Data indicates that nearly half of us will have a urological condition sometime during our lifetime. Diseases and conditions that affect the urinary system can have a negative impact on your overall health and quality of life. It’s easy to get caught up searching the internet for answers about urological health, but be careful to avoid the misinformation surrounding urology. At Athens Area Urology, we want to provide you with the best and most accurate information to help you take control of your urological health. To help you get started, we’ve put together a list of five myths about urology that have been disproven.

1. Prostate cancer only occurs in older males - Since many sufferers of prostate cancer are men over the age of 65, younger men tend to operate under the assumption that they don’t need to worry about the disease. It’s not uncommon for men under the age of 40 to be diagnosed with prostate cancer. Although the average age of diagnosis is 66, and it is a rare occurrence for men under 40, it’s still very important that you get an annual prostate exam. Prostate cancer often goes unnoticed due to a lack of symptoms, so don’t hesitate to make an appointment to check on your health.

2. Only women have urinary incontinence - Men suffer from incontinence just as women do; urinary incontinence is not exclusive to gender. Oftentimes, men feel uncomfortable discussing this subject matter with their physicians. However, this is a very common issue that urologists treat daily, so there’s no reason to withhold questions from your doctor. Incontinence can be a sign or symptom of more significant problems with your prostate, testes, and bladder, so it’s important that you let your doctor know of any urinary changes you’ve noticed so that they can get to the root of the problem.

3. Prostate cancer does not require swift action - This myth can be true in some cases, but it depends on the type of prostate cancer you have and how aggressive it is. Sometimes, prostate cancer can take up to 15 years to spread to other parts of the body, so it is true that it can develop slowly in some people. However, it's best to tackle the problem as early as possible, as treatment will only become more difficult the longer you allow the cancer to progress. Ask your doctor about beginning treatment as soon as you are diagnosed so that you can make a plan to get healthy as quickly as possible.

4. Drinking less water will help with incontinence - While it may seem like putting less water into your body is a good solution for incontinence, this is not true. You should not decrease your water intake because your body needs to be adequately hydrated to function. Staying hydrated is a great way to maintain your urological health, so don’t make the mistake of drinking less water to solve incontinence. Dehydration can cause your urinary system to become irritated due to your urine being more concentrated. Keep drinking a healthy amount of water throughout the day to flush out your urinary system and avoid harming your urological health.

5. Your incontinence is caused by having a “small bladder” - The size of your bladder rarely affects your ability to hold urine. Incontinence is more likely caused by weakened muscles, nerve damage, or an infection of the urinary system such as a UTI. If you’re having issues with incontinence, you should not assume the cause is the size of your bladder. Bring up the topic with your doctor to find the cause of your incontinence and create a treatment plan moving forward.

If you ever have any questions about urological health, don’t hesitate to bring them to your urologist’s attention. Athens Area Urology emphasizes the importance of awareness, which is why we are here to help you avoid the myths. If you have concerns, book an appointment on our website or contact our office, and make sure that you ask your doctor before taking any measures with your urological health.