Frequently Asked Questions
Who would want to read these books?
Anyone who thinks or have been told they have a urinary or bladder problem and wants to know more.
The books can serve as resources for doctors and health care providers to help explain these conditions to their patients in simple and understandable terms with excellent illustrations.
What conditions or diagnoses are addressed in these books?
- anatomy of the urinary tract
- blood in the urine
- urinary tract infections
- bladder cancer
- urinary tract stones
- kidney tumors
- urologic emergencies
Man’s Guide:
- circumcision
- vasectomy
- early detection of prostate cancer/PSA
- prostate cancer
- scrotal problems including testes cancer
- erectile dysfunction
- benign prostate enlargement (BPH)
Woman’s Guide:
- overactive bladder
- incontinence
- Interstitial cystitis
Have you translated the books into Spanish or other foreign languages?
Spanish is a possibility, based on demand.
What conditions or diagnoses are specifically addressed in the books?
Common to both books but different in the Man’s and Woman’s Guide: anatomy of the urinary tract; blood in the urine; urinary tract infections; bladder cancer; urinary tract stones; kidney tumors; urologic emergencies.
Man’s Guide: anatomy of the reproductive tract; circumcision; vasectomy; early detection of prostate cancer/PSA; prostate cancer; scrotal problems including testes cancer; erectile dysfunction; benign prostate enlargement (BPH).
Woman’s Guide: overactive bladder, incontinence, interstitial cystitis.
Why do I get up so often at night to pee? It’s really affecting my sleep.
This is a common problem called “nocturia” that affects both men and women. It can be as simple as not being able to empty the bladder completely, to drinking caffeinated beverages or alcohol too late at night, or just a small or shrunken bladder.
Sometimes it’s not that simple. The causes and cures are addressed in the Man’s Guide in the chapter called “Can’t pee? See me.” and in the Woman’s Guide “Overactive Bladder, Incontinence.”
Why do I keep getting these darn UTIs?
The simple answer is, if you’re a man, it’s because you probably have stagnant urine, or aren’t emptying your bladder. If you are a woman, it’s because your urethra is only an inch long, compared to a man’s urethra, which is about 8 inches long. Bacteria normally live around our genitalia and normally find their way into the female bladder, related to sex or hygiene, or both. If the bacteria “stick” to the bladder lining, a UTI can happen. Frequent UTIs occur because the substance that normally prevents bacteria from sticking isn’t there. This question is addressed in both books in the UTI chapters of both books.
Can you write me a prescription for Viagra, or should I get it off the internet?
I would advise not getting drugs like this off the internet. There can be dangers to this. It is best to get these prescriptions from your primary care clinician or a urologist. In the ED (erectile dysfunction/impotence) chapter, you will learn about very important do’s and don’ts with Viagra and similar medications.
My wife thinks I should have a vasectomy? What do you think?
Vasectomy is the safest and most effective form of male birth control. In the Vasectomy chapter I discuss what’s involved from planning the vasectomy, the procedure itself, and then what’s required to make sure your partner does not get pregnant.
My doctor told me that I am peeing tiny specks of blood actually too small to be seen with the eye. He called it microscopic hematuria Should I be worried?
If you are not having pain with urination or other urinary symptoms (frequent urination, getting up at night to pee, slow stream, etc.) microscopic blood in the urine may be nothing to worry about. Please check the chapter out on peeing blood for a full explanation of this common and often times harmless condition. If you can see blood in the urine, you need to see a urologist as soon as possible.
My 90 year old mom had an ultrasound because she was having belly pain. They found some kind of growth on the kidney. Should she see a urologist? Is it cancer?
She most likely would want to see a urologist. The growth might be anything from a benign cyst to a cancerous tumor. Decisions about how these growths are diagnosed are discussed in both books, as well as how to arrive at a decision about what to do about a growth on the kidney.
My primary care clinician says that I don’t need a PSA. What do you think?
This is a controversial issue. I encourage you to discuss it with your doctor regarding the pros and cons of PSA testing. However, I personally feel strongly that every male over the age of 40 should have a PSA. I explain why in the chapter called “Should I get a PSA?”
My dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer and was told that he may need his bladder removed? What’s involved? Are there alternatives?
There have been significant advances and changes in the way bladder cancer is both diagnosed and treated over the past several years. Treatment choices depend on what the cancer looks like under the microscope, whether the cancer involves the muscle wall layer of the bladder, how big it is, whether there is one or more than one, and whether other organs are involved.
Do you have a chapter on Pediatric Urology?
In A Man’s Guide there is a chapter on circumcision, and in the chapter on scrotal problems, testicular torsion, hydroceles, etc. are discussed. In both books, pediatric problems are discussed in the chapters on UTIs. Most urologists can handle common pediatric problems. However, some problems are best addressed by a fellowship trained pediatric urologist.
Have you translated the books into Spanish or other foreign languages?
DISCLAIMER
These books contain evidence based facts, as well as ideas and opinions of its author. They are intended to provide information to enable readers to have an informed discussion with their health care provider(s) in the spirit of "shared decision making". The reader should rely on recommendations from their personal professional health care provider(s), and use these books to understand those recommendations better. The publisher and author therefor disclaim all responsibility for any loss, risk, or liability, which may be incurred either directly or indirectly as a consequence of any of the contents within these books.
© 2023 | Stephen Lieberman, M.D., Urologist, Author | PRIVACY POLICY | Disclaimer