HJAR Nov/Dec 2019

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS I  NOV / DEC 2019 49 Timothy Goodson, MD Arkansas Urology again, they range from therapies such as Kegel exercises to medications to interven- tional therapies. Bloody Urine For men or women, blood in your urine is cause to make a doctor’s appointment. Yes, common causes are routine and not serious injuries (even ones suffered from overexertion, rather than impact), but brown or tea-colored urine may indicate infection or even cancer. Painful Urination “Sometimes it burns when I urinate. Is that normal?” No. In women, that burning is a chief indicator of infection. Inmen, it may be an infection, urethritis, or possibly a prostate condition. Burning is also an indication of kidney stones, sexually transmitted infec- tions, and cystitis. Lab tests usually narrow the field of culprits, and medications clear up the most common of these. Enlarged Prostate Perhaps no condition is as closely associ- ated with the practice of urology than an en- larged prostate and prostate cancer, despite being confined to just half of all people, and Dr. Tim Goodson joined Arkansas Urology in 2002, after practicing with Urology Associates of Texarkana in Texarkana, Texas. Dr. Goodson completed training in general surgery and urol- ogy at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sci- ences. He earned a medical degree from UAMS and received a bachelor’s degree from Ouachita Baptist University. Dr. Goodson has a special interest in the treat- ment of prostate cancer, and serves on the Medical Advisory Board of the Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation. He has been instrumental in bringing new prostate cancer treatments to the central Arkansas area. Dr. Goodson is president of the Arkansas Uro- logic Society, and is a member of the American Urological Association. He is certified by the American Board of Urology. one among many conditions we diagnose and treat as a practice. Symptoms of an en- larged prostate include weak or intermittent urinary stream, straining to urinate, frequent urination, and incomplete bladder evacua- tion. Benign prostate hyperplasia is a near- universal byproduct of aging, but not al- ways symptomatic, and likewise, not always benign. Symptoms of an enlarged prostate should not be waved away as predictable, but discussed with a urologist. Male Sexual Problems Erectile dysfunction, or ED, affects tens of millions of American men. It is simply the inability to maintain an erection suit- able for sex. Like uncontrolled urination, it is embarrassing and undercounted. Two of the leading factors in ED have wildly dispa- rate etiologies: cardiovascular disease and/ or diabetes, and symptoms of depression or anxiety. Broadly, treatments include medica- tions and other therapies to manage heart disease and diabetes, mental health care, limiting or quitting alcohol and drugs (in- cluding tobacco and nicotine), and exercise. A Lump or Bump or Knot Don’t let any new protuberance go unexamined by a doctor, if not a specialist. Urologists diagnose and treat hernias of the lower abdomen as a matter of course. One in 250Americanmen will be diagnosed with testicular cancer, the overwhelming majority in young and middle adulthood. There are also cysts, polyps, lesions, and warts that urologists are trained to identify and treat. Unlike family practices and hospitals, specialists often find proselytizing and pro- fessional promotion is important in raising health outcomes. That is certainly true in urology, and critical for healthy outcomes since most urological conditions are highly treatable, with minimal down time, when caught early. n We often hear the question, “Is this normal?” Patients who care enough about their well- being to stop in and ask are winning half the battle. We are delighted to probe both parts of the question—What is this, and what is normal?