Youth at risk, the pandemic undermines the health of children. Fabrizio Iacono: "No sports and too much alcohol, we are witnessing a significant increase in urinary infections".
“Sedentary, disoriented by the pandemic and too casual with alcohol”, is the profile of many very young people who, grappling with the pandemic, are putting their health at risk. Professor Fabrizio Iacono, surgeon and associate professor of Urology at Federico II in Naples, warns millennials. “The restrictions related to the Covid emergency – he says – have greatly worsened the lifestyles of our kids, many of whom now spend most of their time sitting staring at PCs or tablets”. The consequences of these habits are almost completely non-existent physical activity and almost no hydration. While, in the rare moments of aggregation, the desire to transgress becomes such as to induce very young people to reckless behavior, with an immoderate use of alcohol.
“All these behaviors,” explains the specialist, “are favoring the onset of urinary tract pathologies. There is one symptom in particular that I feel every day in the clinic: burning during urination.” Iacono explains that in younger men this can be a sign of prostate inflammation, called prostatitis. “Prostatitis is almost always the consequence of bacterial colonization of the prostate, which can also lead to more striking symptoms with high fever and urinary disorders. Consider, for example, the need to go to the bathroom often to pee.”
In men over 50, however, the main cause of urinary infections is benign prostatic hypertrophy, which occurs in 80% of men over 40, and can sometimes cause failure to empty the bladder, predisposing to recurrent infections. “In these cases, in addition to targeted antibiotic therapy, it is now possible to resolve prostate enlargement with the green laser, which allows for endoscopic surgery and a hospital stay of only 24 hours. Laser surgery consists of vaporizing the prostate tissue, significantly reducing the volume of the gland and significantly improving urinary function. Improved bladder emptying will then prevent recurrent infections.” For young people, as well as for adult men, a check-up is essential. Also because, in the event of an infection, targeted antibiotic therapies can be used. “My advice,” concludes Iacono, “is to try to stay active even in these difficult months, remember to drink enough and, when you feel discomfort, have a check-up with a urologist. These problems, if addressed in time, can be resolved without leaving any repercussions."
Article published on 21 January 2021 - 17:04
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