- With Mayo Clinic urologist
Erik Castle, M.D.
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Erik Castle, M.D.
Erik Castle, M.D.
Dr. Erik Castle is a board-certified urologist who joined the Mayo Clinic staff in Arizona in 2007.
Dr. Castle is an associate professor of urology at College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, and a senior associate consultant in the Department of Urology, where he also is assistant residency coordinator.
He was an assistant professor in the Department of Urology at Tulane University in New Orleans from 2004 to 2006 after serving as a clinical instructor/fellow at Mayo Clinic in Arizona for one year.
Dr. Castle's research interests include prostate cancer, bladder cancer and kidney cancer. He is the director of the Desert Mountain Prostate Cancer Research Fund and is the principal investigator of Castle labs housed at the Samuel C. Johnson Medical Research building at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. His basic science research is focused on novel secondary hormonal therapies of prostate cancer as well as genomics of prostate and bladder cancer.
His surgical expertise includes laparoscopic urology, robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with nerve sparing, robot-assisted radical cystectomy with neobladder, robot-assisted retroperitoneal lymph node dissection, robot-assisted partial nephrectomy and other robotic urologic oncology procedures. He has performed many of these procedures as demonstrations internationally. He is a member of the American Association of Clinical Urologists, the American Urological Association, the Endourological Society, and the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. He is president of the international Society of Urologic Robotic Surgeons. He is also the director of the international laparoscopic nephrectomy courses throughout Mexico on behalf of the American Urologic Association.
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- Bladder infection in men: What are the symptoms?
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Question
Chronic bladder infection: Is there a cure?
I have had a chronic bladder infection for the past four years. My doctor just keeps giving me antibiotics, but the infection keeps coming back. What can I do?
Answer
from Erik Castle, M.D.
You're not alone. It's estimated that as many as 20 percent to 30 percent of women will have at least one episode of bladder infection (cystitis), and about 2 percent to 4 percent of these cases will become a chronic condition.
There can be several causes of chronic bladder infections, such as:
- Kidney or bladder stones
- Bacteria entering the urethra during sexual intercourse
- Altered estrogen levels during menopause
- Abnormal urinary tract shape or function
- Genetic predisposition
In general, women who have two or more bladder infections in a six-month period should be evaluated by a urologist to determine the underlying cause. The evaluation may include:
- Urine culture obtained with a catheter
- Cystoscopy — looking into the bladder with a lighted scope
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan
Treatment is directed at the underlying cause, when possible. If no source of infection is found, lifestyle modifications combined with vaginal estrogen replacement is all you may need. Lifestyle modifications that may reduce your risk of bladder infection include:
- Drink plenty of liquids, especially water.
- Urinate frequently.
- Wipe from front to back after a bowel movement.
- Take showers rather than tub baths.
- Gently wash the skin around your vagina and anus on a daily basis using a mild soap and plenty of water.
- Empty your bladder as soon as possible after intercourse.
- Avoid using deodorant sprays or scented feminine products in the genital area.
Otherwise, long-term, low-dose, preventive antibiotics is the only treatment option. In such cases, you may need to take antibiotics for as long as six months to two years. Researchers are trying to develop a vaccine for some women who seem to be very prone to bladder infections without any identifiable cause other than a genetic predisposition.
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