BPH

[wfan66]

i have servere burning and pain in my entire urinary area. the pain and burning is in my penis, pelvis, bladder, testicles, and prostate.
its been going on for 4 to 5 years. i have been to a number of doctors and they some times find and infection and give me a drug for it, whether i take the drug or not doesnt seem to help because the pain and the burning remains.
i have been on alot of different drugs and so far nothing has worked. the doctor i am seeing now may do that test where they stick a camera down your penis shaft to take a look or he may do a ivp. what are the benefits and side effects of these tests both short and long term?
besides these tests what other tests can i suggest to the doctor or doctors they should maybe do? also in terms of diet, supplements and what other things shiould i be doing and not be doing for it?
any suggestions or questions you have just ask and i will do my best to answer them for you. also tell me the dose and the best brands i can take for this.
i have been told it could be a chronic recurring infection or severe inflammation. another person said maybe its prostititas. however these are only guesses on there part.
thanks alot
steve r

[Planetoid]

Sorry I can't speculate on the cause of your symptoms, but I can tell you a bit about the tests you mentioned.

The IVP is basically an x-ray of your kidneys and ureters, using an injected contrast agent to improve the image. Since my issues are prostate related, I have never had this procedure.

The cystoscopy is the camera (cystoscope) you referred to, inserted into the penis, which will provide the urologist with direct visual evaluation of your urethra, prostate, both sphincters, the bladder wall, and the openings to the ureters. I do not know if the scope can enter the ureters or not. The video images can show scarring, strictures, lesions, etc., and every urologist I've had has allowed me to view the images as they described the procedure and what we were seeing on the video screen. I've had seven cystoscopies, all performed under simple topical anesthetic applied into the tip of the penis.

Other than your persistent pain, you don't mention any other urinary symptoms, so such tests as urodynamics are probably not necessary. Other urological tests include Flow Rate (FR), where you pee into a basin with a digital meter which plots the rate of your urine flow over time, which will often disclose stricture issues, bladder spasms, and such; or a Post Void Residual (PVR), which is simply having you pee (void) and then using an ultrasound device to image your bladder and determine if you are retaining urine and how much. This can also be used to determine your full and empty bladder capacities. The FR and PVR are common tests for prostate/BPH patients.

You may wish to ask about possible neurological causes for your pain, which might require different types of tests, possibly performed by a neurologist. I've seen others discuss the pain they have experienced with such conditions, which mirror some of your comments.

Hope you find a cause and solution soon.