Urology

We use imaging and less invasive surgery to remove small kidney masses, tumors and cancers.

Most patients can go home the same day.

This happens when you have a strong urge to urinate (pee) and can’t stop it. This is sometimes called overactive bladder.

• Working with a physical therapist  to retrain the bladder
• Medicines
• Vaginal cream (for some women who are past menopause)
• Use of a wearable device to help calm the bladder muscles
• Therapy using a needle to send a mild electric current to a nerve in the ankle
• Botox into the bladder to relax it

Currently, there is no surgery to help with urge incontinence.

Problems with the bladder can cause you to leak urine when you cough, sneeze or laugh. It’s common among women who’ve had children or are overweight.

There are no FDA-approved medicines for stress incontinence. But there are ways to care for it:

• Kegel exercises (on your own)
• Working with a physical therapist to strengthen the muscles in your pelvis
• Surgery (see below)

Surgery for stress incontinence

Surgeons often create a “sling” and place it under the urethra (the tube that urine passes through). The sling lifts and supports your urethra and the area where your bladder connects to your urethra. This helps stop leaks.

There are several types of slings. Our urologists are well trained and can find a solution that works well for you.

They form when minerals build up on the inner lining of the kidneys.

Some stones can pass without you feeling them.  Others can move down the ureter and block it. You may have pain in the lower back, lower stomach or groin. There may be blood in your urine.

You may also feel like you need to urinate (pee) often, or have a strong urge to urinate. Some people may feel sick and have fever and terrible pain.

Kidney stones can run in the family. They’re also more common in certain areas, like in the South. Kidney stones also can happen if you don’t drink enough fluids, and eat too much:

• Meat
• Salt 
• Food high in oxalate, like rhubarb, spinach, leafy tea, chocolate, strawberries and pecans

You can try to take care of the pain

Check with your doctor to see if it is safe for you to take over-the-counter medicines such as ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) or naproxen (Aleve®). They could affect the way your kidney works or delay certain surgeries.

You can try to help the stone pass

Medicines like Flomax® can help pass small stones that are close to the bladder. Some stones may pass if you drink more water. Some stones won’t.

If you try to pass a stone and get a fever, get medical help right away. You may have a medical emergency.

We can use ultrasound to break up smaller stones. This makes them easier to pass. Larger stones may need surgery to remove them.

It depends on a number of things:

• Where the stone is
  
• The size of the stone
• What the stone is made of
• Your medical history 
• Your anatomy
  

The Everett Clinic urologists are skilled in all modern methods of caring for kidney stones.