What menstrual problems are to women, prostate problems are to men. The prostate is a gland in the lower abdomen that aids in the production of semen. The prostate is walnut sized in a young man, but can get enlarged with age. As it grows bigger, it can cause a number of problems. These are commonly seen after a man celebrates his 50th birthday.

There are three common prostate problems faced by men. Some of the symptoms that can tell if a man has a prostate problem are:

1. Difficulty faced while urinating
2. The urge to urinate frequently at night
3. Constant feeling of a full bladder
4. Pain while urinating
5. Blood in the urine

Prostatitis

This can be defined as inflammation of the prostate gland. In most cases the cause of this inflammation is unknown. However, there are two types of prostatitis; bacterial and nonbacterial. While the former reacts well to antibiotics, the latter is more difficult to control. Symptoms of this disease vary from one person to the next. Some of the factors that could trigger this disease are:

1. Chemical irritants
2. Past bacterial infection
3. Dysfunctional pelvic floor muscles
4. Sexual abuse
5. Chronic anxiety

Enlarged prostate

As mentioned earlier, as men get older, the prostate gland tends to grow in size. This growth is benign, but can block the bladder neck and prostatic urethra. This can cause problems urinating and lead to acute urinary retention. This can be very painful. Inserting a catheter can provide temporary relief and help release stored urine. Chronic retention is much less common and is associated with high bladder pressure and can damage the kidneys.

Prostate cancer

Advancing age and family genetic history are said to be the main triggers of prostate cancer. This type of cancer can remain restricted to the prostate gland in its early stages but may spread to the other glands as the cancer advances. This can also cause the growth of secondary tumors in the bones.

The only way to correctly diagnose a prostate problem is with a thorough physical examination. This includes a digital rectal exam where the doctor will insert a gloved finger into your rectum to check the size of your prostate, a blood test, mid stream urine tests and ultrasounds. In some cases a biopsy of the prostate may also be required. Depending on the diagnosis, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics, surgery, radiotherapy or hormone therapy to manage your prostate.

Are You at Risk of a Prostate Disease?

Urinary incontinence or the involuntary urination is a common and distressing problem, which may have a large impact on quality of life. The most common types of urinary incontinence in women are stress urinary incontinence and urge urinary incontinence. Women with both problems have mixed urinary incontinence. Stress urinary incontinence is caused by loss of support of the urethra which is usually a consequence of damage to pelvic support structures as a result of childbirth. It is characterized by leaking of small amounts of urine with activities which increase abdominal pressure such as coughing, sneezing and lifting. 

Additionally, frequent exercise in high-impact activities can cause athletic incontinence to develop. Urge urinary incontinence is caused by uninhibited contractions of the detrusor muscle. It is characterized by leaking of large amounts of urine in association with insufficient warning to get to the bathroom in time.

How to diagnose urinary incontinence?

Stress test: The patient relaxes, then coughs vigorously as the doctor watches for loss of urine.
Urinalysis: Urine is tested for evidence of infection, urinary stones, or other contributing causes.
Blood tests: Blood is taken, sent to a laboratory, and examined for substances related to causes of incontinence.
Ultrasound: Sound waves are used to visualize the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.
Cystoscopy: A thin tube with a tiny camera is inserted in the urethra and used to see the inside of the urethra and bladder.
Urodynamic: Various techniques measure pressure in the bladder and the flow of urine.
Ayurvedic Management of Urinary Incontinence: 
Ayurveda is a very effective natural treatment for Involuntary Urination. Medicines help to treat the root cause of disease. Ayurveda remedies are known to be perfectly safe and have been tried by thousands of patients all over the world bedwetting are perfectly safe. These natural remedies do not have any side effects at all

Urinary Incontinence and How It Can Be Treated with Natural Remedies?

A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure that patients of kidney disease go through in order to replace a non functioning kidney with a live one that is healthy and functions well. Other methods to treat this disease also include dialysis, which basically is an artificial way of doing what our kidneys are designed to do. When dialysis does not work, many doctors recommend a kidney transplant. A replacement or donated kidney can come from a living donor or a non-living donor. This new kidney will mostly work towards keeping the blood clean, which is a function that stops when the old and diseased kidneys fail.
 
So, here's a list of five essential facts that you need to keep in mind if you are looking at a kidney transplant:

1. Donors: While there are living and non-living donors, the doctor will have to ensure that your donor is someone who has no medical history of complications, kidney disease or any other medical condition like diabetes or hypertension. Also, the donor would have to have two proper functioning kidneys. Further, one of the most important factors is the blood group. The blood group of the donor and the patient must match for the transplant to be possible.

2. Procedure: During the surgery, the patient will be under general anesthesia. The surgeon will make an incision in the lower abdomen area and the blood vessels of the new kidney will be connected surgically with the vein and iliac artery of the patient. Thereafter, any excess fluid will be drained before wrapping up the surgery.

3. Rejection: The patient's body may also reject the kidney. The immune system of the patient may mistake the new kidney as an attacking body and its natural defenses may work against it, which will lead to complications. For this, doctors usually prescribe immunosuppressant medicines that will help in preventing such an eventuality. 

4. Longevity: While a living donor's kidney may last longer, a non-living donor's kidney will not enjoy such a long life. In such cases, a second transplant can be conducted.

5. Diet: After the transplant, the patient will be required to go through a number of measures like coughing to show that the lungs are clear, as well as administration of fluids and some amount of examination and dialysis. Also, the patient will have to have a special diet that includes raw fruits and vegetables, and plenty of non-fat dairy ingredients.

A kidney transplant is a major operation that can change your lifestyle in the long run. 

5 Things You Should Know About Kidney Transplant

The general perception that hereditary diseases cannot be prevented is changing. Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one such hereditary condition. The kidneys are the body's detox machine, which remove all impurities and flush it out of the system through urine. PKD is a condition where there are multiple, fluid-filled cysts which develop in the kidneys. These can vary in size and though noncancerous, can grow to a very large extent, producing severe symptoms including extremely high blood pressures and kidney failure.

In the recent past, however, there have been various theories that put forth how a modified and healthy lifestyle can prevent PKD. A child with a parent who suffers from PKD has 50% likelihood to develop the same. That cannot be prevented; however, changes can be made which can delay the onset and reduce the severity of symptoms of PKD, most notably high blood pressure and kidney failure which may require lifelong dialysis.

Symptoms and complications: The most common symptoms include high blood pressure, kidney pain (behind the back above the buttocks), infections of the kidneys or the bladder, bloody urine, kidney failure, headache, bloated abdomen due to the fluid-filled cysts, frequent urination, and kidney stones. There could be impact on pregnancy plans, with high blood pressure complicating the pregnancy. This needs extra care in management and is not life-threatening in most cases.

Prevention: The kidneys take the brunt of all the toxins that a body is subjected to. It is therefore, very important to reduce the exposure of body, especially kidneys to toxins. One of the best ways to keep the kidneys in good health is to control blood pressure. Some of the ways to do this include:

    Following a low-sodium diet with a good amount of hydration
    Reduce fat in the diet as much as possible
    Include a lot of berries, broccoli and apples
    Be diligent in taking your blood pressure medications as directed
    Ensure that your weight is within the prescribed limits for you
    Quit smoking and drinking
    At least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity should be included in your daily regimen

Read up on symptoms of PKD and keep an eye on them. If you are having a bloated feeling or pain in the kidneys or blood in the urine, consult a doctor. If you are planning on having a baby, genetic counseling may be useful to see if there is a risk of passing on the genes to the baby. Keep a positive outlook and have a frank discussion with family and friends on your overall condition. So, as much as PKD is a hereditary disease, there are ways to manage it and improve the quality of life.

Is Polycystic Kidney Disease Preventable?

Colorectal surgery: How to be sure you need it?

Colorectal surgery is performed to repair damages that occur in the organs of the anus, rectum, and colon. The damage that takes place in these organs can be the result of problems with lower GI like diverticulitis (a condition wherein pouches known as diverticula in the colon wall become inflamed), cancer and inflammatory bowel disease (a group of intestinal disorders that bring about inflammation of the GI).

Who needs this surgery?

In general, colorectal surgery is an essential treatment option for ulcerative colitis, colorectal cancer, Crohn's disease (an inflammatory bowel disease that gives rise to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract) as well as certain diverticulitis cases. In such cases, the intestinal tract undergoes major reconstruction.

There are also other bowel problems that may require surgery but not of a serious nature and these are anal fissures, hemorrhoids, bowel incontinence and rectal prolapse. Most of the surgical procedures will aid in repairing tears, get rid of blockages, or make tighter sphincter muscles (muscles that surround openings in the body).

Colorectal surgery is also performed in cases of pelvic floor disorders like rectocele (a condition in which the rectum bulges towards the vagina) and perineal hernia (a hernia that involves the pelvic floor).

At the same time, injury, ischemia or compromised blood supply and obstruction may require the performance of bowel surgery as well. Scar tissue and masses can form within the rectum, clogging the organ and preventing the normal discharge of feces from the body.

Problems like ulcerative colitis (an inflammatory bowel disease that leads to the development of ulcers in the colon as well as inflammation of the area) and diverticulitis can give rise to perforations in the rectum. Surgery is suggested in instances when drugs fail to treat the problem of ulcerative colitis.

Likewise, in the case of recurrent instances of perforations or complications in diverticulitis, surgery may be required to remove the portion of the colon affected.



Colorectal Surgery: How To Be Sure You Really Need it

The pair of kidneys that human beings have, forms an important part in the excretory system. They perform specific and important functions. They excrete urine as well as help in eliminating the toxins, which accumulate in the body. Kidney stones occur when the minerals present in the urine without being discharged, keep on accumulating. This gives rise to an extremely painful and uncomfortable situation. Though sometimes the situation gets revoked all by itself, many a times it requires medical intervention. 

Some of the symptoms of kidney stones are: 
1.  Excruciating pain in the back
2.  Pain while urinating
3.  Tendencies to vomit
4.  Dizziness
5.  Fever 

However, there are several preventive measures which you can undertake in order to avert the situation. Some of them are:
1.  Drink lots of water
Kidney stone is one of those rare conditions that once occurred, always carry the latent threat of recurring again. Therefore, drinking water in large quantities becomes essential. The more you drink water, the more frequently you would urinate, thereby curbing the chances of the minerals settling in the kidneys.
2.  Avoid certain foods
Food like beets, spinach, those which are replete with calcium oxalate should be avoided in order to minimize chances of having kidney stones.
3.  Change your diet
If you are trying to avoid the eventuality of developing kidney stones, it is imperative that you change your diet a bit. It is recommended that you exclude animal protein as much as possible and assiduously avoid the intake of salt as much as possible.
4.  Take less calcium supplements
Calcium generally is considered a nemesis to your kidneys and is prescribed by doctors to be avoided. However recent research has thwarted this claim. Calcium does not pose a threat to kidneys. However calcium supplements definitely do and therefore, should be avoided.

All About Kidney Stones

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