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Canary in a coal mine

ALARMING GLOBAL FALL IN SPERM NUMBERS

IN THE 1900s, British coal miners were exposed to carbon monoxide and other lethal toxic gases. John Scott Haldane and his research on carbon monoxide would in that age provide a solution of using canaries, as early indicators of trouble prompting the miners to evacuate.

Trouble with ‘round two’

At some point in their lives, almost all men deal with the problem of not being able to achieve an erection quick enough after experiencing the first ejaculation.

High dairy intake linked to increased prostate cancer risk

There is a saying that milk does the body good, and another that states moderation in all things is the best policy. Prostate cancer has the highest incidence of any cancer in the Bahamas.

The worst pandemic facing the Bahamas is obesity

According to the World Obesity Federation, the Bahamas had an adult obesity rate of 27.9 percent in 2021. The Bahamas was ranked the sixth most obese country in the world according to 2014 statistics by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Hope for women who suffer from recurrent UTIs

A belated Mother's Day gift for women in the Bahamas: a ray of hope for women who suffer from recurrent urinary tract infections. Many women are plagued with the pain and tremendous frustration of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

Hope for women who suffer from recurrent UTIs

A belated Mother's Day gift for women in the Bahamas: a ray of hope for women who suffer from recurrent urinary tract infections. Many women are plagued with the pain and tremendous frustration of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs).

High blood pressure linked to sexual dysfunction in women and men

It is well-known that uncontrolled elevated blood pressure can lead to erectile dysfunction in men. It is relatively common for the first symptom of new onset or known poorly controlled hypertension to be poor quality erections.

Obesity can be linked to low testosterone in some men

THE male hormone testosterone plays an important role in regulating sex drive, fat distribution, muscle mass, endurance, bone density, red blood cell production and sperm production, in addition to many other bodily functions.

November was Movember: Men’s Heath Awareness Month

Movember is an annual worldwide event in the month of November that is geared towards the health awareness of men. Men throughout the world are encouraged to not shave during November and grow a moustache as a sign of solidarity and unity in the effort to emphasis the importance of men’s health awareness.

What does a high PSA blood value mean?

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to lead to unacceptable morbidity and mortality rates in the Bahamas. Approximately 100 men die every year in the Bahamas from prostate cancer. Many of these deaths were preventable. Prostate cancer has an excellent cure rate if diagnosed when the cancer is organ confined.

Low testosterone levels in men linked to more severe COVID-19 cases

A fourth COVID-19 surge in reported cases, hospitalisations and deaths has our small nation’s healthcare system on the brink of disaster. The more contagious Delta variant and vaccination hesitancy among young adults, in particular, has led to an increase in younger COVID-19 patients being admitted to hospital with severe cases of the virus, when compared to the three previous pandemic surges.

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy needs to be addressed

The COVID-19 outbreak has become a pandemic for a reason, as we humans simply do not possess the natural immunity for the novel coronavirus. Vaccinations are safe and highly effective at reducing severe illness and hospitalizations from the COVID-19 virus.

Below the belt – Male urological cancers

Penile cancer is relatively rare in developed countries, but in some it can represent as high as 20 percent of all male cancers. In the United States, according to the American Cancer Society, penile cancer affects one in 100,000 men. Prostate cancer has an incidence of one in seven American men in their lifetime.

New immunotherapy may benefit Black men with prostate cancer

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that lies underneath the bladder in men and it plays an important role in providing nutrients for sperm and optimising the environment for sperm trying to reach and fertilize the female's ovum. The only role that the prostate gland has is in male fertility.

Problem with premature ejaculation?

There’s an app for that

Premature ejaculation is the most common male sexual dysfunction, with 30 to 40 percent of adult men suffering from this frustrating and often depressing sexual disorder.

COVID-19 can cause erectile dysfunction

COVID-19 can unfortunately lead to erectile dysfunction, both during the time of having the virus and possibly even after recovery from it.

Varicoceles: A bag of worms

Varicoceles are distended, enlarged testicular veins that may feel like a bag of worms in a man's scrotum. Varicoceles can occur on one side within the scrotum or on both sides. They usually appear during or soon after puberty but they can occur at any time.

What to do if your PSA level is high

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a type of protein released by the prostate gland. Screening for possible prostate cancer involves taking a PSA blood test, which is recommended annually starting at the age of 40 years old.

Cryotherapy: A curative treatment option for prostate cancer

CRYOTHERAPY is also referred to as cryoablation or cryosurgery. It uses freezing gas to destroy prostate cancer cells, while leaving the prostate gland intact. The term cryotherapy is misleading as it is not a form of surgery. Cryotherapy was US Food and Drug Administration approved for prostate cancer treatment in the year 2000. It has been used in the past 20 years as an effective, minimally invasive management option for prostate cancer.

Merry Christmas to men! Studies show frequent ejaculations have proven health benefits

Here is an early Christmas gift of scientifically based facts for Bahamian men:

Motivation for Bahamians to lose weight

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines overweight and obesity as excessive or abnormal fat accumulation that leads to increased health risks. Overweight is defined as a body mass index BMI greater than 25 and obesity is defined as a BMI greater than 30.

Bahamian men need to be more aware of their health

I became a urologist with the aim of improving the quality of lives of Bahamian men, women and children. Bahamian men are unfortunately notoriously poor at addressing their own health needs. Prostate cancer will strike one in six Bahamian men in their lifetime. The Bahamas has the 14th highest per capita prostate cancer incidence in the world.

Viagra for Women

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 21, 2019, approved the new "female Viagra", a sexual libido enhancing medication called Vyleesi. Vyleesi is not a pill; it is a self or partner-administered injectable that should be given 45 minutes before sexual intercourse. It has been recommended that Vyleesi should not be administered more than once in a 24-hour period and it should not be used more than eight times in a given month.

Prostate cancer and breast cancer: It's in the genes

This article is the fifth prostate cancer related article for the all important September Prostate Cancer Awareness month.

Prostate cancer is a killer - here's what you can do about it

This article represents the fourth article in a five part series dedicated to educating the public in this prostate cancer awareness month.

Revolutionary device to treat urinary incontinence

Tens of thousands of Bahamian women and men have their bladder dictate their lives and reduce the quality of their every day lives.

Dealing with pain “down below”

There are many potential causes of testicular and scrotal pain and swelling.

With one in six Bahamian men affected, here is how to lower your risk of prostate cancer

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has registered that 200 Bahamian men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2019, and that number is likely underestimated, as several Bahamians seek prostate cancer screening and treatment abroad and are therefore often not captured in local statistics.

Debunking the myths surrounding vasectomies

Every year in the United States at the time of March Madness, the NCAA basketball tournament, there is usually a tremendous increase in the number of elective vasectomies performed. Vasectomies are historically heavily promoted before and during March Madness.

The dangers of unregulated sex enhancement pills

Viagra obtained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in March 1998 and the world of erectile dysfunction has never been the same. The sexual enhancement pills industry is huge and continues to grow, with Viagra making over two billion dollars last year. Other PDE5 inhibitor medications such as Cialis and Levitra are widely prescribed throughout the world.

Low testosterone

Andropause, or male menopause, is a real health condition that thousands of Bahamian men, like their counterparts worldwide, often suffer unknowingly.

Gene mutations can predispose Bahamian men to prostate cancer

What does prostate cancer have in common with breast cancer?

Men with shorter steps 40 percent more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction

Japanese researchers have concluded that men who take shorter strides when walking are 40 percent more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than men who walk with long strides. The study conducted at Hirosaki University in Japan determined that both erectile dysfunction and short strides when walking correlated strongly with men having weak pelvic muscles.

New treatment could make passing kidney stones easier and faster

Kidney stones are formed when hard crystals supersaturate and accumulate in the kidneys. Kidney stones can vary greatly in size, ranging from a small grain of sand to the size of a marble or larger. There are five main types of kidney stones: calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate stones, infective stones called struvite, uric acid stones and cystine stones.

A HPV guide for men in the Bahamas

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most widespread sexually transmitted infection (STI). Most men do not know that HPV can potentially be a cancer causing infection. Nearly 35 thousand men and women are diagnosed every year in the United States with HPV related cancers.

Cryotherapy: A curative treatment option for prostate cancer

Cryotherapy is also referred to as cryoablation or cryosurgery, that uses freezing gas to destroy prostate cancer cells, while leaving the prostate gland intact. The term cryotherapy is misleading as it is not a form of surgery. Cryotherapy was US Food and Drug Administration approved for prostate cancer treatment in the year 2000. It has been used in the past 20 years as an effective, minimally invasive management option for prostate cancer.

Active surveillance: a safe and effective method to manage prostate cancer

Prostate cancer will affect one in six men in their lifetime.

The frustration and pain of recurrent urinary tract infections

Far too many Bahamians live their lives in misery and utter frustration as they deal with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs). Bahamian women in particular are prone to suffer from urinary tract infections due to the female anatomy and menopause.

Four silent killers of Bahamian men

Bahamian men notoriously take poor control of their health. Many Bahamian men rarely have annual health physicals and often make negative lifestyle choices. Silent health killers sadly continue to lead to the early and usually preventative deaths of hundreds of Bahamian men every year.

New solutions for women who have urinary leaks during intimacy

It is the embarrassing secret sadly suffered in silence by thousands of Bahamian women: an uncontrollable loss of bladder control with urinary incontinence during sex.

New advances in prostate treatments

The good news: prostate cancer, if detected early, can be successfully treated, with a 98 percent prostate cancer specific survival ten years after treatment.

Common male issues

Bahamian men are sadly well known for generally showing very little concern for their health and physical well being. They have most of the risk factors for aggressive prostate cancer such as African ancestry, obesity and high alcohol intake.

Got Kidney Pain? Are you stoned?

Kidney stones are relatively common, occurring in approximately 12% of men and 6 % of women per year. Why more men than women is mostly due to a man’s diet. Kidney stones are quite common across all age groups.

The ordeal of bedwetting

Bedwetting is a traumatic ordeal, too often endured in embarrassing silence by families. Nocturnal enuresis or bedwetting was regarded in one study as the third most traumatic event that a family can face.

A Christmas gift: More sex keeps you healthy

An early Christmas gift of scientifically based facts for Bahamian men.

New bionic penile implant surgery aims to help increase medical tourism in the Bahamas

This Saturday, December 7, not only marks the the first bionic penile implant surgery to be undertaken at Doctors Hospital, but also the commencement of a partnership between the Boston Scientific Company and Urology Care Bahamas. This partnership aims to offer world-class medical tourism at Doctors Hospital for bionic penile implants.

‘Knowing your numbers’ is important for bladder health

November is National Diabetes Month in America. Many urological issues for both men and women are related to undiagnosed or poorly controlled diabetes, including urinary tract infections, kidney stones, urinary incontinence, overactive bladder, kidney failure and sexual dysfunction.

The link between prostate and breast cancer

What does prostate cancer have in common with breast cancer?The answer is the BRCA 1 and 2 gene mutations. The BRCA 1 and 2 genes were first discovered in 1994.BRCA stands for Breast Cancer associated gene. Women with the inherited BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 g

Sleep deprivation and low testosterone

A lack of sleep and low testosterone levels are strongly linked. Sleep deprivation can lead to lower testosterone and low testosterone can lead to poor sleep. This vicious cycle has many men feeling fatigued throughout the day, with difficulty in concentrating and falling asleep very easily, even at dangerous times such as when driving.

‘Movember’ – An opportunity to change the culture of silence

“Movember” is here again. Every year around the world, the month of November is taken as opportunity to focus on the health awareness of men. Men around the globe are encouraged to not shave during November and grow a moustache as a sign of solidarity and unity in the effort to emphasise the importance of men’s health awareness.

Got kidney pain? Are you stoned?

Kidney stones are relatively common, occurring in approximately 12 per cent of men and six percent of women per year. Why more men than women is mostly due to a man’s diet. Kidney stones are quite common across all age groups.

Men with shorter strides are 40 percent more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction

Japanese researchers have concluded that men who take shorter strides when walking are 40 percent more likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than men who walk with long strides. The study conducted at the Hirosaki University determined that both erectile dysfunction and short strides when walking correlated strongly with men having weak pelvic muscles.

Does pornography lead to erectile dysfunction?

Every man will face some form of erectile dysfunction is his lifetime, whether it takes the form of poor quality erections, difficulty maintaining an erection, or premature ejaculation.

Don’t let urinary leaks control your life!

Many women can unfortunately laugh, sneeze, cough and pee all at the same time. It is called stress urinary incontinence and it is a heartbreaking disorder that has tens of thousands of our Bahamian women afraid to laugh or reluctant to exercise, or even mindful when bending to lift a child because they are going to leak urine.

More awareness needed to battle prostate cancer in the Bahamas

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. The Bahamas as a nation is trying to deal with a natural disaster of epic proportions.Sadly, prostate cancer continues to be a national health disaster, with hundreds of Bahamian men being diagnosed ever

All you need to know about the male menopause

Andropause, male menopause, is a real health condition that thousands of Bahamian men, like their counterparts worldwide, often suffer unknowingly.

Don’t ignore testicular pain!

There are many potential causes of scrotal and testicular pain.

Why Bahamian men are at high risk of prostate cancer

Obesity, alcohol and African ancestry play a role

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Bahamian men. Present statistics show that one in six men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Prostrate cancer treatments

Bahamian men are predominately of African ancestry and have a disproportionately high rate of obesity – both of which are risk factors for developing a more aggressive form of prostate cancer and a greater risk of suffering from prostate cancer at an

Vasectomy: A great family planning choice

Vasectomies are the subject of many unfounded myths and plagued by numerous negative connotations. Many Bahamian men, like men everywhere, have a fear of the unknown regarding vasectomies.All children are a blessing, but once you have completed your

The bionic manhood

Every Bahamian man will face issues with erectile dysfunction at least once in his lifetime. It is an embarrassing affliction that many men suffer with needlessly and in silence.

'Viagra' for women

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 21 approved the new “female Viagra”, a sexual libido enhancing medication called Vyleesi. Vyleesi is not a pill; it is a self or partner administered injectable that should be given 45 minutes before sexual intercourse. It has been recommended that Vyleesi should not be administered more than once in a 24-hour period and it should not be used more than eight times in a given month.

New innovative treatment for overactive bladder

Overactive bladder and urinary incontinence/leak affects thousands of Bahamian men, women and children.

How to perform better tonight

Getting a good quality erection and maintaining an erection can be an overwhelmingly stressful task for many men of various ages.Erectile dysfunction will affect every man to some degree at some point in their lives. But erection problems should neve

Penile cancer: What you need to know

Penile cancer is relatively rare in developed countries, but in some penile cancer could represent as high as 20 percent of all male cancers. In the United States, according to the American Cancer Society, penile cancer affects one in 100,000 men. Pr

Never ignore urinary symptoms

Many men, women and children have their lives controlled by their bladder issues and it often drastically reduces the quality of their lives.Afraid to drink a glass of water when away from home because of the potentially embarrassing problem of needi

Dangerous male enhancement pills

Viagra obtained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in March of 1998 and the world of erectile dysfunction has never been the same. The sexual enhancement pills industry is huge and continues to grow, with Viagra making over $2 billion las

Causes of painful urination

Many men and women are unfortunately plagued by recurrent episodes of painful urination, called dysuria.

Impotence in young men: Is porn the cause?

Every man will face some form of erectile dysfunction is his lifetime, whether it takes the form of poor quality erections, difficulty maintaining an erection, or premature ejaculation. To attain and sustain an erection, a man requires an adequate penile blood supply and nerve supply and sufficient male hormone testosterone, amongst other physiological components but the psychological and emotion contribution can have a potentially profoundly negative affect on erectile function.

A spotlight on testicular cancer

April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month. The importance of self-awareness and education regarding testicular cancer is going to be stressed during this month, particularly for men under 40 years of age.

Ten reasons why men should see an urologist

Bahamian men are sadly well-known for generally showing very little concern for their health and physical well-being.

Difficulty standing up for the second round

Last week’s urology column dealt with the often embarrassing topic of premature ejaculation that affects as many as one in three men.

Bahamian men have higher risk of developing prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Bahamian men. Present statistics show that one in six men will develop prostate cancer in their lifetime.

FDA approved non-invasive treatment for urine leak

Tens of thousands of Bahamian women and men have their bladder dictate their lives and reduce the quality of their everyday lives.

Stop peeing all night, every night

Repeatedly waking up at night to urinate can be a frustrating problem endured by tens of thousands of Bahamian women, men and children.

Blood in the urine should never be ignored

Are you seeing red in your toilet bowl?

Testicular troubles

There are many potential causes of testicular and scrotal pain and swelling.

Bedwetting: Both kids and parents suffer

Bedwetting is a traumatic ordeal, too often endured in embarrassing silence by families. Nocturnal enuresis, or bedwetting, was regarded in one study as the third most traumatic event that a family can face.

The importance of testosterone

Testosterone is the male sex hormone that is an important component of what makes men essentially men.

You can always rise again

A less firm, unsatisfactory erection...it is a common complaint of adult men of various ages but more commonly a dreadful state of affairs for middle-aged men and older.

Innovative treatments for overactive bladder

Overactive bladder and urinary incontinence/leak affects thousands of Bahamian men, women and children.

Active surveillance for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer will affect one in six men in their lifetime. Early detected low-volume, low-grade, early-stage prostate cancer has an excellent cure rate of 97 to 98 percent.

Advanced treatment for prostrate enlargement now available in the Bahamas

The UroLift System, the FDA-approved, minimally invasive outpatient procedure to treat non-cancerous benign prostate hyperplasia, also called prostate enlargement, is readily available locally at Urology Care Bahamas.

Penile prosthesis: An effective solution for erectile dysfunction

Every Bahamian man will face issues with erectile dysfunction at least once in his lifetime. It is an embarrassing affliction that many men suffer with needlessly in silence.

The Other Prostate Problem - Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

Prostate Cancer affects one in six men in their lifetime.Almost half of men 50 years or older are afflicted with Benign Prostate Hyperplasia BPH, a non-cancerous enlargement of a man’s prostate. Almost all men by the age of 70 years old suffer from B

A solution for urinary incontinence in women

Do you cough, laugh or sneeze and pee all at the same time?

Failure to stand erect? You are far from alone

Dr Greggory Pinto of Urology Care Bahamas talks erectile dysfunction and what can be done about it

Question: Greetings, Dr Pinto. I am a 54-year-old married man with diabetes and I have had worsening erection problems for nearly two years. I am embarrassed by the problem, which has affected my self-esteem.

Relax, men – no more dreaded finger prostate exam

Question: Dear Dr Pinto, I am 47 years old and have never had a prostate check because of the dread of violation by the gloved finger prostate exam. My older brothers, cousins and most of my uncles also never go for prostate work up for the same reason. What other way can we all get a prostate checkup?