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Urologic Health

Colorado’s leading board-certified urologists at TUCC are experts at treating urologic health conditions in men and women. From general urologic wellness exams to targeted treatments for kidney stones, urinary incontinence, prostate health, vaginal health, and more, TUCC’s knowledgeable specialists utilize the most advanced technology for the best care possible.

illustration of Urinary System.

What Is Urological Health?

Urology deals with health problems of the male and female urinary systems, as well as the male reproductive system. Related to the urogenital system in both men and women, urological health focuses on conditions and diseases including urinary tract infections, kidney stones, bladder control problems, and prostate problems, among others.

Some of these urologic conditions last only a short time; others are more chronic, with the chance of altering your entire life.

A healthy and functioning urologic system contributes to quality of life, enabling men and women to live pain-free, active lifestyles well into advanced age. At the same time, urological care is deeply personal and often stressful. TUCC employs a compassionate, comprehensive, and streamlined process for all patients, addressing all urological health needs.

How To Protect Your Urologic Health

In order to take charge of your urological health—including urinary well-being, as well as sexual vitality in men—TUCC physicians recommend regular urology visits after the age of 40 for preventative purposes. However, even in your everyday life, there are steps and precautions you can take to strengthen your urological system. 

  • Drink plenty of water. Everytime you urinate, that’s your body flushing waste from the system. The more water you drink, the more toxins are removed from your body. 
  • Avoid sugary soda. Research shows that high consumption of sugar-sweetened soda is often associated with a higher incidence of kidney stones.
  • Control salt intake. A diet high in salt leads to water retention in the body, which could lead to kidney damage and kidney stones. 
  • Cut back on alcohol and caffeine. Certain beverages, such as coffee and alcoholic drinks, are known to irritate the lining of the bladder. 
  • Practice good hygiene before and after sexual intercourse. Bacteria and other microorganisms can enter into the urinary tract during sex. This can cause an infection, such as highly common urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women. 
  • Refrain from holding in urine. When you feel the urge to urinate, do not delay. Holding in urine can irritate the bladder and lead to a compromised urological system.
  • Consume plenty of fiber. Regular bowel movements help to maintain urological health.

Urologic Diseases and Conditions

TUCC urologists diagnose and treat patients who experience a wide range of urologic diseases and conditions. Some of these health concerns affect both men and women, while others are exclusive to one gender. 

Below is a list of some of the urologic diseases and conditions that may require surgery, medication, treatment modalities, and radiation oncology—all of which are available at TUCC.

Men's Urologic Services

The men’s health concentration at TUCC focuses on methods and treatments that help you lead a long, productive, comfortable, active, and healthy life. We dedicate ourselves to a comprehensive approach to men’s urological health, specifically issues such as prostate cancer and sexual health. We also support the broader issues of mental health and lifestyle choices, which may affect men’s urological health. 

Our physicians possess expertise in a range of urologic conditions, treatment options, and surgical technique. Below are our areas of expertise specifically related to men’s urologic services:

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Prostate Health

  • Prostate Cancer
    • About 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Risks increase as men age, and African American men have higher risks, which is why annual screenings are recommended.
  • Enlarged Prostate/Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)
    • The prostate naturally grows in size as a man ages. This growth can restrict the tissue surrounding it and cause a number of issues, including a gradual loss of bladder function.
  • Prostatitis
    • A disorder of the prostate gland usually associated with inflammation, prostatitis causes painful or difficult urination, as well as pain in the groin, pelvic area or genitals.

Penis Health

  • Penile Cancer
    • This rare cancer mostly affects the skin of the penis and the foreskin.
  • Peyronie’s Disease
    • Penile curvature or curved penis, Peyronie’s disease is the hardening of tissue (fibrosis) in the penis. 

Kidney Health

  • Kidney and Ureteral Stones
    • Small, hard deposits often form in the kidney and/or urethra. These stones can often be painful, but treatment is available. 
  • Kidney Cancer
    • The main types of kidney cancer are renal cell cancer, transitional cell cancer, and Wilms tumor.

Testes and Scrotum Health

  • Testicular Cancer
    • Though rare, testicular cancer typically occurs in men ages 20 to 34.
  • Varicoceles
    • This is the enlargement of the veins within the scrotum. Surgery is the best option for conditions where symptoms occur.  

Bladder Health

  • Bladder Cancer 
    • Typically affecting older adults, bladder cancer is diagnosed in 57,000 men and 18,000 women each year. 
  • Hematuria
    • Hematuria is the presence of blood in the urine. Most cases of hematuria can be easily treated. 
  • Neurogenic Bladder
    • Denotes a loss of bladder control due to a number of underlying issues, including problems with the brain, spinal cord, or nerves.
  • Nocturia
    • Frequent nighttime urination, which could be a sign of a urological condition.
  • Urinary Incontinence
    • More than 33 million Americans suffer from involuntary loss of bladder control, or incontinence. This bladder affliction becomes more common with age
  • Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)
    • Though it happens to men, UTIs are generally less common for men than women because the male urethra is long, making it difficult for bacteria to spread to the bladder.
  • Voiding Dysfunction
    • A broad term to describe inconsistent coordination between the bladder muscle and the urethra in the urinary tract, this condition results in incomplete relaxation or overactivity of the pelvic floor muscles during urination.

Reproductive and Sexual Health

  • Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
    • Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the most common sexual problem men report, and evidence suggests that there’s a correlation between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and ED.
  • Low Testosterone
    • While a slow dip in testosterone is a normal part of aging, Low T can serve to inhibit a man’s sexual functions. 
  • Male Fertility
    • Some causes of male infertility can be identified, reversed, or improved with surgery or medication.
  • Post-Spinal Cord Injury
    • There are many complications to a spinal cord injury, one of which is urinary retention in men. 
  • Premature Ejaculation
    • This can occur due to emotional or physical events, but a separate medical issue can also interfere with a man’s ability to control ejaculation.

Women's Urologic Services

Certain urological conditions occur in both men and women, including incontinence, certain types of cancer, voiding dysfunction, kidney and ureteral stones, and urinary tract infections (though UTIs are far more common for women than men, with women being up to 30 times more likely to experience a UTI).

However, there are some urological health concerns that are completely unique to women. At TUCC, our physicians and advanced practice providers have vast expertise and experience caring for women. Below are specific conditions we treat in women:

Vaginal Health

  • Vaginal Vault Prolapse
    • Vaginal vault prolapse occurs when the top of the vagina weakens and collapses into the vaginal canal.
  • Vaginal Fistula
    • A vaginal fistula is an unusual opening that develops between the vagina and another organ, such as the bladder, colon, or rectum.

Why You Should Visit Your Urologist

As you age, it can often feel as though life is one doctor appointment after another. This is true for men and women. While regular visits to your primary care physician often serve as a catch-all for your overall health, urology is a specialized field that can identify and treat a variety of uniquely urological issues.

Along with screenings for certain types of cancer, kidney stones, and bladder conditions, regular visits to your urologist empower you to take charge of your urinary and sexual health. This can help you live a fulfilling, active lifestyle.

If you’re over 40 years of age, it’s well worth getting to know the urological health professionals at TUCC.

The Top 5 Reasons People Choose TUCC for Their Urological Health Needs

Compassion

At TUCC, you’ll never wonder what comes next in your health journey. Our staff provides compassionate care and quick answers every step of the way. And since you’re an integral part of your own care team, we respect your voice and choices. 

Convenience

With professional urology care locations in Denver, Lone Tree, and Colorado Springs, you are never far from urological health care. From diagnosis to lab work and surgery, our convenient locations ensure that our patients have access to advanced healthcare methods. This convenience factor gives patients quick answers at each step in the process, avoiding stressful delays. 

Expertise

Our patients receive care from urology specialists who are masters in the sub-specialty of women’s urologic conditions. For men, that means that top physicians in fields such as prostate cancer, sexual dysfunction, and male fertility. The same can be said of our available treatments for women, who have their own unique set of urological needs. Each of our three locations boast urologists who are specialists in female urology. 

Experience

TUCC performs more robotic surgeries for urologic conditions than any other medical group in the region, having performed more than 3,500 minimally invasive da Vinci® robotic surgical procedures since 2006.

Accreditation

Our on-site ambulatory surgery center, the Urology Surgery Center of Colorado (USCC), is fully accredited in urology by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. This signifies our commitment to the highest standards of quality and patient safety.

Urological Health FAQ

Yes! TUCC’s physicians have expertise in all areas of urological health. We have advanced treatment pathways for all conditions related to urology, including prostate issues, certain types of cancer, and urological conditions specific to women.

The most common urological tests include:

  • Physical exam
  • Digital rectal exam (DRE)
  • Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests
  • Creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) blood tests
  • Testosterone blood tests
  • Urinalysis
  • Urine cultures
  • Semen analysis (Seminogram)

Urologists diagnose and treat diseases of the urinary tract in both men and women.

Urological treatment encompasses diseases of the male and female urinary tract, including conditions related to the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. For men specifically, it treats reproductive and sexual issues related to the prostate, penis, testes, and scrotum.

The most common urologic problems include: 

  • Erectile dysfunction (ED)
  • Kidney stones
  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
  • Overactive bladder
  • Prostate problems
  • Pelvic floor dysfunction

Generally speaking, the best way to improve urological health is to make regular visits to a physician specializing in urology. Meanwhile, lifestyle changes such as drinking water, avoiding carbonated beverages, reducing salt intake, and refraining from holding in urine, can all also contribute to urological health.

There are different symptoms to look out for depending on the urological issue. Some of the most common symptoms include:

  • Blood in urine (Hematuria) 
  • Painful urination
  • Changes to urinary pattern
  • Constant need to urinate
  • Inability to urinate
  • Weak urinary stream
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Lower abdomen pain

We’re here to help.

For appointments at any TUCC location, request an appointment online.