The Tribune

By DR GREGGORY PINTO

Bahamian men are sadly well known for generally showing very little concern for their health and physical well being. They have most of the risk factors for aggressive prostate cancer such as African ancestry, obesity and high alcohol intake.

One in six men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime but only a small percentage of Bahamian partake in prostate cancer screening.

The rate of hypertension and diabetes and elevated cholesterol levels is disproportionately high in Bahamian men. Poorly controlled or undiagnosed hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia all could potentially lead to erectile dysfunction, among multiple other ill health problems.

Why see an urologist?

Urologists are specialists for male urinary issues, enlarged prostate, prostate cancer, kidney stones, male infertility, vasectomies, circumcision, cancer of the testicles, penis, bladder, kidneys and dozens of other important male health problems.

1 Erectile dysfunction

Poor quality erections, difficulty maintaining an erection, poor sexual desire, premature ejaculation, curvature of the erect penis; are many of the common issues that men face often in silence due to embarrassment. An urologist can provide a solution to these problems and others related to erectile problems.

2 Vasectomies

A scalpel free minimally invasive quick outpatient vasectomy procedure can prevent an unwanted pregnancy that could change the course of your future.

Give the children that you have the very best and have no future fears of an unexpected pregnancy. The procedure is reversible and it does not affect a man’s sexual prowess, desire or erections.

3 BPH (Benign prostate hyperplasia)

The other prostate condition affects almost every man who is blessed with advancing age.

It is a noncancerous condition that can lead to multiple urinary problems such as a weak urinary stream, increased urinary urgency and frequency, potentially incomplete bladder emptying, urinary incontinence/leak and frequent nighttime urination.

An urologist can give you back control of your bladder and your happiness.

Medical therapy and state of the art minimally invasive procedures can solve your obstructive prostate issues.

4 Male infertility

Infertility for a couple is defined as a failure to conceive after having unprotected sexual intercourse for more than one year. It can be devastating for a loving couple to not be able to have the baby that they so desperately desire. Urologists are specialists in male infertility.

5 Blood in the urine

A man having blood in the urine should never be ignored as it may be an early warning sign of cancer of the urethra, prostate, bladder, ureters, or kidneys.

Kidney stones and severe bladder infections could also present as blood in the urine but seek the consult of an urologist to determine the exact cause.

6 Kidney stones

One of the most painful conditions that a man could encounter is an obstructive kidney stone. An urologist can minimally invasively treat kidney stones and then determine the cause of the kidney stone formation so as to help prevent their occurrence in the future.

7 Testicular cancer

Men should be encouraged to perform a self examination of their testicles once a month so as to detect potential testicular masses. Early detection has an excellent cure rate for most forms of testicular cancer.

8 Circumcision

It is never too late for a man to have an outpatient circumcision that requires minimal recovery and no negative affects on erectile function. Circumcision can reduce the chance of the transmission of HIV from female to male by as much as 60 percent. The inner foreskin of the penis have receptors that enhance the transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

9 Interstitial cystitis/painful bladder

Debilitating pain in the bladder with accompanying urinary urgency and frequency is the unfortunate existence for some men. This condition is often mistakenly treated as recurrent bladder infections with no improvement in symptoms. Urologists can help in treating this painful bladder condition.

10 Chronic scrotal pain

There are multiple potential causes of frequent or constant scrotal pain which includes common causes such as scrotal epididymal cysts, testicular hydroceles, varicoceles or referred pain from another sources such as kidney stones or lower back issues.

Urologists can help provide you with a pain free existence. The real tragedy is not seeking help for correctable conditions that often can be managed with medication or minimally invasive urological procedures.

All men need the assistance from an urologist at sometime in their life. Fear, ignorance or embarrassment should never be an excuse.

• Dr Greggory Pinto is a Bahamian urologist who has trained in South Africa, Germany, France and India. He is a member of the European Association of Urologists. Dr Pinto can be reached at Urology Care Bahamas at the Surgical Suite, Centreville Medical Centre, Collins Avenue and Sixth Terrace. Call 326 1929, e-mail welcome@urologycarebahamas.com, or visit www.urologycarebahamas.com.