Your Urologic Health - Signs You Should Not Ignore

Urology is a medical specialty that deals with the male and female urinary tract and the male reproductive organs. Urologists typically focus on treating structural problems or diseases related to the urinary tract and male reproductive areas. Because urologic health problems are common, knowing the steps you can take to stay healthy and when you should go see a urologist for treatment is important.

Protecting Your Urologic Health

In general, the best way to maintain your urological health to be mindful of habits that benefit overall health. These include:

Drinking plenty of water
Eating a balanced diet
Stopping or refraining from smoking
Getting regular exercise
Maintaining a healthy weight

You can also improve your chances of avoiding urological problems by limiting your salt intake. Too much salt makes your body retain water, which can interfere with the mineral/water balance in your kidneys. Limiting caffeine intake is also beneficial, as caffeine acts as a diuretic (a substance that promotes increased production of urine) and can irritate your bladder.

Additionally, the Urology Care Foundation provides some tips to keep your bladder healthy:

Use good bathroom habits

Take your time when on the toilet so that your bladder can empty. If you rush and do not empty your bladder fully, you could increase your risk of a bladder infection.

Stay away from foods that bother the bladder

Some foods can worsen urinary incontinence. Make sure to limit your intake of foods like chocolate (also a source of caffeine), as well as spicy or acidic foods like tomatoes and citrus fruits.

Take care of your pelvic floor muscles

Keep your pelvic floor muscles strong with pelvic floor muscle training.

Speak freely about your bladder health

Tell your healthcare provider about your symptoms. Urologic symptoms are very common and there are a number of treatments available. Many bladder conditions are treatable and manageable through simple lifestyle changes, behavior modifications, medication, bladder retraining or surgery.

Signs That You Should Visit Your Urologist

While practicing a healthy lifestyle can help prevent issues related to urologic health, problems can still arise. Some signs of conditions related to problems with your urologic health are silent and require testing to find. There are, however, some signs that you should not ignore and that you should go see a urologist for. According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, you should see a urologist if you experience one or more of these symptoms: