Prostate Restored
Prostate Restored
Photo: John Diez
The pelvic floor muscles relax when we defecate. However, they will not necessarily have to fully relax when we urinate. But when the pelvic floor musculature does relax, in addition to allowing stool to pass, it decreases the tension in our urinary sphincters, allowing urine to flow.
Several studies have found that ashwagandha can be effective when taken either at night or during the day: A 2019 study investigating ashwagandha's...
Read More »
There are 4 levels of measurement, which can be ranked from low to high: Nominal: the data can only be categorized. Ordinal: the data can be...
Read More »This is an interesting question many of our patients ask. There are many muscles (both voluntary and involuntary) that are involved in helping one to both urinate and pass stool. These muscles have dual functions — holding urine and stool in, and passing urine and stool to the outside world. The muscles that help to hold in our stool are stronger and larger than the muscles that hold in our urine. The primary muscles that function to hold in stool are the internal and external anal sphincters. The internal sphincter is a completely involuntary organ, and as stool passes through this sphincter, the muscle slowly relaxes. The stool then contacts the external sphincter, which is a completely voluntary organ. At this point, we sense that there is an increased pressure in our rectum, and we likely feel the need to defecate. If a toilet or other commode is close by, we sit down and voluntarily relax our external anal sphincter, and the stool passes through. If, however, we would rather not have a bowel movement at that moment, we voluntarily tighten our external anal sphincter, and the stool is retained in the rectum. Control of urine is similar. The muscles are smaller, but the concept is the same. There is both an involuntary internal urethral sphincter and a voluntary external urethral sphincter. The internal urethral sphincter opens when pressures inside the urinary bladder are great enough; we can hold back the urine by tightening our external urethral sphincter, or we can urinate by relaxing this muscle. So why do we often urinate when we defecate, but not vice versa? The main reason is that the muscles of the pelvic floor play a role in defecation and urination. The pelvic floor muscles relax when we defecate. However, they will not necessarily have to fully relax when we urinate. But when the pelvic floor musculature does relax, in addition to allowing stool to pass, it decreases the tension in our urinary sphincters, allowing urine to flow. Because our anal sphincters are stronger than our urinary sphincters, it is easier for us to have control over our bowels than our urine. Of course, we all don’t have normal control over our bowels or bladder. There are many conditions that can adversely affect our bowel or bladder continence. Also, the control of urine and stool differ in men and women because the anatomy of the male and female pelvis are so different.
Oral antimicrobial agents are the mainstay of treatment for chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP), with the most effective medications being...
Read More »
Including an array of fresh (or dried) herbs and spices especially those that have anti-inflammatory properties such as ginger, turmeric, sumac,...
Read More »A normal prostate has a rubbery, soft feel and is symmetric with a smooth groove down the middle, separating the right side from the left. A firm or hard region in the prostate called a nodule can indicate that prostate cancer is present. If the urologist feels a prostate nodule, other diagnostic tests are recommended.
The prostate is located in the abdomen below the bladder, which holds urine, and in front of the rectum, the chamber at the end of the large intestine through which bowel movements pass. The urethra, the thin tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body, runs through the prostate’s center. VIDEO: Urologic oncologist Dr. Hebert Lepor discusses the importance of prostate cancer screening and knowing the risk factors of prostate cancer. In adult men, a normal prostate is about the size of a walnut. As men age, it is common for the prostate to grow in size. Sometimes, the growing prostate constricts the urethra, causing problems in passing urine. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. This benign enlargement of the prostate does not lead to cancer. The risk of developing prostate cancer increases as men age, but because early detection does not necessarily mean you require treatment, you and your urologist may want to discuss whether screening is right for you. This shared decision-making approach takes into consideration your own values, along with your doctor’s experience and the latest medical evidence.
Due to the numerous health benefits of olive oil, it is typically used in cooking, but eating it raw is even healthier. A lot of health experts...
Read More »
ED is a common condition — and one that's usually treatable. If you're experiencing ED, talk to your doctor. Urologists are trained in diagnosing...
Read More »
Zinc plays a vital role in controlling blood pressure, largely down to its role in sodium absorption. The more sodium that remains in the body, the...
Read More »
Bone pain from metastatic prostate cancer generally doesn't go away on its own. It can be near constant, in fact. Some men may even wake up...
Read More »
Promotion
Promotion