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Urinary Tract Health

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Welcome to our health education library. The information shared below is provided to you as an educational and informational source only and is not intended to replace a medical examination or consultation, or medical advice given to you by a physician or medical professional.

If you have difficulty emptying your bladder naturally, or your bladder does not empty completely, self-catheterization may be an option for you. Self-catheterization education will be provided by our skilled nursing team. In the event you need further education, please contact our office.

SUPPLIES

  • Catheter
  • Tube of water-soluble lubricating jelly (SurgiLube / K-Y Jelly)
  • Antibacterial soap (Soft Soap, Dial, etc)

 

PROCEDURE

  • Wash hands and penis well with antibacterial soap.
  • Lubricate catheter well approximately 2 inches from narrow end.
  • Hold penis securely with non-dominate hand.
  • Grasp catheter 2-3 inches from tip and insert in opening of penis.
  • Advance catheter into bladder-approximately 6-10 inches.  Urine will flow freely.  If it does not, insert catheter until it does so.  When urine flow ceases, withdraw catheter. 

 

Helpful Hint:  You may meet with some resistance when you pass the catheter through the prostate area.  Continue firm, steady pressure and bear down like you are trying to urinate on your own.  This helps relax the bladder neck muscle and allows for easier passage of the catheter.  If you are unable to pass the catheter, please stop and call us.

Sometimes you may see a small amount of blood with catheterization due to irritation.  However, if you start seeing a large amount of blood, develop a fever, chills, burning/pain in the bladder or urethra please contact the office and speak to a nurse.

If you have difficulty emptying your bladder naturally, or your bladder does not empty completely, self-catheterization may be an option for you. Self-catheterization education will be provided by our skilled nursing team. In the event you need further education, please contact our office.

SUPPLIES

  • Catheter
  • Tube of water-soluble lubricating jelly (SurgiLube / K-Y Jelly)
  • Antibacterial soap (Soft Soap, Dial, etc)

 

PROCEDURE

  • Wash your hands and vaginal area well, including between the labia, with antibacterial soap.
  • Lubricate catheter well approximately 2 inches from narrow end.
  • Use your non-dominate hand to spread the labia. Hold the catheter 2-3 inches from its tip and insert the tip into the opening of the urethra.
  • Advance the catheter into the bladder, approximately 3-4 inches. When the catheter is in the bladder urine will flow freely. If urine does not flow, advance the catheter another inch or so. 
  • When urine stops flowing remove the catheter.
  • If you miss the urethra, the catheter will be in the vagina. Remove the catheter, either wash it well with antibacterial soap, rinse, and lubricate it again or use a new catheter.  Attempt to insert the catheter into the urethra again.  Angling the catheter slightly forward when inserting can help locate the urethra. 

 

Sometimes you may see a small amount of blood with catheterization due to irritation.  However, if you start seeing a large amount of blood, develop a fever, chills, burning/pain in the bladder or urethra please contact the office and speak to a nurse.

Blood in your urine is a condition known as hematuria. Most of the time, the cause of hematuria is not serious. However, blood in the urine should never be ignored. Your provider can evaluate you to identify the cause of the bleeding and treat it, if necessary.

Two Types of Hematuria

  • Gross hematuria means that the blood can be seen by the naked eye. The urine may look pinkish, brownish, or bright red.
  • Microscopic hematuria means that the urine is clear, but blood cells can be seen when urine is looked at under a microscope or tested in a lab.

Both gross and microscopic hematuria can have the same causes, and neither one is necessarily more serious than the other. Along with either type, you may notice other symptoms, such as pain, pressure, or burning when you urinate, abdominal pain, or back pain. Or, you may not notice any other symptoms. No matter how much blood is found, the cause of the bleeding needs to be identified.

Finding the Cause of Hematuria

A urine sample will be collected at your first visit. Following your exam, your provider will determine which additional tests will best identify the cause of your hematuria. Some common tests are listed below.

  • Lab tests
  • Imaging (i.e., CT scan, Ultrasound, X-ray)
  • Cystoscopy (see procedures)

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic and painful condition of the bladder. People awith IC have a bladder that is easily irritated, leading to uncomfortable symptoms. Although IC currently has no cure, the symptoms can be managed to help you feel better and live more comfortably. 

Symptoms of IC

  • The frequent and urgent need to urinate
  • Pain or pressure in the bladder area, often relieved for a short time after urinating
  • Pain in the genitals or anus
  • Painful sexual intercourse
  • Symptoms in women may get worse during their period. Symptoms may go away for a period of time (remission), but they often come back again.

Lifestyle Changes that may help to improve symptoms.

Many different types of treatments are available to help manage IC symptoms and relieve pain. Some may work well for one person and not for another, so several types of treatment may be tried before you and your doctor determine the plan that’s best for you.

Avoiding Certain Foods

  • Avoid certain foods that may worsen your symptoms. These include alcohol, spicy food, chocolate, caffeine, citrus fruits and juices, tomatoes, and carbonated drinks. You may want to try cutting certain foods out of your diet for several weeks, then add the food back into your diet. See whether this has any effect on your symptoms.

Retraining Your Bladder

  • Retraining your bladder often involves holding urine in for longer and longer periods to help stretch the bladder, increasing the amount of urine the bladder can hold.

Managing Stress

  • Manage stress in your life. Stress doesn’t cause IC, but it can make your symptoms worse. Meditation, massage, and yoga are some possible ways to alleviate stress. Exercise is an excellent way to help relieve stress. Routine walking and swimming are two good options.

 

Oral Medications

Your provider may advise you to take one or more of the medications below.

  • Antispasmodic medications may help relax the bladder muscles and decrease the need to urinate.
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antihistaminesmay help reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
  • Antidepressantsin low doses may help relieve IC symptoms, perhaps by blocking pain receptors.
  • Medications to restore the bladder lining such as pentosan polysulfate sodium (Elmiron).

Treatment Options 

Bladder Instillation

  • Bladder instillations may help relieve inflammation or repair the bladder’s protective lining. During this treatment, the bladder is filled with medications using a slender tube called a catheter. Instillation treatments are often repeated several times over a period of two to three months.

Bladder Hydrodistention

  • Hydrodistention is a process where your bladder is filled with fluid to stretch the walls of the bladder. Some patients have relief from symptoms for a time after bladder hydrodistention is done to diagnose IC. If this is true for you, your doctor may choose to repeat the hydrodistention procedure as a form of treatment.

 

Physical Therapy

  • Pelvic floor physical therapy can help alleviate the symptoms of IC. Your provider may give you a referral for physical therapy.

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

A urinary tract infection refers to an infection located in the urinary tract including the kidneys, bladder, or urethra. This can cause uncomfortable symptoms that if not treated may lead to worsening infection, and may require hospitalization.

Symptoms of UTI

  • Visible blood in the urine
  • Frequency and/or urgency of urination
  • Burning and/or pain with urination
  • Fever and/or chills

 

How UTIs Occur

  • Poor hygiene and/or female wiping from back to front after using the restroom
  • Bladder not completely emptying with urination
  • A blockage in the kidneys
  • An obstruction caused by an enlarged prostate (in men)
  • Sexual activity

 

Types of UTIs

There are different kinds of urinary tract infections (UTIs). Knowing which kind of infection you have may help you to prevent future UTIs.

Bacterial Cystitis

  • Cystitis is the medical term for a bladder infection. In men it is often linked to a blockage from an enlarged prostate. Women are more prone to cystitis due to their urethral anatomy allowing bacteria to enter the bladder more easily. Cystitis is often treated with antibiotics

 

Urethritis

  • This is an infection of the urethra. You may have a discharge from the urethra or burning when you urinate. You may also have pain in your urethra or penis. Urethritis is often treated with antibiotics.

 

Pyelonephritis

  • Pyelonephritis is the medical term for a kidney infection. It can be serious and damage your kidneys. In some severe cases you may be hospitalized. You may have pain in the back on one or both sides, nausea, vomiting, and/or fever/chills. Treatment includes antibiotics.

 

Asymptomatic Bacteriuria

  • Asymptomatic Bacteriuria is when someone has bacteria in their urine, but is not experiencing fever, chills, painful urination, blood in the urine, and/or having to urinate more often than is usual. Usually, asymptomatic bacteriuria does not need any kind of treatment. In fact, treating asymptomatic bacteriuria with antibiotics can cause resistant strains of bacteria to form and may be harmful.

 

Finding the Cause of UTIs

A urine sample will be collected at your first visit. Following your exam, your doctor will determine which additional tests will best identify the cause of your hematuria. Some common tests are listed below.

  • Lab tests
  • Imaging (i.e., CT scan, Ultrasound, X-ray)
  • Cystoscopy (see procedures)

Overactive Bladder (OAB) is the feeling that you need to empty your bladder even when it’s not full. You feel the need to urinate quickly, right now, and can’t control or ignore the feeling.

OAB affects millions of people. It is not a normal part of aging. Approximately 30% of older men, and 40% of older women struggle with OAB symptoms. Often people are embarrassed to talk about OAB symptoms, or don’t know that there are treatments available.

Symptoms of OAB

  • Urgency- the feeling that you need to rush to the bathroom. Often comes on very suddenly.
  • Frequency- the need to go to the bathroom very often, eight or more times in 24 hours. Night time frequency is also called nocturia.
  • Urge Incontinence- leaking of urine before you can get to the toilet, associated with a feeling of urgency

 

Lifestyle Changes

  • Getting to the toilet- If you have difficulty getting about, consider special adaptations like a handrail or a raised seat on your toilet. Sometimes a commode or a urinal at bedside may make life much easier.
  • Avoidance of bladder irritants- Many drinks and foods may be irritating to the bladder. Some of the most common are caffeine (coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate), alcohol, citrus fruits, acidic or spicy foods and drinks.
  • Drink normal quantities of fluids- Cutting back the amount of fluids you drink can make symptoms worse as the urine becomes more concentrated, which may irritate the bladder lining. 
  • Go to the toilet only when you need to- People sometimes get into the habit of going to the toilet more often than they need. This can make symptoms worse in the long-run.

 

Treatment Options

  • Bladder relaxant medications work by blocking certain nerve impulses to the bladder, calming the bladder muscle and increasing the bladder capacity. Medication improves symptoms in some cases, but not all.
  • Botox is a procedure where Botox is injected into the bladder wall to relax the bladder muscle and help reduce OAB symptoms.
  • Interstim is a device that is surgically implanted into the upper buttock to reduce the symptoms of OAB and urge incontinence.
  • PTNS is a series of treatments that use electrical stimulation applied to the ankle to help relieve OAB symptoms.
UroLift® BPH Treatment for Benign prostatic hyperplasia WI procedure by The Wisconsin Institute of Urology Urologists Team serves patients in Neenah, Oshkosh, Fond Du Lac, New London, Shawano, & Waupaca, in Northeast Wisconsin

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