Your bladder is an organ in your pelvic region that is responsible for storing urine before it is expelled from the body. Hearing that you’ve been diagnosed with cancer is never easy to cope with. However, the good news is that bladder cancer is most often detected when it is still in its early stages, which means that it is more easily treatable as compared to diagnosis in the later stages. After your diagnosis, you’ll likely be referred to a urologist to discuss your treatment options.

Types

Transitional cell carcinoma comprises the bulk of all bladder cancer cases. With this type of bladder cancer, the malignant cells appear similar to the urothelial cells, which are found on the inside of the bladder. If your urologist describes the cells as non-invasive, it means that the cancer has not penetrated the deeper layers of the bladder. Invasive cancers, on the other hand, have begun to spread. Less common types of bladder cancer include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, small cell carcinoma, and sarcoma.

Symptoms

Urologists recommend that patients act as their own advocates for their well-being. If you notice any unusual symptoms, it’s important to make an appointment for a check-up as soon as possible. Ignoring the symptoms of bladder cancer, such as bloody urine, gives the cancer an opportunity to spread. Other symptoms include frequent or painful urination, and pain of the back or pelvis.

Treatment Options

Many factors will inform your treatment recommendations, including the type and stage of cancer , your personal preferences, and your general health. Different surgical approaches are available for both early-stage and late-stage cancer. Chemotherapy may be used before or after surgery, or without surgery. Bladder cancer patients might also receive biological therapy drugs, or immunotherapy, which stimulates the immune system to fight the disease. Less commonly, a physician might recommend radiation therapy for bladder cancer.

If you’ve been diagnosed with bladder cancer in Nashville, you can consult a specialist at Urology Associates, P.C. Our urology specialists can help you understand the disease and explore your treatment options. In the event that surgery is a viable option for you, you can take advantage of our on-site Urology Surgery Center.

Kidney stones are a common and very painful health problem. Previously, treatment for kidney stones consisted of open surgery, which required a long recovery time. However, as you’ll learn by watching this video, there have been several advances in the urology field over the past few decades.

This video features Dr. Charles Eckstein of Urology Associates, P.C. This urologist explains three treatment options available to patients, including a percutaneous nephrostomy, which involves making a small incision in the back and guiding a needle into the kidney. Then, a scope is passed into the kidney to remove the stone. The other treatment options are shock wave lithotripsy and ureteroscopy.

Urology Associates, P.C. provides the latest options for kidney stones treatment in Nashville as part of our comprehensive range of urology services. We encourage patients who are anticipating urology surgery to download our informational brochure on surgical procedures.

Urology Associates, P.C. is a urology clinic dedicated to going above and beyond to meet the needs of our patients. In addition to providing urologic care for conditions such as kidney stones, our urology team provides care for women’s sexual health at The Women’s Institute for Sexual Health (WISH). At WISH, our urologists can diagnose and treat a wide array of medical conditions.

Interstitial Cystitis

Also called painful bladder syndrome , this chronic condition involves bladder pain and pressure, which can cause mild to severe discomfort. Normally, the bladder sends impulses along the pelvic nerves to tell the brain when it’s time to void the bladder. A woman with interstitial cystitis has “confused” signals, which cause her to feel the need to urinate more often, though the amounts may be inconsequential.

Pelvic Organ Prolapse

A woman’s pelvic organs are normally supported by muscles and ligaments. When these supporting structures become weak, these organs can prolapse, or become displaced. Pelvic organ prolapse can occur after childbirth, menopause, or a hysterectomy. Often, urologists recommend surgical procedures to correct this problem.

Urinary Incontinence

Urinary incontinence is a condition that affects many women. This condition is broadly defined as the unintentional loss of urine. There are different types of incontinence, such as stress incontinence. This occurs when urine leaks out unintentionally when the individual coughs, sneezes, or engages in other activities that place stress on the bladder. In many cases, lifestyle modifications can help. Treatment for incontinence may also include bladder training, double voiding, and scheduled toileting, along with pelvic floor muscle exercises. If these treatments are ineffective, a urologist may recommend medications, medical devices such as a pessary, or surgery.

These are just a few of the conditions our urologists can treat at The Women’s Institute for Sexual Health at Urology Associates, P.C. To better support women’s sexual health in Nashville, our team members strive toward providing extensive patient education and sensitive, specialized care. You can call (888) 329-7700 to reach a friendly staff member or explore our website to learn more about us.

Some doctors are primary care physicians, while others are specialists. A urologist is a specialist who diagnoses and treats diseases and disorders of the urinary tract in both male and female patients. Urologists also treat medical conditions of the male reproductive organs. Urology is a surgical specialty. However, a urologist receives in-depth training across a broad range of areas, including internal medicine and gynecology. There are also subspecialties within the field of urology, including pediatric urology, male infertility, female urology, and urologic oncology (Prostate Cancer, Bladder Cancer and Testicular Cancer).

This last subspecialty deals with cancers of the urinary tract such as bladder cancer, in addition to reproductive cancers such as testicular cancer.

Urologists evaluate and treat the many structures that make up the urinary tract and reproductive system. These include the kidneys, the prostate, adrenal glands, ureters, urethra, bladder, and seminal vesicles. Urologists address conditions such as bladder prolapse, urinary incontinence, enlarged prostate, and prostatitis. They also perform surgeries to remove kidney stones, a common problem of the urinary tract. In addition to surgical procedures, urologists can treat conditions with medical management.

If you’re looking for a urologist in Nashville , call Urology Associates, P.C. at (888) 329-7700. Our urology practice treats a broad range of conditions, including kidney stones, urinary incontinence, and certain cancers.

If your primary care physician has referred you to a urologist , it means he or she suspects you have a medical condition that involves your urinary tract or reproductive system. It can sometimes be helpful to call the urology office ahead of your appointment to ask if there is anything you’ll need to bring, such as your current medications and prior imaging studies, if applicable.

Paperwork

You can expect your first urology appointment to proceed similarly to any other medical appointment, which typically involves filling out paperwork when you arrive at the office. You may be asked to fill out a questionnaire, depending on the reason for your visit. For example, men who visit a urology office because of prostate issues may be asked to complete a symptom score to assess the severity of their prostate condition. Likewise, urologists often utilize questionnaires for incontinence and infertility.

Urine Sample

It’s advisable to drink some water before your appointment, since you’ll be asked to provide a urine sample. If you need to relieve yourself immediately upon arriving at the office, inform the receptionist that you’re ready to provide a urine sample before filling out any paperwork.

Medical History

After you’ve been escorted to an exam room, you’ll be asked questions about your medical history. Be sure to list any medications you take, along with their dosages. Inform the provider of your symptoms, when you noticed them, and how severe they are.

Physical Examination

You can expect to undergo a physical exam, including a complete genital exam. This may include a prostate assessment for men and a pelvic exam for women.

Diagnostic Tests

The urologist may request that you undergo certain tests, such as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or computed tomography (CT) scan. Urologists also commonly rely on sonography.

Treatment Recommendations

The urologist will help you understand your condition and offer recommendations for your treatment. This may include medical management or surgery. When you leave the office, you should be fully informed of your treatment options, and their benefits and potential risks.

If you have any questions about your upcoming appointment at Urology Associates, P.C. , give us a call at (888) 329-7700. We invite new patients to visit our website to read our patients’ rights and responsibilities policies.