Our questions are answered by the candidate of medical sciences, urologist of the clinic of the medical center “ArsValeo” Helen Miller.
What is interesting in your profession and why did you become a urologist?
I love my profession. Many years ago, of course, when I was just choosing a profession, I understood little in urology. My family has nothing to do with medicine. I had no experience of my own treatment in the hospital as a child, but I understood that I liked the direction. There was a history of aggravating disease – my father had urolithiasis. Since childhood, I have seen litmus tests, selection of the dose of the drug. I was wondering why this is happening and what I can do to help.
I was interested in anatomy, biology, and then I came to practice and realized that urology is my life. Urology is a wonderful specialty. What is it good for? Firstly, it is a surgical specialty, you can apply your passion, but this is not only the restoration of anatomy. Most importantly, urology is a functional science. Solve the riddle, untangle the tangle, save the patient’s life and prolong it. It is a reward for work in itself. It’s not even a matter of being recognized, getting a degree, which you can then boast about, thinking how to list publications on resume. You truly understand that by solving this difficult task, you will lead the patient and his family to success. And maybe you will even save someone’s life.
Urology is a combination of surgery and functionality. There is a huge section of andrology that deals with male infertility, there is a huge section of urogynecology that helps women with recurrent cystitis problems. Every doctor can find what he likes in the huge “planet” of urology. This is a wonderful specialty, and I very often tell young doctors how awesome it is. If they have already made up their minds, then this is a 100% good choice.
Is a urologist a specialist for women?
A urologist is, of course, a female doctor. A urologist is a doctor who deals with diseases of the urinary system: kidneys, bladder, urethra. There is one more feature. Women have diseases such as urinary incontinence, recurrent cystitis, which are almost never found in men. These are problems that you will only deal with with a urologist.
Can a woman be a urologist?
As you can imagine, this is a frequent question that my patients ask me. A woman can be a competent doctor, she has the right to do so. A female urologist is a doctor of a special direction. Firstly, female urologists work with female urological problems and it is easier for patients to come and talk about their concerns. To a male urologist, they will be revealed less often in such details.
Secondly, if we are talking about men, there is a chance that a male urologist will not be able to treat his male patient so reverently while performing various manipulations. The female doctor does it very carefully, sedately.
Is it true that cystitis is a diagnosis for life?
This is a phrase we, urologists, often hear at conferences about recurrent cystitis. In fact, this is not the case. Cystitis is not a problem for life! A competent doctor will identify the factors of recurrence of the infection of the genitourinary system and, together with colleagues (gynecologists, gastroenterologists), will work to ensure that this recurrence does not occur again.
It is possible to reduce the likelihood of recurrence even in the most severe case – to reach one episode of cystitis in several years. Each period of a woman’s life has certain risks, and if they are properly managed, the problem of cystitis can be solved.
Is it true that cranberries and lingonberry leaves cure diseases of the genitourinary system?
For residents of Siberia and the Tomsk region in particular, this is a fairly frequent question that I hear at receptions. Cranberries are a storehouse of useful elements, vitamins, compounds, and magic components that block bacteria and prevent them from sticking to the bladder membrane. Also, cranberries have a diuretic effect. This is all good, of course, but in this case it is impossible to say that cranberry is a medicine!
Lingonberry leaf allows you to increase the volume of urine, has an anti-inflammatory effect, but this is just an addition to the main treatment. It can be prescribed as a preventive measure, but this is not the most important thing. If you are wondering how much you need to eat cranberries or drink fruit drink to completely get rid of problems with urination – I will answer that there is absolutely no such relationship. That is why, it is not a drug, and we can only use it as a supplement.