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Signs You May Have Low Testosterone
The hormone testosterone plays a key role in men’s health. Produced by the testicles, this hormone helps maintain muscle mass, bone growth and sex drive, and is responsible for the development of male sexual characteristics. However, as men age testosterone levels begin to decline. Without sufficient testosterone, a man may experience erectile dysfunction, feel depressed and lose his sex drive. If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms listed below, it may indicate you have low testosterone levels.
What Happens When Testosterone Declines?
Low Sex Drive
Considering testosterone is the male sex hormone, and a necessary part for a male’s sexual and reproductive development, low sex drive is an obvious indicator that you may be experiencing low levels of testosterone.
Fatigue & Decreased Energy
Low testosterone can leave you completely fatigued and out of energy. It’s not an over exaggeration for someone with low testosterone to describe themselves as having nothing left in the tank at the end of the day. If you feel unusually tired and unmotivated, you may be experiencing low testosterone.
Erectile Dysfunction
Testosterone is needed for the body to release nitric oxide and trigger an erection. Having problems getting and keeping an erection is a good indicator that you may have low testosterone. Another sign of low testosterone closely associated with erectile dysfunction is low fluid levels. You need testosterone to regulate levels of sperm containing fluid that is released during an ejaculation. If you have low testosterone you may experience low fluid volumes when you ejaculate. Moreover both of these signs can lead to another indicator of low testosterone, which is having orgasm trouble.
Less Muscle, More Fat
Having low testosterone can affect you physically in more ways than one. A physical sign of “low T” is the general loss of muscle, and the inability to gain more muscle mass and acquire more body fat overall. It is very common for men with low testosterone to feel like they are losing muscle mass and adding fat instead to their midsection and chest area.
Low Testosterone Mood Problems
If optimism and general happiness is a thing of the past, there is a good chance you are suffering from low testosterone. It is very common to feel down or upset for no apparent reason when you are experiencing “low T”. Men with low testosterone generally feel irritable, moody and angry – experiencing frequent mood swings and depression.
Genital Issues
Certain genital issues are sign of low testosterone. Genital numbness is often associated with low testosterone. This doesn’t exactly mean that the area is completely numb, but rather any touch to the reproductive area does not elicit a sexual feeling needed to incite sexual intercourse. Another genital issue associated with low testosterone is shrinkage. If you notice a physical decrease in size of your scrotum, it’s a good indicator that you may be experiencing low levels of testosterone.
Treatment of Low Testosterone Levels in NJ
If you feel like you are suffering from low testosterone, visit Somerset Urological Associates (SUA). Our urological specialists will provide you with a blood test to see if low levels of testosterone are present in your system. Further treatment will be provided based on your test results. Contact us today if you are worried about your testosterone levels.
5 Symptoms of a UTI
A burning sensation accompanied with lower abdomen pain and frequent urination may be a sign you have a urinary tract infection (UTI). A UTI is the infection of the urinary tract caused by germs and bacteria entering the system. UTIs are the second most common type of infection, causing about 7 million visits to medical professionals each year. Women tend to get more UTIs than men, with about 40% of women experiencing a bladder infection at some point in their life. Women are more prone to UTIs due to shorter urethras, making it easier for germs and bacteria to enter. Symptoms of a UTI are noticeable, but if you’re not sure what to look for, below are five signs and symptoms that may indicate you have a UTI.
Signs You Have a Urinary Tract Infection
1. Problems Urinating
Experiencing pain, discomfort or burning while you urinate are all telltale signs that you have a urinary tract infection. Another common UTI symptom that may indicate you have an infection is feeling like you have to urinate often with little urine coming out when you do. When urine does exit, look at the color of your urine. If your urine is pink, red or cloudy – you most likely have a UTI. In addition to the discoloration, if you notice a foul or unusual odor coming from your urine, you may have an infection. These symptoms shouldn’t be taken lightly, as a UTI can lead to a more serious kidney infection.
2. Abdominal Pain
Discomfort within the abdominal area is another common symptom of a urinary tract infection. The pain associated with the infection will be located primarily in your lower abdomen, specifically affecting the area above the bladder.
3. Back Discomfort
Back pain or discomfort is a typical symptom of a UTI. The pain you feel is usually located on either side of your back, just under the ribs, where the kidneys are situated.
4. Fever and Chills During an Infection
If you have a fever and are experiencing chills along with other UTI symptoms, this may indicate you have a more severe infection. Call your doctor immediately, as both fevers and chills can be a sign of a kidney infection that may require surgery.
5. Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are generally associated with numerous illnesses and infections, but both can be a sign of a more severe urinary tract infection as well. Visit your physician if you are experiencing both nausea and vomiting along with other UTI symptoms.
UTI Treatment in New Jersey
Urinary tract infections should never be taken lightly. If you are experiencing multiple symptoms of a UTI, contact us at Somerset Urological Associates (SUA) right away. We can help you relieve your symptoms and get you the care you need. Call (908) 927-0300 to schedule an appointment today.
The Prostate Cancer Test That Saved My Life
Read how a PSA test saved Ben Stiller’s life:
The Prostate Cancer Test That Saved My Life
How to Prevent Kidney Stones
What is a Kidney Stone?
Image via Flickr
A kidney stone, or nephrolithiasis, is a hard mass formed in the kidneys, typically consisting of insoluble calcium compounds. Characterized by severe pain at the side of the abdomen, back and below the ribs, kidney stones can exist in your body before any sensations of discomfort. Once the stone passes into the ureter (the channel between the kidney and bladder), symptoms may appear.
Symptoms of a Kidney Stone
You may have a kidney stone if you experience severe pain along the side and back of your abdomen. Pain that comes at intervals in length and severity is common. Changes in urination including frequency, discoloration, odor and pain are also symptoms of a kidney stone, as well as nausea and vomiting.
Treatment of a Kidney Stone
In order to treat your kidney stone, your doctor will perform a kidney stone analysis to learn more about your condition, determining whether it can pass on its own without surgical intervention. Most kidney stones do not require surgery. Non-surgical treatments include drinking copious amounts of water to help the kidney stone pass and the usage of over the counter pain relievers, such as anti-inflammatory medication.
More severe kidney stones may require medical therapy, such as an alpha blocker (a prescribed muscle relaxant that eliminates tightness in the ureter) or a forced stone removal. However, the easiest way to prevent a kidney stone is understanding how different types of kidney stones may form in your body.
Types of Kidney Stones
Calcium Stones
Most kidney stones are categorized as calcium stones, formed in the heightened presence of calcium-oxalate. Certain fruits, nuts, vegetables and chocolate carry a high percentage of calcium oxalate. High doses of Vitamin D, intestinal bypass surgery and a number of metabolic disorders can also elevate levels of calcium-oxalate in the body.
Struvite Stones
Struvite stones form in response to infection. Therefore, they are likely to appear suddenly and unexpectedly. Those with greater exposure to urinary tract infections are more likely to develop this stone.
Uric Acid Stones
Uric Acid Stones are formed in people who are not drinking enough liquids. People who lose a lot of liquid (through urine and sweat) or eat a diet high in protein are also more likely to develop this type of stone. Additionally, genetic factors and the presence of gout may increase the risk of uric acid stone development.
Cystine Stones
Some kidney stones can only form from a pre-disposed genetic condition. Cystine stones occur in people who carry the inherited trait that forces the kidney to excrete an excess amount of the amino acid, cystinuria.
Preventing Kidney Stones
Treating this condition can be tricky and the best way to avoid this condition is by preventing it from ever happening in the first place. Anyone who’s ever had a kidney stone can tell you it may have been the single most painful experience of his or her life. Read the suggestions below to learn more about preventing this condition.
Drink Water
Dehydration and lowered levels of liquid in the body are directly linked to the formation of kidney stones. In order to prevent dehydration, drink plenty of water throughout the day. People with a history of kidney stones should try to pass approximately 2.5 liters of urine a day. Measuring your urine output is an easy way to make sure you’re drinking enough water. If your urine is light and clear, you’re probably drinking the correct amount.
Consider Your Sweat
Loss of water through sweat means less liquid passing through your bladder. If you live in a warm climate or exercise often, you may find that you are sweating out much of the water that flushes your kidneys. Protect yourself by drinking more fluids throughout the day.
Monitor Oxalate-Rich Foods
For those at risk for calcium-oxalate stones, reducing foods high in calcium-oxalate will assist you in preventing this condition. Rhubarb, beets, okra, spinach, Swiss chard, sweet potatoes, nuts, tea, chocolate and soy products all contain a high amount of calcium-oxalate. You don’t need to cut these from your diet completely – you only need to moderate your consumption.
Cut Down on Salt, Sugar and Animal Protein
Salt absorbs water and can facilitate dehydration. For this reason, it is important that anyone interested in preventing kidney stones lower their sodium intake and decrease their animal protein consumption. Too much sugar also increases your stone risk so try picking more sugar-free options.
Experiment with Dietary Remedies
Dietary remedies vary and can prove quite helpful in the prevention and treatment of kidney stones. Chronic kidney stones are treated with potassium citrate, which helps prevent crystals that are already present from binding with each other and getting bigger. Natural sources of the same stone-preventing benefits include limeade, lemonade and other fruits and juices high in natural citrate.
Eat Your Calcium
Diets low in calcium can increase kidney stone formation in some people. Although people believe they should cut out calcium to avoid calcium-oxalate stones, cutting salt is far more important. In addition, pairing calcium rich foods with oxalate rich foods can also prevent stones.
Don’t Ignore Your Doctor
Kidney stones have been reported as one of the most painful experiences a person can have. Unfortunately, the occurrence of one stone greatly increases your chances of developing a second one. After your first experience, taking the right prescriptions and making the right dietary changes is critical to the prevention of this condition. Talk to your doctor openly and honestly about your eating habits so that you can design a diet that works for you.
Find a Urologist in New Jersey
Find the quality care you need to manage or prevent a kidney stone at Somerset Urological Associates. Experience superior patient service by our skilled practitioners and schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified urologists today.
How Tobacco Increases Your Risk of Bladder Cancer
Image via Pexels
Tobacco Smoke and the Bladder
It’s known that cigarette smoke carries harmful toxins into the body, but few consider how those toxins make their way out. All bodily pollutants are processed through waste tracts to be expelled. Carcinogenic substances are no exception, as they are passed through the urinary tract. When urine is in contact with the bladder for lengthened periods of time, these high concentrations of toxins are in contact with the bladder for just as long. The outcome is a startling increase in the risk of bladder cancer among smokers.
The National Institute for Health listed smoking tobacco as the lead risk factor for bladder cancer. This is not surprising as half of all cases of bladder cancer occur among smokers. Although bladder cancer is more common among men than women, female cases are growing, and the heightened risk for female smokers is the same as men.
Symptoms of Bladder Cancer
Spotting bladder cancer early on is critical to the management of this disease. The likelihood of remission is greater the earlier the illness is detected. Watch for these signs of bladder cancer to reduce your risk:
- Blood in urine
- Frequent bladder infections
- Increased frequency of urination
- Burning sensation during urination
Seeing a doctor at the first sign of these symptoms will put you in a better position to treat this condition.
Treatment of Bladder Cancer
If the tumor is spotted in time, there is a greater chance that it can be removed with endoscopic surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy or other medications. If the cancer has spread throughout the bladder, the surgical removal of the organ may be required. In this case, systemic chemotherapy will be used to remove the bladder. A new bladder may also be made using the small intestine, or an ostomy may be placed to function as the body’s organ.
Preventing Bladder Cancer
Preventing bladder cancer altogether is the best way to avoid complications. Increasing your awareness of how tobacco is linked to bladder cancer is the strongest method to reduce your risk of the disease. The cessation of smoking and, of course, an early diagnosis is the only way to fully prevent bladder cancer.
Talk to a Doctor
If you’re interested in learning more about bladder cancer, schedule an appointment with a doctor at Somerset Urological Associates today. Our highly skilled physicians are trained urologic oncologists who have worked with patients in New Jersey with a wide range of illnesses. From diagnosis to treatment, we’ll be with you every step of the way. Contact us today: (908) 927-0330.
Top 7 Reasons You Should Use CyberKnife
Image via Wiki Commons
CyberKnife robotic radiosurgery is a new and innovative method of noninvasive surgery. It is performed on patients with inoperable or complex tumors or lesions through beams of high dose radiation. It can get rid of cancerous and noncancerous tumors from anywhere in the body including, but not limited to, the head, neck, spine, lung, skull base and prostate. More than 70,000 patients worldwide have been successfully treated with CyberKnife, providing a new sense of hope for people around the country. If you are suffering from lesions or tumors, below are the top seven reasons you should consider using CyberKnife.
- Superior Accuracy and Precision
CyberKnife’s revolutionary technology continually tracks your movement and pinpoints your tumor’s location using an image-guided system before radiation is emitted. The cameras also allow your doctors to view the tumor or lesion, letting the robotic arm of the system to precisely target the radiation to the tumor, without exposing any nearby tissues.
- Frameless System
Unlike traditional radiosurgery, CyberKnife technology is a frameless system. Rather than invasive metal frames and immobilizing skull pins, the CyberKnife system uses the skeletal structure of the body as a reference point for determining the tumor position throughout the procedure. This frameless system also helps avoid pain, headache, nausea, and the risk of infection commonly seen with conventional radiosurgery.
- Pain Free
CyberKnife radiosurgery is practically pain free. No anesthesia or incisions are necessary, and there is no blood loss during the treatment. It’s a noninvasive surgery that is virtually painless.
- Eliminates Post-Surgical Complications
Unlike invasive surgeries – CyberKnife radiosurgeries result in less post-treatment complications, such as hemorrhages or infections.
- No Hospitalization
CyberKnife treatment is shorter compared to open surgery or traditional radiation therapy. Most treatment plans only require 1-5 visits, ranging about 30-90 minutes. You can walk in and out the same day, not having to take more time off of work.
- Shorter Recovery Time
A great benefit of CyberKnife radiosurgery is that there is little to no recovery time involved. You can immediately return to daily activities right after the procedure, instead of going through a grueling recovery process.
- Improved Quality of Life
The CyberKnife system improves the lives of many patients. It provides you another option if you are fighting against cancer and a sense of renewed hope. If your tumor was deemed inoperable before through invasive surgery, CyberKnife technology makes you eligible for treatment again and allows you to resume a normal life.
If you are a patient of SUA, we provide this revolutionary treatment option just for you. With CyberKnife technology, we can help you receive the care you deserve and meet your individual needs. Contact us today for more information on this noninvasive procedure.
How Soon Should You Start Getting Checked for Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer found in men. This type of cancer occurs in a man’s prostate, which is a small walnut-shaped gland that produces seminal fluid. The cause of prostate cancer is unclear, but what doctors do know is that it begins when cells in your prostate become abnormal.
While some types of prostate cancer progress slowly, other types are aggressive and can spread quickly to other areas in the body. Prostate cancer that is caught early and hasn’t already spread has a better chance of a successful treatment. When should you start worrying about getting checked for prostate cancer?
When to Go for a Screening
Prostate cancer is common in men over the age of 65, but there are factors that can increase your risk of developing this type of cancer. Your risk of prostate cancer increases as you age. This includes men who are 50 and older, putting them at moderate risk for developing this disease.
However, there are men who are at a higher risk for prostate cancer. African American men are at a higher than average risk for prostate cancer than men of other races. It’s unclear why African American men are at a greater risk, but the cancer affects them more aggressively and becomes more advanced. Men who are obese are also at higher risk for being diagnosed with prostate cancer and are more likely to have an aggressive form that is harder to treat.
Men who have a family history of prostate or breast cancer have an increased risk for developing the disease as well. If one of your immediate family members was diagnosed with prostate cancer before the age of 65, you are at a high risk for having cancer. Men with more than one close relative diagnosed before the age of 65 are at an even higher risk. Also, if you have a family history of genes that increase the risk of breast cancer or a strong family history of breast cancer, your risk of prostate cancer may be higher as well.
If you notice you are at a moderate or high risk for being diagnosed with prostate cancer, you should talk with your doctor about going for a screening. If you are also over the age of 50 and are experiencing symptoms of prostate cancer, a screening may benefit you as well. Symptoms may include frequent urination, painful or bloody urine, blood present in semen, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, nausea and weakness or numbness in the legs or feet.
Types of Screening
Screenings are tests that help your doctor detect cancer before there are any symptoms or when cancers are at an early stage. Prostate cancer can often be detected before symptoms surface by testing the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in a man’s blood with a PSA test. Another form of screening for prostate cancer is the digital rectal exam (DRE), where your doctor will put a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum to feel your prostate gland. If the results of these tests are abnormal, further testing will be done to see if you have cancer, including an ultrasound or biopsy.
PSA testing combined with a DRE helps identify prostate cancers at their earliest and more treatable stages. If you would like one of these screening tests, or are at a higher risk of prostate cancer and are experiencing symptoms, Somerset Urological Associates (SUA) can help. At SUA, we can discuss your particular situation and give you more information on the screenings we provide. Together, we will decide if a prostate cancer screening is right for you. Contact us today to experience our personalized, convenient and state of the art care. Call (908)-927-0300 to schedule an appointment.
Male infertility 101
Many men look forward to starting their own family one day, especially when they’ve found that special someone in their life. Coping with male infertility is always heartbreaking, but sometimes it’s easier to cope when the situation is fully understood. Here are the basics on male infertility.
What Male Infertility Means
Male infertility means a man cannot cause a pregnancy through natural, sexual intercourse. It also means he cannot cause a pregnancy by way of donating his sperm. An infertile man typically needs to employ the help of a fertility specialist or medical professional in order to successfully reproduce.
Male infertility accounts for approximately half of all infertility cases among people in general. Affecting roughly 7% of men, male infertility is typically caused by some sort of problem with a man’s semen. For instance, maybe a guy is infertile simply because he is not producing enough sperm. Alternatively, his semen could also have structural or mobile problems. However, although a main cause, semen deficiencies are not the only cause for male infertility. Sometimes there are problems with the penis or testicles.
Steps for Treating Male Infertility
The steps for treating male infertility are clearly defined. First there’s the initial consultation where a physical exam takes place and a full medical history is discussed. Then there’s the diagnosing phase, otherwise understood as finding the root of the problem. And finally, after a proper diagnosis is made, the patient and specialist can discuss appropriate procedures. The specialist needs to know exactly what’s going on with the male’s reproductive organs to successfully treat the infertility issue.
Take sperm count for example. When a man has a low sperm count, he cannot contribute to conception. As a rule of thumb, fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen is clinically classified as a low amount. The reason low sperm count could be the cause for male infertility is the fact that over 200 million sperm need to be released during ejaculation in the hopes that a select few will make it past the female cervix. Surely no man will ever know how much sperm he releases or averages without a test. This reiterates the fact that male infertility needs to be clinically diagnosed. It also demonstrates how complex diagnosing can be.
Male Infertility Options
Adoption is always a wonderful opportunity for starting a family or for helping a family grow bigger. However, the clinical options for treating or dealing with male infertility include medication, surgery, medical procedures, hormone treatments, and donor sperm. The two most popular male infertility options are intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF).
With IUI a medical procedure known as sperm washing is performed to separate the weak sperm from the healthy sperm. Afterwards, the strongest sperm are then directly transplanted into the uterus. By manually putting the sperm closer to an egg, the overall travel time and distance those particular sperm would have needed to reach that egg is narrowed down.
For IVF, a health care provider will collect a male’s semen and put it together with a female’s eggs to make sure fertilization occurs. The main difference between the IVF and IUI procedures is where the actual process of fertilization takes place. With IVF a woman’s eggs are removed from her uterus and held in a test tube. It is in this test tube that semen and eggs will be combined so fertilization can occur.
Prepping for your Appointment
Deficiencies in the semen are the most common cause of male infertility. Having said that, specific semen qualities such as the amount of seminal fluid, the sperm count, how quickly the sperm move, and size, shape, and appearance of sperm are all solid ways for determining a male’s reproductive potential. Therefore, the initial part of a man’s infertility consultation will include a physical exam, and semen sample analysis.
During the first appointment, the patient should also come prepared to share a full medical history and to ask any questions. Finally, he may also leave his initial appointment with a script for specific blood testing. If the patient is facing any hormonal problems, the specialist will need to know this information before moving forward.
For more about male infertility or to book a consultation with one of our experts, please do not hesitate to contact SUA. We are always happy to help!
Prostate Cancer: Facts that May Save Your Life
If you are a man age 50 or older, then you are at risk for developing prostate cancer. Your age and gender alone can dramatically make you more susceptible to getting sick. Prostate cancer is not the type of sickness you want to be dealing with. It is a very scary, degenerative disease that attacks the male prostate gland, which is a small walnut-shaped seminal fluid producing gland located underneath the bladder. It is a class of cancer that commonly takes the lives of American men.
For those who fit the main risk factors, testing is medically advised to determine a proper diagnosis. Catching the cancer early increases the likelihood of it being more treatable. In many cases, early treatment and intervention become the only survival strategies left to save a life. Here are the most recently updated facts on prostate cancer in the United States for 2016:
What are my chances for getting prostate cancer?
— There are approximately 180, 890 new cases of prostate cancer each year.
Technically, all men run the risk of forming prostate cancer, but certain risk factors place some men at a higher probability than others. These risk factors have everything to do with attributes such as age, race, ethnicity, family history, diet and gender. As mentioned before, men older than 50 have far greater chances of developing prostate cancer than younger men. Actually, statistics show more than 60% of all prostate cancers are diagnosed in men older than 65. It has also been documented that African American men are twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than white men are. This is currently correlated to the fact that African American men have the highest rates of prostate cancer in the United States. Furthermore, the chances for developing the disease rapidly increases for men with several affected relatives, especially fathers or brothers.
What does a prostate cancer diagnosis mean?
After being clinically diagnosed with prostate cancer, the harsh reality is you are now dealing with the most common cancer and leading cause of cancer death in American men. Therefore, you would be wise to seek the medical advice and guidance of a doctor who specializes in prostate cancer treatment.
A prostate cancer diagnosis can also mean major life changes. Quality of life always changes for any man diagnosed with prostate cancer from the moment he hears the news. Whether he is a patient or a survivor does not matter because his life will still be transformed to some degree.
Aside from the understandable fear of death, the fear of potentially becoming incontinent or sexually dysfunctional is an infamous area of concern for most men facing prostate cancer. These are major quality of life issues that need to be discussed with you doctor to see where you stand. Other quality of life issues typically include worries about the cancer reoccurring, chronic pain, depression, changes in physical appearance, financial burdens, and so on.
Will I survive this, or will the prostate cancer kill me?
— Roughly 26,120 men will die from prostate cancer this year.
— There is an estimated 10-year relative survival rate for all stages combined: 98%
Prostate cancer is one of the most deadliest forms of cancer currently affecting men in the U.S., especially African American men. However, to say you definitely will survive or to say you definitely will not survive is too difficult to answer because there’s a lot involved. Yes, prostate cancer will take the lives of tens of thousands of men. And yes, the discussion centered around prostate cancer is not to be taken lightly because it is an extremely dangerous disease.
However, chances of survival vary greatly from person to person or case to case. Therefore, the forecast and likely outcome of an individual’s unique situation must be formally discussed with his or her doctor.
In terms of actually beating prostate cancer, it is highly important to understand your chances for survival increase with early detection. Therefore, you should be getting tested for prostate cancer on a regular basis. Consequently, there are still risks associated with getting screened for prostate cancer. Men should talk to their doctors about the risks, benefits, and a testing schedule that works for them. Overall, the outlook for prostate cancer is generally better for men in earlier stages of the disease. Schedule an appointment with SUA today to learn more about prostate cancer.
More Men With Early Prostate Cancer Are Choosing to Avoid Treatment
According to NYT Article
The following is a response to The New York Times’ article on men with early Prostate Cancer avoiding treatment…
It is important to understand that prostate cancer treatments are very personal and individualized. At Somerset Urological we utilize all the latest advances in molecular diagnostics, advanced prostate cancer imaging and state-of-the-art biopsy techniques to help patients determine the right approach to management of their prostate cancers. We are increasingly incorporating active surveillance in the management of carefully selected prostate cancer patients by utilizing many of these advanced techniques to identify men who would benefit most from this approach.