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Bladder Care

Bladder Health and Awareness

Bladder Care

Your bladder is an important organ which helps support overall body function. Hence, bladder health plays an important role in bolstering overall wellness. According to the American Cancer Society, there are an estimated 74,000 new cases of bladder cancer diagnosed each year and 16,000 subsequent deaths. This makes it important to report any bladder irregularities to your healthcare provider to ensure your health does not become compromised, and to assist in the prevention of possible emerging health issues. At Urology Care Center, we take bladder care very seriously and offer a number of treatment options for optimizing your bladder’s health and function. Some bladder diagnostic and treatment options we offer include:

  • Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) Therapy: Immunotherapy is used to enable your body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells. BCG is a form of intravesical immunotherapy for treating early-stage bladder cancer that introduces a germ called Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) into the bladder in order to attack the bladder cancer cells.
  • Cystoscopy: This endoscopic procedure allows us to visualize your urethra and bladder through a cystoscope, which is an instrument similar to a small telescope. Cystoscopy testing is generally used to detect bladder problems, including structural problems affecting the urinary tract which can lead to blockage of urine flow or a backflow of urine, and which could lead to potentially serious complications if left untreated. Cystoscopy procedures can either be investigatory (for uncovering the causes and symptoms such as blood in the urine, frequent urinary tract infections, incontinence, overactive bladder and painful urination) or diagnostic (for diagnosing bladder cancer, bladder stones and bladder inflammation).
  • Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumors (TURBT): If bladder tumors are suspected, an endoscopic procedure called TURBT can visualize your bladder in order to diagnose, stage and treat any tumors found therein.
  • Dilation of the Urethra: Oftentimes many bladder problems such as persistent urination are related to the urethral structure. A cystoscopy can confirm if your urethra is too narrow and a subsequent procedure, urethral dilation, involves the insertion of a thin instrument through the urethra and into the bladder, after which the urethral opening is widened.

Bladder care is important for preventing the spread of disease. If you are interested in finding more about bladder care, as well as what you can do, visit our office or make an appointment!