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Last Updated: Dec 24, 2019
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Tips For Maintaining Optimum Urological Health!
Dr. Harbinder SinghUrologist • 20 Years Exp.MBBS, MS - General Surgery, DNB - Urology/Genito - Urinary Surgery
The urinary system in both men and women are susceptible to infections and many other internal disorders. Although many of the disorders may be caused due to underlying diseases or hereditary causes, many others may be caused due to bad lifestyle habits as well as personal hygiene issues. Personal hygiene issues will not only lead to infections, but if left unchanged, may cause more serious problems such as tumors over time. However, with the help of some basic tips and following some daily routine, you can ensure good urological health over time. Some of these are mentioned below:
- Drink plenty of water daily: This is applicable to both men and women and it is important, especially in a country like India where hot and humid conditions prevail for most of the time. A common figure quoted most of the time is 2 to 3 liters of water daily although this is quite arbitrary and may change from person to person and climate to climate. What is important is that you should remain hydrated and calculate an ideal amount of water consumption. This is necessary to stop stone formation in the gallbladder, kidney, ureter and other areas of the genitourinary system.
- Cleaning tips for men: It is important to ensure proper hygiene for good penile health. Uncircumcised males should retract their foreskin while taking a bath and clean out the smegma or white accumulations from around the glans. This will reduce the chances of inflammations and urinary tract infections from occurring. Circumcised males should thoroughly wash the penis as well to keep it clean.
- Regular ejaculation: Men are advised to ejaculate regularly either through masturbation or through sexual stimulation as it is beneficial in many ways. Ejaculation helps clear the tracts, exercises the prostate and also keeps the pattern of proper blood flow to the penis active. It maintains urological health as well as your sexual health.
- Don’t hold your urine for too long: Although this is especially applicable for women, it can be bad for men too. Holding the urine within your body for too long may result in an infection and may also make your bladder muscles weaker resulting in urinary incontinence later in life. Women, especially should be careful as they have a shorter urethra leading from the bladder and thus are more prone to getting urinary tract infections in this manner.
- Avoid harsh soaps and use milder ones to regularly cleanse the groin area: The groin is one of the moistest areas, as it remains covered up most of the time. This makes it an ideal breeding ground for bacteria. It is important that you clean this area every day thoroughly with mild soap. Also, after urination, women should wipe front to back i.e. from the opening of the vagina towards the anus while wiping down after urinating or cleaning. This is to ensure that fecal bacteria don’t get into the vagina as it can cause a host of infections.
- Tips for sexual intercourse: It is important for both men and women to urinate, wash and clean after sexual intercourse as this can help clean the bacteria that may have come from one partner’s genitals into the other. Women should especially follow this advice as it can help keep many infections at bay.
- Changes in certain foods: Reduce caffeine intake through tea or coffee as it can irritate your bladder. It can also act as a diuretic which makes you urinate frequently. This will result in your bladder becoming weaker. Also, reduce salt intake as it can increase blood pressure and end up damaging the kidney to the point of permanent kidney damage or kidney failure.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult a specialist & get answers to your questions!