockage in the ureter can significantly restrict the flow of urine--- or stop it altogether. 

If your ability to urinate is totally inhibited (acute urinary retention), you should seek medical attention immediately as this can be a life-threatening medical condition.

When It’s Time To Get Help

Although many stones will pass on their own without any treatment, in some cases a procedure is needed to diagnose, break up or remove stones altogether. 

One such procedure is lithotripsy which uses high-energy shock waves to break up large stones into smaller ones.

Your doctor may also perform a retrograde pyelography, a procedure during which a small camera is passed into the bladder, and dye is injected through a small catheter so that fluoroscopy (X-rays) can be used to visualize the ureter and kidneys. 

If you suspect you’re having early symptoms of kidney stones, don’t wait for the pain to become excruciating before seeking medical treatment!

The physicians and staff at Norman Urology Associates are dedicated to serving the urological needs of Norman and surrounding communities. Why not reach out to us today to make an appointment?

How Can I Strengthen My Pelvic Floor? (And Why Should I?)

Many women may remember hearing about pelvic floor exercises as they watched a few hilarious scenes from Sex And The City (shout out to Samantha!).

Although typically, we hear the term “pelvic floor” in relation to women, men also have a pelvic floor and can benefit from doing exercises to strengthen it as well.

So What Is the Pelvic Floor?

The pelvic floor helps control your bladder and bowels and helps with sexual function.

However, there are some notable differences between men and women when it comes to pelvic floors.

For women, doctors suggest you imagine it as a sling of muscles that stretch from the pubic bone to the tailbone as well as from side-to-side. The ‘sling’ supports a woman’s bladder, bowel, and womb.

For men, the pelvic floor consists of a similar group of muscles that act as a “hammock”’ for the bladder and bowel.

Why Should I Worry About Strengthening My Pelvic Floor?

For women, a strong pelvic floor can mean a lower risk of vaginal prolapse and speedier recovery after pregnancy. 

For men, it can mean a speedier recovery after prostate surgery and a lower risk of rectal prolapse.

What Causes the Pelvic Floor to Weaken?

There are a number of causes, but the most common are:

• Pregnancy and childbirth

• Treatment of prostate cancer in men

• Obesity

• Chronic straining as the result of constipation

• Not exercising

• Aging 

How Can I Strengthen My Pelvic Floor?

There are a number of exercises that are effective in strengthening the pelvic floor, but perhaps the most well-known is the “Kegel,” named after the gynecologist Dr. Arnold Kegel, who introduced and promoted the practice of exercising the pelvic floor muscles in the 1940s.

The Art Of The Kegel

Both men and women can perform exercises to strengthen these muscles. 

For starters, identify the muscles in question by attempting to stop urination midstream or by tightening your muscles as though you’re trying to prevent passing gas. (Note: you should not stop urinating midstream as a habit as it can prevent your bladder from fully draining and increase the risk of a urinary infection.) 

Once you’ve identified the muscles that make up your pelvic floor, it’s time to work on technique. 

For women, some doctors advise you to imagine you are sitting on a marble and then using your muscles to ‘lift’ the marble into your vagina, holding for about three seconds a time. 

For both men and women, try tightening these muscles for three seconds at a time and resting for three seconds in between sets. Though it may be easier to start out lying down on your back, once you’ve got the hang of it, you can do these exercises while walking, standing, or sitting.

And though it might be tempting, avoid tensing your buttocks, abdomen, or thighs, and resist the urge to hold your breath. 

It’s recommended that you practice this exercise on a daily basis — aim for about ten repetitions each day. 

Are There Other Exercises That Are Effective?

The answer is yes! And you may already be doing them if you workout frequently. Here are two additional exercises that can help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles:

The Plank

Currently a favorite with all the exercise gurus, the plank can be a fantastic way to strengthen your core. It also engages the pelvic muscles, which help strengthen them. 

If you’re not sure how to do a plank, pull up YouTube and enter “plank” as a search criterion. You won’t be disappointed by the number of videos available to help you learn to plank like a pro. 

Hip Bridges

Many gym rats do these exercises regularly to strengthen their gluteus muscles. The bonus? They also help strengthen the pelvic floor. 

As with the plank, if you want to perfect your hip bridges, look no further than YouTube!

Squats

As with the other two exercises, most fitness buffs perform countless squat reps to improve overall strength and the look of their bodies. 

But — you guessed it — they’re also great for strengthening the pelvic floor. 

Note: not all squats are equal. For strengthening the pelvic floor muscles, narrow, shallow squats are most effective. 

When Can I Expect to See Results?

As with all exercise, success is dependent on how diligent you are about doing it. 

If you’re doing your daily Kegels, for example, you can expect to experience benefits in a few weeks to a few months. 

After pregnancy, exercising your pelvic floor muscles can produce results in six to twelve weeks. 

The urologists at Norman Urology can walk you through the best exercises that will be most effective in strengthening your pelvic floor.  

If you’re experiencing urinary incontinence or any other symptom of a weakened pelvic floor, why not schedule an appointment with us today?

How to Relax Before a Stressful Doctor's Appointment

If you have a fear of seeing a doctor, you are not alone. One study from the Society of General Internal Medicine showed that 33% of a total of 1,369 participants experienced anxiety about seeking medical care. 

And David Yusko, clinical director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety, estimates iatrophobia — the medical name for fear of doctors — affects about 3% of the population. 

If you find yourself obsessively worrying about visiting a doctor, you may have iatrophobia, which is separate from “normal” anxiety. 

Normal anxiety tends to be transitory in that a person may feel nervous thinking about an upcoming appointment but isn’t consumed with worry about it. 

On the other hand, severe iatrophobia may trigger a negative obsession around doctors and medical issues that permeates every thought. 

Reasons People Have Anxiety About Seeing a Doctor

There are a variety of reasons why someone might be anxious about seeing a doctor. Yours may include some of the following: 

• Your doctor is not a good fit for you. If you experience your doctor as being cold, condescending, or aloof, his or her bedside manner may not be a good fit for your personality. 

• You fear losing control and that your doctor will insist on making all of the decisions concerning treatment. 

• Physical intimacy is often necessary during a physical examination, and for those who fear invasion of their personal space, this can be anxiety-producing. 

• You tend to be anxious about the unknown, which makes the idea of awaiting test results seem like an excruciating proposition.

• If you’ve experienced doctors being dismissive of symptoms or prone to misdiagnosis in the past, you may have reason to feel anxious about seeking medical treatment now. You may worry a doctor’s unconscious bias could prevent you from getting the care you need and deserve, or that a lack of specialty in a specific area of medicine could make a misdiagnosis more likely. (Research shows that women and people of color are more likely to suffer from this particular fear for good reason.)

• Past traumas associated with a doctor’s visit may fuel your anxiety about seeking medical treatment. You may have had symptoms invalidated in the past, or perhaps were shamed by your doctor for not taking advice or for having a particular condition in the first place. 

Overcoming Your Anxiety

Thankfully, there are some proven, effective ways to reduce anxiety ahead of a stressful doctor’s appointment. 

Do your research. Most practices have a website where you can read up on a physician’s credentials, expertise, and even personal interests. Often, a photo accompanies this information, which may reduce anxiety as you put a face to your treatment provider. 

Remember you have options. If you visit a doctor and are underwhelmed or come away with a strong negative impression, you can always choose another provider. You are the patient, and it’s your prerogative to select the physician that’s the best fit for you. 

Once you’ve selected a provider, make an appointment. Don’t procrastinate or drag your feet as it can feel even scarier as your obsession has more time to take root. Consider making the appointment for a time of day when you typically feel the least stressed. Some people wake up with severe anxiety, for example, and so making an early morning doctor’s appointment probably isn’t the best idea. 

Practice mindful meditation, which has been proven to strengthen a person’s cognitive ability to regulate emotional responses to perceived threats. It can help bring us back to the moment instead of obsessing about the future and reminds us to breathe deeply so that we break the cycle of shortened breath that can accompany (and feed) anxiety. 

Plan to take a friend or family member with you to the appointment. Not only can they be a second set of ears for you, but they can also reassure you if you start to spin out. They can help you maintain perspective and hold your hand as you move through your anxiety. They can also help keep you from downplaying your symptoms during the initial interview. 

Remember Google is not your friend if you have anxiety about seeing a doctor. For just about every benign symptom you may have, there are articles and articles written about how these same symptoms can be evidence of a larger — even life threatening — illness. Your doctor is the only one who should be diagnosing and treating your medical issues!

Remember that you are partners with your doctor in managing your own health. Most providers view treatment as a partnership between themselves and their patients. They want your perspective, input, and feedback. If you feel your doctor is pushing a particular therapy that makes you uncomfortable, remember you can always seek a second opinion. 

Finding The Right Provider

When researching providers, don’t hesitate to explain that you have iatrophobia or acute anxiety about seeing a doctor. A good physician should be understanding, empathetic, and help put you at ease. 

The professional, friendly urologists at Norman Urology can help you feel less anxious about making an appointment and are focused on creating a partnership with you on your pathway to health and wellbeing. 

If you’re experiencing anxiety about booking an appointment, we’d love to put your mind at ease and help you schedule one with us today.

9 Ways to Prevent Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are a common health problem. According to the American Urological Association, up to 12% of Americans are affected by kidney stones, and once you’ve had one kidney stone, you’re 50 percent more likely to get another within the next 10 years. This means there is about a 1 in 10 chance that you will develop kidney stones at some point.

Kidney stones are hard deposits made from minerals and salts that form inside your kidneys when urine becomes concentrated. In almost all cases, they do not cause permanent damage, but their symptoms can be very painful. Don’t worry, though! There are a number of ways to prevent kidney stones.

Risk Factors

Before diving into kidney stone prevention, check out these risk factors to determine whether you may already be predisposed to get kidney stones:

Genes - many of the people who get kidney stones have relatives who have gotten them, too.

Obesity - overweight people tend to get kidney stones more often.

Diabetes - like those who are overweight, people who have diabetes also tend to get kidney stones.

Gout - this condition happens when uric acid builds up in your blood, which makes crystals form in your joints or kidneys.

Intestinal surgery - if you’ve had certain types of gastric bypass surgery or other intestinal surgery, your risk of getting kidney stones may be increased.

Hyperthyroidism - this condition can raise calcium levels in your blood and trigger kidney stones.

Diet - even if you’re in good health, your diet may affect your chances of developing kidney stones.

Preventative Tips

In order to reduce your risk of kidney stones, especially if you are already at risk, try the following preventive measures:

Drink plenty of water - drinking plenty of fluids is generally recommended because they dilute and increase the volume of the stone-forming substances in urine, which makes them less likely to crystallize. If you exercise, sweat a lot, or have a history of cystine stones, you’ll need additional fluids.

Increase intake of citric acid -  this organic acid found in many fruits and vegetables may help prevent calcium oxalate kidney stones by binding with calcium in urine which reduces the risk of new stone formation and with existing calcium oxalate crystals, preventing them from getting larger.

Eat calcium-rich foods - dietary calcium binds to oxalate in your intestines, lowering the concentration of oxalate in the urine, so there is less chance it can bind to urinary calcium. Calcium supplements can increase the risk of kidney stones, though, so stick to calcium-rich food options like low-fat milk, low-fat cheese, and low-fat yogurt.

Reduce sodium - a high-sodium diet increases the amount of calcium in your urine, which can trigger kidney stones, so eating less salt helps keep urine calcium levels lower. One of the best ways to decrease your sodium intake is to cut back on packaged, processed foods.

Limit animal protein - foods high in animal protein are rich in purines, which are broken down into uric acid and can cause both uric acid and calcium oxalate kidney stones. Animal proteins also may increase calcium excretion and decrease levels of citrate, the chemical in urine that helps prevent stones from forming.

Add more magnesium to your diet - it has been suggested that magnesium may reduce oxalate absorption in the gut, which may help prevent calcium oxalate kidney stone formation. Good dietary sources of magnesium include avocados, legumes, and tofu.

Eat fewer oxalate-rich foods - Some kidney stones are made of oxalate, which can bind with calcium and other minerals, forming crystals that can lead to stone formation in the urine. Limiting oxalate-rich foods may help prevent the stones from forming. However, foods high in oxalate also tend to be very healthy, so consult your healthcare provider or dietitian to find out whether you may benefit from limiting your intake of oxalate-rich foods.

Avoid vitamin C supplements - some studies indicate vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplements are associated with a higher risk of getting kidney stones because some vitamin C can be converted into oxalate within the body, increasing the probability of developing calcium oxalate kidney stones. Researchers don’t believe vitamin C from food carries the same risk.

Talk to your doctor about preventative medications - if you’re prone to certain types of kidney stones, certain medications can help control the amount of that material present in your urine.

There’s no guarantee these prevention methods will work, but they may reduce your risk.
Whether you have symptoms of kidney stones or want advice on preventing them, Norman Urology has answers, the most current treatments, and you can count on superior, specialized care from experienced, compassionate professionals. Even if you’re perfectly healthy, it’s never a bad call. Contact us today!

Overactive Bladder? Use These Tips to Manage It

Overactive Bladder (OAB), means you have a frequent and urgent need to empty your bladder. It’s also sometimes called “spastic bladder” or “irritable bladder” and affects about 33 million people in the U.S. alone.

Overactive bladder can be a nuisance for some, but debilitating for others. Not only is it frustrating to be constantly running to the bathroom, it can cause anxiety, shame and even depression when OAB is coupled with urinary incontinence.

Don’t despair! If you suffer from a frequent urge to urinate or have been diagnosed with OAB, your doctor has some excellent strategies to help you deal with the problem.

First, Adjust Your Behavior

Behavioral interventions is the first line of defense to help manage an overactive bladder. Your doctor may suggest: 

• Pelvic floor exercises, also known as Kegel exercises, strengthen pelvic floor muscles and your urinary sphincter to help stop involuntary bladder contractions. 

• Biofeedback. You’ll be connected to sensors that help measure and give you information on your body to teach you subtle changes you can make, like when to use your pelvic floor muscles to suppress feelings of urgency.

• Weight loss. Losing weight if you’re overweight can help ease symptoms.

• Scheduling toilet trips. If you set up a schedule, you’ll get on a track to urinate at the same times every day instead of waiting until you feel the urge.

• Wearing absorbent pads. This means you won’t have to restrict your activities because you’re afraid of an accident.

• Training Your Bladder. This involves training yourself to delay urinating when you feel an urge. Begin with small delays (30 minutes), and gradually working your way up to urinating every three to four hours. Bladder training is only possible if you can successfully contract your pelvic floor muscles.

Use These Tips for Day-to-Day Help with OAB

In addition to taking the measures mentioned above, day-to-day, and in various situations, there are ways to help cope both physically and mentally:

1. Medications like high blood pressure drugs and antihistamines can aggravate OAB if you’re a woman. Talk to your doctor to find out if these may be a factor.

2. Talking about OAB with your partner and close friends isn't simple, but it may offer a big boost to the closeness of your relationships. Everyone has “things.” Start the conversation today.

3. Kegel exercises can be done anywhere, anytime and in very little time. Once you’ve consulted with your doctor to make sure you’re doing them right, keep them up for at least four to six weeks and you’ll see improvement.

4. OAB can lead to depression in some men and women. As you now know, millions of Americans cope with bladder control problems, so look online for support groups.

5. If you’re an active woman that needs a little OAB help during exercise, a tampon or pessary (like a diaphragm) can help support your pelvic tissues and control leaks.

6. Try sugar-free hard candy or gum if you’re out and about and OAB medication gives you a dry mouth, rather than drinking liquid. You can also talk to your doctor about modifying your medication.

7. If you’re waiting in line or have been put on hold, doing relaxation exercises can help suppress OAB urges.

8. Make sure to drink enough liquid. That may seem counter-intuitive, but you can make the problem worse by irritating your bladder.

Tips to Help OAB at Night

A great sex life and a good night's sleep don't have to be a thing of the past when you have OAB.

1. To encourage uninterrupted sleep, avoid fluids after 6 p.m. so your bladder is empty at bedtime.

2. If you’re worried about accidents, use protective pads or underwear.

3. Alcohol can worsen OAB symptoms and  interrupt your sleep, so keep it to a minimum.

4. Since accidents and OAB can go hand-in-hand, so consider trying waterproof bed sheets.

5. If you take medications like diuretics that cause you to produce more urine, talk to your doctor about taking them in the a.m. rather than the p.m.

If OAB keeps you up night after night, get help. Talk with your doctor.

Get More OAB Management Tips With a Visit to Norman Urology

There are many things that can affect bladder health. There’s no need to suffer needlessly, either physically or mentally. Whether you’re suffering from OAB or just want more advice to keep your bladder healthy, Norman Urology has the answers and the most current treatments. You can count on superior, specialized care from experienced, compassionate professionals.

Caffeine and Your Bladder: A Delicate Dance

Caffeine is the world’s most popular drug. It occurs naturally in 60 plant species, including coffee beans, cocoa beans, kola nuts and tea leaves. It’s also added to many popular soft drinks, and is found in a number of prescription preparations and over-the-counter medicines like analgesics, diet aids, and cold and flu remedies.

It also irritates your bladder, and for those with urinary incontinence, caffeine should be avoided or used with caution.

Many studies have proved the correlation between caffeine and incontinence. Women who consume high levels (400 mg or more) are 70% more likely to have urinary incontinence. The same is true for men – those who drink about two cups of coffee a day are significantly more likely to experience leaks than those who drink less or none.

How Does Caffeine Affect the Bladder?

Caffeine raises blood pressure, which is the reason for that alert feeling you get when you drink a cup of coffee, have a cola or eat a chocolate bar. This increased blood pressure makes your bladder overactive, and caffeine consumption can contribute to including increased urination, bladder infections and urinary incontinence. It’s also thought to have a direct effect on the bladder’s smooth muscle.

The Diuretic Effect

Caffeine has a diuretic effect on the bladder, and the more caffeine consumed, the greater the desire to urinate. Caffeine increases the blood flow to the kidneys and reduces the absorption of water and sodium.

This increases your body's urgency to pass liquid, and this diuretic effect contributes to dehydration. You might drink more coffee or a soft drink to quench your thirst, but they are actually making you more thirsty. 

Urinary Tract Infections

Caffeine use can contribute to urinary tract infections in the bladder because they are often spread due to hydration or inadequate bladder emptying. Caffeine dehydrates your body by interfering with fluid retention, forcing your body to eliminate liquids before they can be adequately absorbed.

Urinary Incontinence

Caffeine consumption contributes to incontinence. If you’re suffering from bladder weakness, consider cutting down on things like coffee, tea and soda. Caffeine is so many things today, you probably aren’t aware of how much you are actually consuming.

How Much Caffeine Am I Consuming?

You might use coffee or tea to help you wake up, stay energized or you might simply love the taste. You might have a cup of tea mid-morning or a soda with your lunch. Maybe you consume an energy drink in the afternoon and then have a chocolate dessert after dinner.

Do you know how much caffeine you are actually consuming? Let’s look at the amounts in common food and drink:

Source             Caffeine (mg)

Espresso (1-½ oz cup) 150 – 200 mg

Brewed coffee (8 oz) 150 - 200 mg

Energy drink (8 oz can)    80 – 100 mg

Instant coffee (1 teaspoon)   60 – 80 mg

Dark chocolate (1.7 oz bar)      60 mg

Black tea (8 oz cup)   50 mg

Cola (12 oz can)       50 mg

Milk chocolate (1.7oz bar)        10 mg

How much are you currently drinking?

How Much Caffeine Can I Have?

For women with urinary incontinence or other bladder problems, the ideal amount of caffeine is zero, and certainly less than eight ounces of coffee if you have to drink it. For women without bladder problems, up to two cups a day is generally fine, with the first cup no larger than 12 ounces, and preferably the second cup should be decaf. 

How Can I Cut Down On Caffeine?

Some people get headaches, feel tired or have mood changes when they completely cut out caffeine, so it’s best to reduce your intake gradually, using a technique called Caffeine Fading:

• Cut your intake at a rate of ½ cup per day (4 oz) of whatever you drink over a one or two week period.

• Replace caffeinated beverages with fruit juice, vegetable juice, water, milk or other decaffeinated drinks, especially with meals.

• When it comes to cola, choose caffeine free.

• Drink more water to maintain proper hydration

If you need caffeine to stay awake, you should probably examine your lifestyle and find time for more sleep!

Keep Your Bladder Healthy With Norman Urology

There are many things that can affect bladder health. There’s no need to suffer needlessly, either physically or mentally. Whether you’re suffering from incontinence or just want more advice to keep your bladder healthy, Norman Urology has the answers and the most current treatments. You can count on superior, specialized care from experienced, compassionate professionals. 

Reach out to us today to schedule an appointment. We can’t wait to meet you!

Sources:

https://www.coffeeandhealth.org/topic-overview/sources-of-caffeine/#:~:text=Caffeine%20is%20an%20alkaloid%20occurring,and%20the%20yaupon%20holly1.

https://www.tena.us/eating-right-for-the-unexpected-leak/caffeine,en_US,pg.html

https://www.webmd.com/urinary-incontinence-oab/news/20100930/caffeine-and-bladder-problems-linked

https://www.stjoes.ca/patients-visitors/patient-education/a-e/PD%204466%20caffeine%20brochure%20October%202012.pdf

Stress incontinence is prevalent in women

If you leak urine when you laugh, sneeze or pick up something heavy, you are not alone. This happens to about one-third of women at some time in their lives. It’s called Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI), and it is treatable.

SUI is when pressure (or stress) is placed on the bladder and causes urinary leakage. This often happens with physical movement, like laughing, sneezing, coughing or exercising. 

How SUI happens

It all has to do with the bladder, which has two functions. Number one is to store urine produced by the kidneys. The second function is to contract to push the urine through the urethra.

The sphincter muscle controls the urine coming out of the bladder. Your nervous system detects when the bladder is ready to be emptied and tells the sphincter to relax, which allows you to pee. When there is any sort of abdominal stress on the pelvic organs, which include the bladder, vagina, uterus, and rectum, SUI can happen.

SUI is not the same as urge incontinence

SUI and Urge Incontinence (UUI) are not the same and they are treated differently.

UUI involves the sudden and unstoppable loss of urine, and SUI doesn’t bring the same sensation of a sudden urge to urinate. Also, the underlying cause for stress incontinence is different from that of UUI.

Stress incontinence is caused by a weak sphincter muscle and/or pelvic floor. Some people have both SUI and UUI, known as mixed incontinence.

This means that you leak urine when you cough, sneeze, or exert pressure on your abdominal muscles (SUI) but also feel the urgent need to go to the toilet and may not make it in time (UUI).

There are two types of SUI

• Urethral hypermobility. The urethra shifts positions due to an increase in abdominal pressure. 

• Intrinsic sphincteric deficiency (ISD). This the inability to effectively seal off the sphincter. There is no specific test for ISD, it’s believed that many women with SUI have at least some degree of ISD.

Symptoms of SUI

With SUI, you might feel a sudden and intense need to urinate. Or, you may feel nothing at all and it just happens.  Some of the more common activities that can lead to leakage include:

• Coughing

• Sneezing

• Laughing

• Exercising or Working out

• Having sex

• Lifting something heavy

• Standing up

• Getting in or out of a car

Leakage can mean just a drop or two or urine, or it could be a strong stream. Of course, any amount is unwanted.

Whether it happens here and there or always happens during some of the above activities, there are treatment options available, so don’t dismiss your concerns.

The Primary Causes of SUI

SUI is the most common form of incontinence in women under age 60. Since SUI is caused by weakened pelvic floor muscles or a weak sphincter muscle, pregnancy and childbirth top the list for causes of stress incontinence. But there are other health factors that may put you at risk, including:

• Hysterectomy (or any other surgery that affects your pelvic floor)

• Nerve and muscle damage from childbirth or surgical trauma

• Obesity

• Menopause

• Chronic coughing due to smoking and lung disease

• Anatomical predisposition

• Repeated heavy lifting or high impact sports

How SUI Can Affect Your Life

As you can imagine, or are currently experiencing, SUI can have a huge effect on your quality of life. SUI creates physical and emotional demands that can leave you feeling exhausted, embarrassed and even depressed. 

Many women with SUI are ashamed and fear accidents, which leads them to avoid things they once enjoyed, including spending time with friends. This can lead to loneliness and depression if treatment isn’t sought.

There are also skin care issues. Constant moisture, especially urine, can cause your skin to be irritated and sore. You can find absorbent pads in the drugstore that have wicking materials to help keep moisture away from your body to avoid irritation. There are also moisture barrier creams to protect your skin from coming into contact with the urine. 

Treatment Options for SUI

One offshoot of the aging of the population is increased attention on incontinence, which has led to innovative treatments. There are also simple management techniques that can help you get your life back on track.

Ask your urologist if one of these might improve your condition:

• Lose weight.  Obesity is a risk factor in developing stress urinary incontinence due to the extra pressure placed on the pelvic floor and the bladder.

• Stop smoking. Coughing from smoking can put stress on your pelvic floor, and that can lead to muscle weakness and leakage. 

• Kegel Exercises. They help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles so you’re able to better hold in urine. Consult your urologist, because pelvic floor exercises are not for everyone and can actually do more harm than good for some people. 

• Bladder Retraining. This means timing your trips to the toilet and slowly increasing the length of time between each visit. This can reduce the amount of fluid in your bladder and also help condition your bladder to hold urine for longer.

• Pelvic Floor Stimulation or E-Stim. This delivers a small amount of electrical stimulation to the nerves and muscles of the pelvic floor and bladder to help strengthen them.

• Injection Therapy. This technique uses a bulking agent injected into the tissue around the urethra. This helps to close the sphincter without interfering with urination.

• Pessary. This ring-like fits inside the urethra. It helps to support the base of the bladder to prevent urine leaks, and is custom-fitted and inserted by your doctor. 

There are also surgical treatments available based on the characteristics of your SUI. If none of the above techniques work, your urologist will discuss further options.

Don’t Suffer In Silence. The Experts at Norman Urology Can Help

Don’t be embarrassed. After all, you are one of millions of women who suffer from SUI. Don’t suffer physically or mentally or avoid the things you love.

Whether you’re suffering from SUI, or just want advice to keep both your bladder and your pelvic floor fit and healthy, Norman Urology has the answers and the most current treatments. 

And you can count on superior, specialized care from experienced, compassionate professionals. 

Reach out to us today to schedule an appointment. We can’t wait to meet you!

Sources:

https://www.urologyhealth.org/urology-a-z/s/stress-urinary-incontinence-(sui)

https://www.nafc.org/mixed-incontinence

Kegel Exercises for Men: Improve Bladder Control and Even Your Sex Life

If they’ve heard of Kegel exercises at all, most people think they’re just for women. But Kegel exercises for men can help improve bladder control and can sometimes even improve sexual performance. 

When done properly, Kegel exercises can strengthen pelvic floor muscles, which support the bladder and bowel and affect sexual function. Kegel exercises for men can be done just about any time, and just about anywhere.

Kegel exercises have proven benefits, but before you begin, it’s important to know how to locate the right muscles and know how to use the proper technique. 

Which Men Will Benefit From Kegel Exercises?

Kegel exercises have been around since 1948, when an American gynecologist named Arnold Henry Kegel, who invented the Kegel perineometer, an instrument for measuring the strength of voluntary contractions of the pelvic floor muscles). He developed Kegel exercises as a non-surgical treatment for urinary incontinence from pelvic muscle weakness.

There are many factors that can weaken your pelvic floor muscles, including the surgical removal of the prostate and conditions like diabetes or overactive bladder.

You might benefit from doing Kegel exercises if you:

• Suffer from urinary or fecal incontinence

• Dribble after urination, usually after you've left the toilet

How to Do Kegel Exercises

It’s important to do Kegel exercises properly to get the maximum benefit.

• Locate the correct muscles. It’s pretty simple to identify your pelvic floor muscles.

  • Stop urination in midstream

  • Or tighten the muscles that prevent you from passing gas

These actions use your pelvic floor muscles. Once you've identified these muscles, you can do the exercises in any position, but you might find it easiest to do them lying down at first.

• Develop the right technique. When you tighten your pelvic floor muscles:

  • Hold the contraction for three seconds

  • Relax for three seconds

Try this a few times in a row. Once your muscles are strong, try doing the exercises while sitting, standing or walking.

• Stay focused. It’s important to do these exercises properly, so:

  • Focus on tightening only your pelvic floor muscles

  • Do not flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks 

  • Don’t hold your breath –  breathe normally during the exercises

• Perform Kegel exercises three times a day. Your goal is at least three sets of 10 repetitions a day.

When To Do Your Kegel Exercises

It’s easy to make Kegel exercises part of your normal routine. Fit them in when you’re doing other things. For example, to get your three sets in: 

• Fit in a set of Kegel exercises when you’re brushing your teeth, shaving or when you’re in the shower

• Get rid of those last few drops of urine by doing another set after you urinateDo another set after you urinate, to get rid of the last few drops of urine.

• Before and during anything that puts pressure on your abdomen such as sneezing, coughing, laughing or lifting something heavy. 

If You’re Having Trouble

If you're having trouble doing your Kegel exercises or aren’t sure you’re doing them correctly, don't be embarrassed to ask for help. Your urologist can give you feedback to help you learn to isolate and strengthen the correct muscles.

When Can I Expect Results?

If you do your Kegel exercises regularly, you can expect results like less frequent urine leakage in a few weeks to a few months. To realize continued benefits, it’s important to make Kegel exercises a permanent part of your daily routine. 

Learn More About How Kegel Exercises Can Help You

Kegel exercises are a great way to get more bladder and bowel control, and even help your sex life. But they need to be done properly. At Norman Urology, we’ve helped many men learn to locate their pelvic floor muscles and apply the proper techniques for great results.

You can count on superior, specialized care from experienced, compassionate professionals. 

Reach out to us today to schedule an appointment. We can’t wait to meet you!