Men’s Health

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Get answers to Erectile Dysfunction (ED), Urinary Incontinence, innovative treatments, and more from world-renowned urologic oncologists and surgeons.

Understanding changes in your health is the first step:

As specialists, urologists are experts in understanding how seemingly unrelated conditions, such as erectile dysfunction or problems urinating, may be linked to other health problems, which tend to increase in severity over time.

So, while addressing the symptoms of a condition may provide some relief, such as taking medication, a more comprehensive approach may be best for good, lasting health, especially for men in their 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. Some of our more common questions about men’s health that come from men and women include:

Erectile Dysfunction (ED)

• The inability for men to achieve or maintain a penile erection.

  Some men may have difficulty achieving an erection when desired. However, this is generally not a reason for concern unless it continues to happen consistently. Typical symptoms of ED (male impotence) include difficulty achieving a full erection, maintaining an erection, and decreased libido (sex interest or drive). An erection requires several functions in the body to work, which is why ED may be a significant indicator that something else may be wrong or not working well. Physical causes of ED include heart disease, atherosclerosis (a condition of the arteries), high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and more.

Voiding Dysfunction (Urinary Incontinence)

• One or more conditions where there is poor coordination between the bladder muscle and the urethra.
  

  Voiding Dysfunction results when there is incomplete relaxation or overactivity of the pelvic floor muscles, affecting the ability to release urine all at once or as desired. When men are unable to control the flow of their urine, it is referred to as urinary incontinence.

Kidney Stones

• Kidney stones occur when chemicals in the urine crystalize, forming a solid mass.
  

  Some men may unknowingly suffer from kidney stones. Our kidneys provide two critical functions, filtering waste from the body through urination and regulating electrolytes in the blood. Because kidney stones start very small, they can become trapped in the ureter (the tubes that allow urine to travel from the kidneys to the bladder), causing pain as pressure begins to back up into the kidney. Symptoms of kidney stones include pain in the lower back or flank of the body, nausea (with or without vomiting), blood in the urine, pain when urinating, an inability to urinate, and having the feeling to urinate more often.

Urinary Obstruction

• Urinary Obstruction is any alteration of the flow of urine as it travels from the kidneys through the urethra.

  A blockage of the urethra may be caused by a variety of conditions including ureteral stones, a blood clot, infection, prostate enlargement, and compression from a tumor or other organs. The ureter tube may also become narrowed, referred to as a ureteral stricture. In either case, urine can back up into the kidney, causing back and side pain, occasional kidney infections, kidney stones, or kidney damage. Ureteral stricture can also be caused by injury to the ureter, such as from inflammation or scarring that has occurred during surgery (removal of a tumor at or near the ureter tube). Symptoms of urethral stricture may also include the feeling of bladder fullness, blood in the urine, nausea, urinary tract infections, and the onset of pain from drinking increased fluids or alcohol.

Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (BPH)

• BPH is a common condition in older men, also referred to as Enlarged Prostate.

  The prostate is a small, walnut-shaped organ located just below the bladder that is part of the male reproductive system. Typically, the prostate gland remains a constant size until men reach the age of 40. When the prostate enlarges, it may cause difficulty passing urine. If the prostate continues to grow, the bladder may be unable to empty, leading to a condition called urinary retention. Symptoms of BPH include the feeling that the bladder is full even right after urinating, increased need to urinate or go immediately, a weak urine flow, sporadic urination (continuous starting and stopping), the need to push or strain, and more.

PSA Testing

• A PSA test is a blood test that measures the amount of Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) in the blood.

  PSA is a normal protein produced in the prostate but is also produced by prostate cancer cells. While it is normal to have a small amount of PSA, which rises slightly as men get older, an elevated PSA level may suggest a problem, but not necessarily cancer. A urologist can effectively monitor and interpret changing PSA levels.

Dr. Jennifer Linehan explains why a urologist should be at the center of men’s health concerning PSA Testing: