Anyone who’s ever passed a kidney stone will likely describe it as an excruciating experience. Symptoms can vary from severe, sharp pain in the side and back, to pain or burning sensation when urinating, to fever, chills, and even blood in the urine. And for most people, these are concurrent symptoms.

As our bodies age, some inevitable changes take place. For many men, one of those is an enlarged prostate. While unpleasant, having an enlarged prostate is incredibly common and benign and doesn’t increase your chances of developing prostate cancer. However, if left untreated, this condition can cause significant problems.

At some point in life, the majority of us will need to see a urologist for any number of reasons.

According to a study published in Aging Health, UTIs are the most common type of bacterial infection in those aged 65 or older, especially for nursing home residents.

Some people go their whole lives without seeing a urologist. Others start seeing them later in life for prostate exams or pelvic exams–some children have medical conditions that require a urologist’s attention.

As people get older, their immune systems slow down, responding less forcefully to infection. This leaves the elderly more vulnerable to illness. Not only is this elevated risk of infection concerning because of the physical effects, but the possible cognitive effects of a severe infection in the elderly can also be distressing. While there have been studies showing a link between urinary infections and cognitive decline in seniors, it tends to be an unmasking of a case of dementia that was already present or developing.

Stress affects more than your mind. It affects your body as well. The result can be anything from intestinal issues or headaches to pelvic floor dysfunction. When you’re stressed, you may be more prone to holding your breath, which can cause you to tighten your muscles and bear down on your pelvic floor. Long-term stress can cause your pelvic floor to stay contracted. The result is pain during penetration.

Though it is a small organ, the prostate can cause huge problems to your health if left unchecked. Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer Americans are diagnosed with, and it oftentimes develops without any symptoms.

Peyronie’s disease is a connective tissue disorder that affects the male sex organ. The characteristics of this disease are not unlike Dupuytren’s contracture of the hand. Symptoms of Peyronie’s disease are grouped into three main characteristics — painful erections, bent erections, and palpable penile plaque.

Just like any other organ, the bladder can become irritated causing worsening symptoms or bladder discomfort. In this article, we will show you some of the most common foods and drinks that irritate the bladder and give you some alternative choices to soothe it instead.

This is a hard subject for most people to talk about, even with their doctor. Some even waive it off with excuses like “it happens only when I laugh,” or “that’s just what happens when you get older.”

The answer is yes. Erectile dysfunction — the inability to get or maintain an erection firm enough for sex — is common in men who have diabetes, especially those with type 2 diabetes.

You’ve probably heard the term ‘vasectomy’ many times but do you have all of the facts?

Cystitis is a painful condition characterized by inflammation of the bladder, usually caused by an infection.

Nephrolithiasis, commonly referred to as kidney stones, are hard, pebble-like pieces of material that form in one or both of your kidneys when high levels of certain minerals are in your urine.

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.

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.

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.