Urology

At LivingCare we have several specialist Urology consultants and nurses who can help diagnose your urology condition and find the best treatment to suit your needs.

​You may benefit from seeing a Urologist if you suffer from any of the following conditions:

• ​Recurrent urinary tract infections
• Haematuria
• Bladder dysfunctions
• Renal pain
• Incontinence
• Scrotal pain and lumps
• Penile conditions
• Prostatitis
• Lower urinary tract symptoms

Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common. They can be painful and uncomfortable, but they usually pass within a few days or can be easily treated with a course of antibiotics.

UTIs are more common in women than in men. It's estimated half of all women in the UK will have a UTI at least once in their life, and 1 in 2,000 healthy men will develop one each year.

Children can also get UTIs, although this is less common.

If you develop a UTI, you're likely to feel:

• pain or a burning sensation when urinating (doctors refer to this as dysuria)
• a need to urinate often
• pain in the lower abdomen (tummy)

Urinary tract infections usually get better on their own within four or five days. Antibiotics can usually help speed up recovery time and are usually recommended for women who keep getting UTIs.

In some cases, long-term use of antibiotics help prevent the infection returning.

LivingCare can offer a number of different procedures for patients who have constantly recurring UTI’s to investigate the cause. These include a Cystoscopy and an Ultrasound examination if required .

Haematuria

The medical name for blood in the urine is haematuria. If blood in the urine is obvious with the naked eye, it is called "macroscopic", or "visible haematuria". If the blood can only be detected with laboratory testing, it is called "microscopic", or "non-visible".

The blood will have come from somewhere within the urinary tract – the kidneys, bladder or the tubes that urine passes through. It is often the result of a urinary tract infection (UTI), such as cystitis.

Common causes for blood in urine:

• a bladder infection (such as cystitis) – which typically also causes a burning pain when you urinate
• a kidney infection – which may also cause a high temperature and pain in the side of your tummy
• kidney stones – which may be painless, but can sometimes block one of the tubes coming from your kidneys and cause severe tummy pain
• urethritis – inflammation of the tube that carries urine out of the body (urethra); it's often caused by a sexually transmitted infection (STI) such as chlamydia
• an enlarged prostate gland – this is a common condition in older men and nothing to do with prostate cancer; an enlarged prostate gland will press on the bladder and
• may also cause problems such as difficulty urinating and a frequent need to urinate
• bladder cancer – this usually affects adults aged over 50 and can also cause you to urinate more often and more urgently, as well as pain when urinating
• kidney cancer – this also usually affects adults aged over 50, and can cause persistent pain below your ribs and a lump in your tummy
• prostate cancer – this is usually only seen in men aged over 50 and usually progresses very slowly; other symptoms can include needing to urinate more frequently
• and urgently, and difficulty emptying your bladder

LivingCare can provide an Ultrasound examination and Cystoscopy procedure for people presenting with Haematuria to investigate further.

Your appointment at LivingCare

During the appointment you will be asked questions about your symptoms and the Urologist will discuss and advise you about what can be done to support you. This may include further examinations and treatments.

If you require another test or procedure as part of your treatment, this will be organised by the nursing and administration team for you. Instructions and details of the test and when to expect an appointment will be discussed with you at the time. You will also have the chance to ask questions.

The appointment will last approximately 15 minutes. You may be asked to undress so that the doctor can examine you appropriately. You will be allowed to do this in private behind a screen to respect your privacy and dignity. You will also be asked if you would like a chaperone to be with you throughout your examination. After the examination you will be allowed time to dress in private before further discussion is held about your further treatment or any questions you may have.

If the urologist advises you that further tests are necessary e.g. Ultrasound scan, MRI or X-ray, the results of these will be discussed with you at a follow up outpatient appointment. If you require tests such as flexible Cystoscopy, (a look inside the bladder) or bladder function tests, the results of these will be discussed with you at the time of the test.

Our Prices

Urology & Vasectomy Services

(Assessment and treatment for bladder issues)

• Consultation: £200
• Vasectomy: £1,600
• Cystoscopy: £1,300
• Bladder scan and flow rate: £120