Posted: 21/09/2016
September is Urology Awareness Month and Penningtons Manches is supporting the fight to remove the stigma associated with so many urological conditions.
Research carried by the Urology Foundation reveals that over a third of people do not know what urology is and 60% of residents in the UK admitted that they would be too embarrassed to talk to someone about their bladder control problems.
With figures suggesting that one in two people in the UK will develop a urological condition in their lifetime it is important that people are encouraged to talk about their urology health and know the signs and symptoms of a urological disease or condition so they can seek medical attention at the earliest opportunity.
The clinical negligence team at Penningtons Manches knows all too well from the cases it deals with that the key to ensuring a positive outcome in terms of medical treatment is early diagnosis and prompt treatment.
Urology is the branch of medicine concerned with the function and disorders of the urinary system.
Urological diseases are those which affect the male or female urinary tract and the male reproductive organs, so this includes the kidney, bladder, prostate, testicles and the penis in men. Conditions can include urinary tract infections, stress incontinence, urge incontinence, cancer of the urology organs, kidney stones, kidney disease and erectile dysfunction.
The Nursing Times recently published an article on how women who experience incontinence issues after childbirth were suffering in silence with more than a third of women too embarrassed to discuss the issue with a health professional.
UK film director, Flora Berkeley, has produced a documentary called “Our Story, Life with Adult Incontinence” which is inspired by the stories of real women who talk about the condition. It is hoped that documentaries such as this will go some way towards raising awareness of the issue of incontinence.
Emma Beeson, a solicitor in the Penningtons Manches clinical negligence team who is currently dealing with a number of cases concerning negligent urogynaecological care which has left her clients with severe problems of incontinence, notes: “Urological conditions can have a significant impact on a person’s life. They can leave them feeling lonely and affect their working life, relationships and sexual life. Many sufferers worry about leaving their house for fear of not being able to get to a lavatory quickly.
“Unfortunately, urological conditions are sometimes still shrouded by taboo but it is hoped that, if we can change this, it could help thousands of men and women."
Penningtons Manches deals with claims relating to the mismanagement of labour and post-natal care and can provide clients with reassurance that incontinence is not something that they should shy away from talking about. They are not the only ones experiencing these problems. Treatment is available and most symptoms can be improved through pelvic floor exercises and specialist physiotherapy.
Urological problems affect both women and men too. They can prove very embarrassing to talk about but Penningtons Manches has a very friendly and approachable clinical negligence team with a great deal of experience in dealing with these types of issues. Should you, your friend or loved one have any concerns regarding the medical care they have received which has led to urological problems, please do not hesitate to contact us for free on 0800 328 9545.
For further information, have a look at our articles on urinary incontinence issues, including the new range of incontinence lingerie and the importance of informed choice for women who are considering undergoing surgery for stress incontinence.
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