But when you look closely at where cancer research is strongest, a pattern emerges that is hard to ignore. The states leading the country in research are not the states where Black Americans live in the greatest numbers. That gap shapes who benefits from the country’s most advanced cancer breakthroughs.

The States Winning the Research Race

SmileHub’s 2026 ranking of the best states for cancer research highlights the places with the deepest research ecosystems. These states have the most researchers per capita, the strongest funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Cancer Society (ACS), the highest clinical trial output, and the most robust cancer care infrastructure.

The top 10 states for cancer research are:

1. Massachusetts
2. New York
3. California
4. Pennsylvania
5. Colorado
6. Maryland
7. Oregon
8. Virginia
9. Connecticut
10. Minnesota

The ranking is built on thirteen metrics, including NIH grant funding, ACS funding, clinical trial activity, and hospital quality data from U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals for Cancer.

Massachusetts leads the list with top scores in both research funding and research output. New York ranks first in health care infrastructure. California sits in the top three across funding, output, and hospital quality. These states have long histories of academic investment, major research universities, and strong philanthropic networks.

But this map tells only one story. The real story is about who lives where.

Where Black America Actually Lives

Neilsberg’s 2025 analysis of U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) data shows a clear picture of where Black Americans live today. The five states with the largest Black populations are Texas, Florida, Georgia, New York, and California. These states anchor the modern Black population map. Pew Research Center reports that more than half of all Black Americans, about 56 percent, live in the South, which underscores how deeply rooted the population is in this region.

According to Neilsberg’s Black population ranking, Texas has 4,146,550 Black residents, which is 11.66 percent of the state’s population. Florida has 3,900,650, or 15.24 percent. Georgia has 3,648,016, representing 31.27 percent of the state. New York has 3,519,047, and California has 2,841,399.

Together, these five states account for more than 38 percent of all Black Americans.

A Map That Leaves Too Many Behind

The states with the largest Black populations rarely appear near the top of cancer research rankings. Georgia ranks thirty-eight. Florida ranks thirty. Texas ranks twenty-two. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina all fall in the bottom fifteen, even though they are home to some of the country’s most concentrated Black communities.

That gap has real consequences. Black Americans continue to face the highest cancer mortality rates in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. When the strongest research ecosystems are located far from the communities carrying the highest burden, access to clinical trials, specialty care, and advanced treatment becomes uneven by design.

When Distance Becomes a Barrier to Survival

Cancer research is tied to place. Clinical trials usually require in person visits. High quality cancer hospitals cluster in specific regions. Funding from the National Institutes of Health flows to institutions with long established research capacity. Insurance coverage varies by state. These factors shape who gets early detection, who gets advanced treatment, and who gets to participate in the studies that guide national standards of care.

When research is concentrated in the Northeast and West, and the highest burden communities are concentrated in the South, the result is a structural divide.

Black Americans are less likely to live near cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). They are less likely to be offered clinical trial participation. They are less likely to receive proper care. These patterns appear consistently in national cancer disparities reports and peer-reviewed research.

SmileHub did not create these disparities. But when its data is read through a different lens, the gaps reveal themselves with uncomfortable clarity.

What Real Investment Would Look Like

Imagine a South with more NCI designated cancer centers, stronger clinical trial networks, and research universities that anchor long-term investment. A South with increased NIH and ACS funding, deeper community-based research partnerships, better insurance coverage, and high-quality cancer hospitals within reach.

Imagine a research landscape that follows need instead of legacy.

The data points toward a future where investment is measured not only by scientific output, but by who can reach the front door of a research center. A future where breakthroughs are shaped by the communities that carry the highest burden. A future where geography is not destiny.

The Question We Cannot Ignore

The United States is investing billions to end cancer. But unless research infrastructure expands into the states where Black Americans actually live, the benefits of that investment will remain uneven. The communities with the highest cancer burden will continue to be left behind.

The country has the science, the momentum, and the resources to change the story of cancer. What remains uncertain is whether that progress will reach the communities that have carried the heaviest burden for the longest time.

Resources:

Cancer statistics, 2026 – Siegel – 2026 – CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians – Wiley Online Library

Best States for Cancer Research in 2026

Best Hospitals for Cancer in the U.S. | Rankings & Ratings

States in United States ranked by Black population – 2025 | Neilsberg

Facts About the U.S. Black Population | Pew Research Center

Cancer statistics for African American and Black people, 2025 – Saka – 2025 – CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians – Wiley Online Library

The post Cancer Research Isn’t Reaching Black America appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Sanders, who is also known as Coach Prime, has faced other health issues. He had blood clots that led to the amputation of two of his toes in 2021. He learned of his bladder cancer during follow-up testing for those issues, proving the importance of routine screenings.

A CT scan of his vascular system alerted his caregivers to signs.

“Men, everybody. Get checked out. Because if it weren’t for me getting tested for something else, they wouldn’t have stumbled upon this,” he advised.

How Bladder Cancer Can Change Your Life?

The former professional football player turned inspirational football coach was transparent about his challenges following the surgery.

“I’m still dealing with going to the bathroom. It’s a whole life change,” he told the media. “I’m gonna be transparent. I can’t pee like I used to pee. It’s totally different.”

He explained that he might require special accommodations in the workplace due to the effects of the surgery. “I cannot control my bladder, so I get up to go to the bathroom already four or five times a night,” said Sanders. “I’m making a joke out of it, but it’s real. So if you see a port-a-potty on the sideline, it’s real. I’m just telling you right now, you’re gonna see it.”

Sanders chose to share his diagnosis and details about his treatment following his surgery despite speculation surrounding his absence from team practices. He shared when he was ready to.

Privacy is often important to those facing cancer.

He addressed the stigma associated with bladder cancer and instructed those watching the press conference to be proactive in their approach to their health. “Let’s stop being ashamed of it, and let’s deal with it, and let’s deal with it head-on,” he said.

Sanders shared a video of himself heading to the surgery with his friend Karruche Tran at his side. Social support is deeply important to those dealing with cancer.

How Common Is Bladder Cancer?

Bladder cancer is one of several cancers of the urinary system. It is fairly common. The World Health Organization says it is the ninth most common cancer in the world.

Men are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with bladder cancer than women. Of the women who get diagnosed, Black and Hispanic women are at a higher risk of being diagnosed at an advanced stage.

Bladder cancer heavily affects those in the senior population. “A total of 90% of bladder cancer diagnoses are made in those 55 years of age and older,” according to the Journal of Medical Sciences.

Sanders is 57.

What Are The Risks of Bladder Cancer?

Smoking is a significant risk factor for bladder cancer—parasite infections and extended exposure to chemicals like arsenic and chlorine present risk factors as well.

There are genetic factors associated with bladder cancer, too. It is hereditary.

What Are The Mortality Rates For Bladder Cancer?

“Bladder cancer is the? 10th leading cause of cancer death in the United States,” according to the American Cancer Society.

According to a 2023 article from BMC Urology, “Compared with white patients, African Americans tend to present with more advanced disease at diagnosis, are less likely to receive definitive treatment, and have poorer survival outcomes.” As with several other forms of cancer, early screening helps with outcomes.

The Canadian Urological Association Journal reports that “Screening for bladder cancer results in close to 80% downstaging.”

What Are The Signs Of Bladder Cancer?

Blood in the urine is one of the most apparent signs of bladder cancer. It can be faint. It can also briefly disappear and reappear.

Frequent urination and painful urination are signs as well. Back pain is associated with bladder cancer, too. If you experience any one of these symptoms, you should seek a screening.

What Kind of Treatments Are Available for Bladder Cancer?

The standard of care for bladder cancer treatment is changing. Some drugs are showing promise in clinical trials.

The type of bladder cancer determines which kind of treatment is best for each patient.

Sanders opted for bladder removal after considering the nature of his tumor. He felt that was the best path to stay there for his family and his players. The less invasive options did not depict the future he wanted.

“You guys gave me options that scared me to death,” Sanders told Dr. Kukrej.

Dr. Janet Kukrej was at Sanders’ side as he spoke. She described the tumor as “very aggressive” and “very high grade.”

“It was very high grade invading through the bladder wall, not into the muscle layer, something we call very high risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer,” she explained. “We performed a full robot-assisted laparoscopic bladder removal and creation of a new bladder.”

Resources:

Digit Health

World Health Organization: Bladder Cancer

National Cancer Institute

Journal of Medical Sciences.

American Cancer Society.

BMC Urology

Canadian Urological Association Journal

Mayo Clinic: Clinical Trials

The post Deion Sanders Wants You To Get Tested For Bladder Cancer appeared first on Black Health Matters.

His Musical Legacy

Tony! Toni! Toné! hit the scene in 1986, bringing a fresh mix of soul, jazz, and funk to the R&B world. As a guitarist, songwriter, vocalist, and producer, Wiggins helped redefine the genre. Alongside his brother Raphael Saadiq and his cousin Timothy Christian Riley, Wiggins crafted timeless hits. Their debut album, Who?, dropped in 1988, but it was their second album, The Revival (1990), that made them stars. Packed with hits like “Feels Good,” “Whatever You Want,” and “It Never Rains (In Southern California),” the album went platinum and cemented the group’s place in R&B history.

In 1995, D’Wayne Wiggins started Grass Roots Entertainment, running it from his West Oakland studio, the “House of Music.” The space wasn’t just a recording studio, it became a home for artists to grow and create. Wiggins worked closely with Destiny’s Child early on, signing them to his label and helping shape their first three albums, all of which went platinum. He also contributed to Alicia Keys’s The Diary of Alicia Keys in 2003, an album that won three Grammys and sold over 5 million copies in the U.S. These are just two examples of how Wiggins helped shape the sound of R&B.

Wiggins grew up in East Oakland, attending Castlemont High School, and his hometown was always a big part of his story. He made sure Oakland’s energy and soul were reflected in his work and gave back by mentoring local artists and supporting the music scene. Whether through his own songs or the careers he helped build, Wiggins’s impact on music runs deep and will be felt for years to come.

“D’Wayne’s life was incomparable, and his music and service impacted millions around the world, including in his hometown of Oakland, California. He was a guitarist, producer, composer, philanthropist, mentor, and founding member of Tony! Toni! Toné! He was deeply passionate about providing artist development and mentorship to emerging young musicians, helping to shape the early careers of many,” the Wiggins family shared in a statement.

D’Wayne Wiggins wasn’t just a talented musician, he was someone who truly cared about his craft, his community, and the people around him. His story reminds us that great music doesn’t just come from talent; it comes from the heart.

Shining a Light on Bladder Cancer

While celebrating Wiggins’s contributions to music, his passing also highlights the importance of bladder cancer awareness. This disease doesn’t always get the attention it deserves, but its impact is significant.

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately 84,870 new cases of bladder cancer are anticipated in the U.S. this year, with men accounting for the majority. Black men, while less likely to be diagnosed compared to their white counterparts, face higher mortality rates; this reflects the systemic inequities in healthcare that our community faces. Awareness is the first step in fighting bladder cancer, and early detection can significantly increase survival rates. Look at a few common symptoms of bladder cancer, provided by Mayo Clinic:

* Blood in the urine (hematuria) may appear pink, red, or dark brown.
* Frequent or painful urination.
* A persistent urge to urinate, even when the bladder is not full.
* Back pain.

These symptoms can be subtle, but paying attention to them and seeking medical advice could make all the difference. If you notice any of these signs or symptoms, consider making an appointment with your doctor.

We send our heartfelt condolences to D’Wayne Wiggins’s family, friends, and everyone who loved him. His music touched so many lives, and his legacy will continue to inspire for generations.

The post R&B Legend D’Wayne Wiggins Has Died appeared first on Black Health Matters.

When someone in our community is diagnosed with advanced bladder cancer, they may feel shocked, fearful, and overwhelmed. But, it is essential to think about the next steps. Here is some information you don’t want to miss.

What Does Your Diagnosis Mean?

A good medical team is essential when navigating an advanced cancer diagnosis, and second opinions should be welcomed.

After the initial diagnosis, doctors will need to see how severe the cancer is and if it has spread to any other parts of the body; this process is called staging. According to the American Cancer Society, Medical professionals typically use the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM system. It is comprised of 3 key factors:

• T describes how far the primary tumor has grown through the bladder wall and whether it has grown into nearby tissues.
• N indicates any cancer spread to lymph nodes near the bladder.
• M indicates if the cancer has spread to distant sites, such as other organs or lymph nodes that are not near the bladder.

With this approach, doctors can assess cancer and how advanced it may be to allocate the proper treatment. The earliest stage cancers are labeled as stage 0, also known as carcinoma in situ, and then they range from stages I (1) through IV (4), according to the American Cancer Society.

What Are Your Treatment Options?

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, there are a few types of treatment that are commonly used to address advanced bladder, including the following:

• Cystectomy (Bladder Removal) Surgery.
• Radiation Therapy.
• Chemotherapy.
•  Immunotherapy.

Cystectomies are performed when bladder cancer completely invades the bladder’s muscular wall. With this method, doctors hope by removing the bladder, all cancerous tissues will be eliminated. Radiation therapy includes the use of special high-energy X-rays that can kill cancer cells and or alter their ability to multiply. Another popular option is chemotherapy, which uses chemical agents implemented orally or through intravenous injection (IV). If effective, chemotherapy disrupts the replication of cancer cells and can potentially shrink tumors. Then, there is immunotherapy, a cancer treatment method that uses drugs and vaccines to aid white blood cells in identifying and attacking the cancerous cells.

It is essential to know the differences between these treatment methods and that every treatment plan looks different; some doctors may suggest a mixture of multiple treatments.

Understand the Roles Professionals on your Medical Team Play.

The type of medical team you may have is based on treatment options and the severity of your condition. The American Cancer Society reports several professionals might be involved in your treatment if you’re navigating advanced bladder cancer:

• Urologists: surgeons who specialize in treating diseases of the urinary system.
• Radiation oncologists: doctors who treat cancer by using radiation therapy.
•  Medical oncologists: doctors who treat cancer with medicine such as those used in immunotherapy and chemotherapy.

You may also encounter other specialists, such as nurses or nutrition specialists; treating advanced bladder cancer is a team effort and requires numerous types of expertise.

Nurture Your Mental Health.

Being diagnosed with any stage of bladder cancer is devastating, and these feelings intensify when patients are told that their cancer is advanced. According to TIME, Bladder cancer patients often experience feelings of anxiety and depression, and their overall mental well-being can suffer greatly as they try to manage their physical health.

According to a 2020 survey with approximately 600 participants, 18% of the participants were diagnosed with depression, and another 16% received anxiety diagnoses. 60% of the participants attested to experiencing anxiety as they fear their cancer will return or worsen. Only 38% of the participants stated that they felt emotionally supported through their journey with cancer.

Although it can be challenging, there are a few things that cancer patients can do to manage their mental health. The following things can be helpful:

Seek support from others, including friends, family, or support groups with similar experiences.

Looking into therapy and getting professional mental health services can help cancer patients immensely.

Lean on those around you. If people are willing to help, do not be afraid to use your support system to aid in your daily tasks.

Give yourself grace; a bladder cancer diagnosis is not easy for anyone; it will take time to adjust to your new lifestyle.

An article from the National Library of Medicine stated that social support, specifically group interventions, results in better outcomes regarding the mental well-being of bladder cancer patients.

What You Should Know About Bladder Cancer Recurrence

According to an article from Healthline, Bladder cancer is notorious for recurring, as research from 2022 displays that the 1-year recurrence rate ranges from 15% to 61%, and the 5-year recurrence rate ranges between 31% and 78%. It is vital for those in remission to continue with their check-ups and to communicate any areas of concern with their healthcare providers.

How Bladder Cancer Impacts Our Community

Although we don’t take the lead in bladder cancer diagnoses, we do face disproportionate challenges regarding deaths caused by bladder cancer. Many barriers contribute to our community taking the lead in bladder cancer deaths.

Some barriers include:

• Healthcare access with the inclusion of availability, transportation, and finances.
• A lack of health insurance and coverage.
• Provider bias can influence recommendations and a lack of diagnoses.

Unfortunately, these barriers can lead to later cancer diagnoses, which contribute to our mortality rates. Still, we can equip ourselves with information so that advocating for ourselves and finding the right medical team can be less stressful.

If you are living with bladder cancer and you are not defined by your diagnosis, holistically understanding your condition can make an immense difference.

The post Navigating an Advanced Bladder Cancer Diagnosis appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and occurs mainly in older people, according to the American Cancer Society. About 9 out of 10 people with bladder cancer are over the age of 55. The average age of people when they are diagnosed is 73.

Men are more likely to develop bladder cancer than women.

The chance men will develop this cancer during their life is about 1 in 27, according to the American Cancer Society. For women, the chance is about 1 in 89.

Given these statistics, it’s particularly important for Black men over 55 to remain vigilant. The , although smoking cigars and pipes can also increase the risk of developing bladder cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.  Smokers are three times more likely to develop bladder cancer than nonsmokers. Roughly half of all cases of bladder cancer are attributed to smoking, the American Cancer Society also found.

Other risk factors include workplace exposure to chemicals, genetics and family history, certain medicines and herbal supplements, and not drinking enough water, according to the American Cancer Society.

Most bladder cancers are diagnosed at an early stage when the cancer is highly curable.

While African Americans are less likely to get bladder cancer than other racial or ethnic groups, they are more likely to die from this form of cancer than other , according to this 2017 National Institutes of Health study.

There are reasons for the more negative outcomes for African Americans when it comes to bladder cancer, particularly for Black men. Socioeconomic factors and lack of access to treatment are often cited. As a result, a highly treatable cancer can turn deadly.

A recent study by the American Society of Clinical Oncology of 36,322 veterans (9% Black and 91% white) with bladder cancer provides an example of this. The study found that the African American veterans were more likely to have comorbidities, live in zip codes with lower median income and education levels, and have more advanced cancer.

It was clear these socioeconomic factors had an impact. “Black veterans presented with more advanced stage [bladder cancer], suggesting a delay in diagnosis,” wrote the study. “Our findings underscore the need to bridge healthcare disparities across racial groups.”

Once diagnosed, bladder cancer can also be expensive to treat, said Dr. Heather Honoré Goltz on a recent webinar for the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network that focused on the Black family. “We know from research for many years that bladder cancer treatment and surveillance is incredibly expensive. It’s the most expensive cancer per patient,” said Dr. Goltz.

“However, Black men are usually not well represented in clinical trials,” says urologist Firas Abdollah, M.D.

But this could change. How?

Study researchers could make an extra effort to reach out to African American communities when recruiting participants. Doctors could also be more proactive in explaining the possible benefits of participating in a clinical trial with their Black patients.

In the meantime, African Americans can take control of their health by knowing the warning signs of bladder cancer and how to reduce their risk:

Possible Warning Signs of Bladder Cancer

• Blood in your urine: Known as hematuria, blood in your urine is the first sign of bladder cancer. There may be enough blood to change the color of the urine to orange, pink, or, less often, dark red.
• Painful or frequent urination: Bladder cancer can sometimes cause changes in urination, such as having to urinate more often than usual or pain or burning during urination.
• Being unable to urinate or pelvic or back pain: Bladder cancers that have grown large or have spread to other parts of the body can sometimes cause these other symptoms.

Again, many of these symptoms are more likely to be caused by something other than bladder cancer, but it’s important to have them checked.

How to Reduce your Risk

• Don’t smoke: This means that cancer-causing chemicals contained in smoke won’t have a chance to collect in your bladder.
• Be careful around chemicals: If you work with or around chemicals, follow all safety rules to avoid exposure.
• Drink water and stay properly hydrated: Drinking water may dilute harmful substances in your urine and flush them out of your bladder faster.
• Eat a well-balanced diet: Eat a diverse variety of fruits and vegetables, nuts and fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, as well as lean protein; reduce fat and red meat.
• Report any symptoms: You have the best chance of surviving when bladder cancer is in its earliest stages.

Dr. Abdollah added that in one study, over 24% of patients endorsed paying more for cancer care than they can afford. “Bladder cancer can be very toxic in terms of one’s finances, one’s prospects of retiring, one’s financial future, and that of the family,” she added.

You can learn more about bladder cancer and how to get involved in a clinical trial by visiting here.

The post African American Men at Greater Risk of Developing Severe Bladder Cancer appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Urinary incontinence—the loss of bladder control—is a common and often embarrassing problem. The severity of urinary incontinence ranges from occasionally leaking urine when you cough or sneeze to having an urge to urinate that’s so sudden and strong you don’t get to a toilet in time.

If urinary incontinence affects your day-to-day activities, don’t hesitate to see your doctor. In most cases, simple lifestyle changes or medical treatment can ease your discomfort or stop urinary incontinence.

Symptoms

Urinary incontinence is the inability to control the release of urine from your bladder. Some people experience occasional, minor leaks—or dribbles—of urine. Others wet their clothes frequently.

Types of urinary incontinence include:

Stress incontinence. This is loss of urine when you exert pressure—stress—on your bladder by coughing, sneezing, laughing, exercising or lifting something heavy. Stress incontinence occurs when the sphincter muscle of the bladder is weakened. In women, physical changes resulting from pregnancy, childbirth and menopause can cause stress incontinence. In men, removal of the prostate gland can lead to stress incontinence.

Urge incontinence. This is a sudden, intense urge to urinate, followed by an involuntary loss of urine. Your bladder muscle contracts and may give you a warning of only a few seconds to a minute to reach a toilet. With urge incontinence, you may need to urinate often, including throughout the night. Urge incontinence may be caused by urinary tract infections, bladder irritants, bowel problems, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, injury or nervous system damage associated with multiple sclerosis. If there’s no known cause, urge incontinence is also called overactive bladder.

Overflow incontinence. If you frequently or constantly dribble urine, you may have overflow incontinence, which is an inability to empty your bladder. Sometimes you may feel as if you never completely empty your bladder. When you try to urinate, you may produce only a weak stream of urine. This type of incontinence may occur in people with a damaged bladder, blocked urethra or nerve damage from diabetes, multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury. In men, overflow incontinence can also be associated with prostate gland problems.

Mixed incontinence. If you experience symptoms of more than one type of urinary incontinence, such as stress incontinence and urge incontinence, you have mixed incontinence.

Functional incontinence. Many older adults, especially people in nursing homes, experience incontinence simply because a physical or mental impairment keeps them from making it to the toilet in time. For example, a person with severe arthritis may not be able to unbutton his or her pants quickly enough. This is called functional incontinence.

Total incontinence. This term is sometimes used to describe continuous leaking of urine, day and night or the periodic uncontrollable leaking of large volumes of urine.

When to see a doctor

You may feel uncomfortable discussing incontinence with your doctor. But if incontinence is frequent or is affecting your quality of life, seeking medical advice is important for several reasons:

Urinary incontinence may indicate a more serious underlying condition, especially if it’s associated with blood in your urine.
Urinary incontinence may be causing you to restrict your activities and limit your social interactions to avoid embarrassment. Urinary incontinence may increase the risk of falls in older adults as they rush to make it to the toilet.

Causes

Urinary incontinence isn’t a disease, it’s a symptom. It can be caused by everyday habits, underlying medical conditions or physical problems. A thorough evaluation by your doctor can help determine what’s behind your incontinence.

Causes of temporary urinary incontinence

Certain foods, drinks and medications can cause temporary urinary incontinence. A simple change in habits can bring relief.
Alcohol. Alcohol acts as a bladder stimulant and a diuretic, which can cause an urgent need to urinate.

Overhydration. Drinking a lot of fluids, especially in a short period of time, increases the amount of urine your bladder has to deal with.

Caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic and a bladder stimulant that can cause a sudden need to urinate.

Bladder irritation. Carbonated drinks, tea and coffee—with or without caffeine—artificial sweeteners, corn syrup, and foods and beverages that are high in spice, sugar and acid, such as citrus and tomatoes, can aggravate your bladder.

Medications. Heart medications, blood pressure drugs, sedatives, muscle relaxants and other medications may contribute to bladder control problems.

Easily treatable medical conditions also may be responsible for urinary incontinence.

Urinary tract infection. Infections can irritate your bladder, causing you to have strong urges to urinate. These urges may result in episodes of incontinence, which may be your only warning sign of a urinary tract infection. Other possible signs and symptoms include a burning sensation when you urinate and foul-smelling urine.

Constipation. The rectum is located near the bladder and shares many of the same nerves. Hard, compacted stool in your rectum causes these nerves to be overactive and increase urinary frequency. In addition, compacted stool can sometimes interfere with the emptying of the bladder, which may cause overflow incontinence.

Causes of persistent urinary incontinence

Urinary incontinence can also be a persistent condition caused by underlying physical problems or changes, including:

Pregnancy and childbirth. Pregnant women may experience stress incontinence because of hormonal changes and the increased weight of an enlarging uterus. In addition, the stress of a vaginal delivery can weaken muscles needed for bladder control. The changes that occur during childbirth can also damage bladder nerves and supportive tissue, leading to a dropped (prolapsed) pelvic floor. With prolapse, your bladder, uterus, rectum or small bowel can get pushed down from the usual position and protrude into your vagina. Such protrusions can be associated with incontinence.

Changes with aging. Aging of the bladder muscle leads to a decrease in the bladder’s capacity to store urine and an increase in overactive bladder symptoms. Risk of overactive bladder increases if you have blood vessel disease, so maintaining good overall health—including stopping smoking, treating high blood pressure and keeping your weight within a healthy range—can help curb symptoms of overactive bladder.After menopause women produce less estrogen, a hormone that helps keep the lining of the bladder and urethra healthy. With less estrogen, these tissues may deteriorate, which can aggravate incontinence.

Hysterectomy. In women, the bladder and uterus lie close to one another and are supported by many of the same muscles and ligaments. Any surgery that involves a woman’s reproductive system—for example, removal of the uterus (hysterectomy)—may damage the supporting pelvic floor muscles, which can lead to incontinence.
Painful bladder syndrome (interstitial cystitis). This chronic condition causes painful and frequent urination, and rarely, urinary incontinence.

Prostatitis. Loss of bladder control isn’t a typical sign of prostatitis, which is inflammation of the prostate gland—a walnut-sized organ located just below the male bladder. Even so, urinary incontinence sometimes occurs with this common condition.

Enlarged prostate. In older men, incontinence often stems from enlargement of the prostate gland, a condition also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Prostate cancer. In men, stress incontinence or urge incontinence can be associated with untreated prostate cancer. However, more often, incontinence is a side effect of treatments—surgery or radiation—for prostate cancer.

Bladder cancer or bladder stones. Incontinence, urinary urgency and burning with urination can be signs and symptoms of bladder cancer or bladder stones. Other signs and symptoms include blood in the urine and pelvic pain.

Neurological disorders. Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, stroke, a brain tumor or a spinal injury can interfere with nerve signals involved in bladder control, causing urinary incontinence.

Obstruction. A tumor anywhere along your urinary tract can block the normal flow of urine and cause incontinence, usually overflow incontinence. Urinary stones—hard, stone-like masses that can form in the bladder—may be to blame for urine leakage. Stones can be present in your kidneys, bladder or ureters.

Risk Factors

These factors increase your risk of developing urinary incontinence:

Sex. Women are more likely than men are to have stress incontinence. Pregnancy, childbirth, menopause and normal female anatomy account for this difference. However, men with prostate gland problems are at increased risk of urge and overflow incontinence.

Age. As you get older, the muscles in your bladder and urethra lose some of their strength. Changes with age reduce how much your bladder can hold and increase the chances of involuntary urine release. However, getting older doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll have incontinence. Incontinence isn’t normal at any age—except during infancy.

Being overweight. Being obese or overweight increases the pressure on your bladder and surrounding muscles, which weakens them and allows urine to leak out when you cough or sneeze.

Smoking. A chronic cough associated with smoking can cause episodes of incontinence or aggravate incontinence that has other causes. Constant coughing puts stress on your urinary sphincter, leading to stress incontinence. Smoking may also increase the risk of overactive bladder by causing bladder contractions.

Other diseases. Kidney disease or diabetes may increase your risk for incontinence.

Complications

Complications of chronic urinary incontinence include:

Skin problems. Urinary incontinence can lead to rashes, skin infections and sores (skin ulcers) from constantly wet skin.
Urinary tract infections. Incontinence increases your risk of repeated urinary tract infections.

Changes in your activities. Urinary incontinence may keep you from participating in normal activities. You may stop exercising, quit attending social gatherings or even stop venturing away from familiar areas where you know the locations of toilets.

Changes in your work life. Urinary incontinence may negatively affect your work life. Your urge to urinate may cause you to have to get up often during meetings. The problem may disrupt your concentration at work or keep you awake at night, causing fatigue.

Changes in your personal life. Perhaps most distressing is the impact incontinence can have on your personal life. Your family may not understand your behavior or may grow frustrated at your many trips to the toilet. You may avoid sexual intimacy because of embarrassment caused by urine leakage. It’s not uncommon to experience anxiety and depression along with incontinence.

Tests and Diagnosis

Common tests and processes for urinary incontinence include:

Bladder diary. Your doctor may ask you to keep a bladder diary for several days. You record how much you drink, when you urinate, the amount of urine you produce, whether you had an urge to urinate and the number of incontinence episodes.
Urinalysis. A sample of your urine is sent to a laboratory, where it’s checked for signs of infection, traces of blood or other abnormalities.

Blood test. Your doctor may have a sample of your blood drawn and sent to a laboratory for analysis. Your blood is checked for various chemicals and substances related to causes of incontinence.

Specialized testing

If further information is needed, you may undergo additional testing, including:

Postvoid residual (PVR) measurement. For this procedure, you’re asked to urinate (void) into a container that measures urine output. Then your doctor checks the amount of leftover (residual) urine in your bladder using a catheter or ultrasound test. A catheter is a thin, soft tube that’s inserted into your urethra and bladder to drain any remaining urine. For an ultrasound, a wand-like device is placed over your abdomen. Using sound waves and a computer, the ultrasound creates an image of your bladder. A large amount of leftover urine in your bladder may mean that you have an obstruction in your urinary tract or a problem with your bladder nerves or muscles.

Pelvic ultrasound. Ultrasound also may be used to view other parts of your urinary tract or genitals to check for abnormalities.

Stress test. For this test, you’re asked to cough vigorously or bear down as your doctor examines you and watches for loss of urine.

Urodynamic testing. These tests measure pressure in your bladder when it’s at rest and when it’s filling. A doctor or nurse inserts a catheter into your urethra and bladder to fill your bladder with water. Meanwhile, a pressure monitor measures and records the pressure within your bladder. This test helps measure your bladder strength and urinary sphincter health, and it’s an important tool for distinguishing the type of incontinence you have.

Cystogram. In this X-ray of your bladder, a catheter is inserted into your urethra and bladder. Through the catheter, your doctor injects a fluid containing a special dye. As you urinate and expel this fluid, images show up on a series of X-rays. These images help reveal problems with your urinary tract.

Cystoscopy. A thin tube with a tiny lens (cystoscope) is inserted into your urethra. During cystoscopy, your doctor can check for—and potentially remove—abnormalities in your urinary tract.

Treatment

Treatment for urinary incontinence depends on the type of incontinence, the severity of your problem and the underlying cause. Your doctor will recommend the approaches best suited to your condition. A combination of treatments may be needed.

In most cases, your doctor will suggest the least invasive treatments first, so you’ll try behavioral techniques and physical therapy first and move on to other options only if these techniques fail.

Behavioral techniques

Behavioral techniques and lifestyle changes work well for certain types of urinary incontinence. They may be the only treatment you need.

Bladder training. Your doctor may recommend bladder training—alone or in combination with other therapies—to control urge and other types of incontinence. Bladder training involves learning to delay urination after you get the urge to go. You may start by trying to hold off for 10 minutes every time you feel an urge to urinate. The goal is to lengthen the time between trips to the toilet until you’re urinating every two to four hours.Bladder training may also involve double voiding—urinating, then waiting a few minutes and trying again. This exercise can help you learn to empty your bladder more completely to avoid overflow incontinence. In addition, bladder training may involve learning to control urges to urinate. When you feel the urge to urinate, you’re instructed to relax—breathe slowly and deeply—or to distract yourself with an activity.

Scheduled toilet trips. This means timed urination—going to the toilet according to the clock rather than waiting for the need to go. Following this technique, you go to the toilet on a routine, planned basis—usually every two to four hours.
Fluid and diet management. In some cases, you can simply modify your daily habits to regain control of your bladder. You may need to cut back on or avoid alcohol, caffeine or acidic foods. Reducing liquid consumption, losing weight or increasing physical activity are other lifestyle changes that can eliminate the problem.

Physical therapy

Pelvic floor muscle exercises. These exercises strengthen your urinary sphincter and pelvic floor muscles—the muscles that help control urination. Your doctor may recommend that you do these exercises frequently. They are especially effective for stress incontinence, but may also help urge incontinence.To do pelvic floor muscle exercises (Kegel exercises), imagine that you’re trying to stop your urine flow. Squeeze the muscles you would use to stop urinating and hold for a count of three and repeat.

With Kegel exercises, it can be difficult to know whether you’re contracting the right muscles and in the right manner. In general, if you sense a pulling-up feeling when you squeeze, you’re using the right muscles. Men may feel their penises pull in slightly toward their bodies. To double-check that you’re contracting the right muscles, try the exercises in front of a mirror. Your abdominal, buttock or leg muscles shouldn’t tighten if you’re isolating the muscles of the pelvic floor.

If you’re still not sure whether you’re contracting the right muscles, ask your doctor for help. Your doctor may suggest you work with a physical therapist or try biofeedback techniques to help you identify and contract the right muscles. Your doctor may also suggest vaginal cones, which are weights that help women strengthen the pelvic floor.
Electrical stimulation. In this procedure, electrodes are temporarily inserted into your rectum or vagina to stimulate and strengthen pelvic floor muscles. Gentle electrical stimulation can be effective for stress incontinence and urge incontinence, but it takes several months and multiple treatments to work.

Medications

Often, medications are used in conjunction with behavioral techniques. Drugs commonly used to treat incontinence include:
Anticholinergics. These prescription medications calm an overactive bladder, so they may be helpful for urge incontinence. Several drugs fall under this category, including oxybutynin (Ditropan), tolterodine (Detrol), darifenacin (Enablex), fesoterodine (Toviaz), solifenacin (Vesicare) and trospium (Sanctura). Possible side effects of these medications include dry mouth, constipation, blurred vision and flushing.

Topical estrogen. Applying low-dose, topical estrogen in the form of a vaginal cream, ring or patch may help tone and rejuvenate tissues in the urethra and vaginal areas. This may reduce some of the symptoms of incontinence.
Imipramine. Imipramine (Tofranil) is a tricyclic antidepressant that may be used to treat mixed—urge and stress—incontinence.

Duloxetine. The antidepressant medication duloxetine (Cymbalta) is sometimes used to treat stress incontinence.

Medical devices

Several medical devices are available to help treat incontinence. They’re designed specifically for women and include:
Urethral insert. This small tampon-like disposable device inserted into the urethra acts as a plug to prevent leakage. It’s usually used to prevent incontinence during a specific activity, but it may be worn throughout the day. Urethral inserts aren’t meant to be worn 24 hours a day. They are available by prescription and may work best for women who have predictable incontinence during certain activities, such as playing tennis. The device is inserted before the activity and removed before urination.

Pessary Your doctor may prescribe a pessary—a stiff ring that you insert into your vagina and wear all day. The device helps hold up your bladder, which lies near the vagina, to prevent urine leakage. You need to regularly remove the device to clean it. You may benefit from a pessary if you have incontinence due to a dropped (prolapsed) bladder or uterus.

Interventional therapies

Bulking material injections. Bulking agents are materials, such as carbon-coated zirconium beads (Durasphere), calcium hydroxylapatite (Coaptite) or polydimethylsiloxane (Macroplastique), that are injected into tissue surrounding the urethra. This helps keep the urethra closed and reduce urine leakage. The procedure—usually done in a doctor’s office—requires minimal anesthesia and takes about five minutes. The downside is that repeat injections are usually needed.

Botulinum toxin type A. Injections of onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) into the bladder muscle may benefit people who have an overactive bladder. Researchers have found this to be a promising therapy, but the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not yet approved this drug for incontinence. These injections may cause urinary retention that’s severe enough to require self-catheterization. In addition, repeat injections are needed every six to nine months.

Nerve stimulators. Sacral nerve stimulators can help control your bladder function. The device,which resembles a pacemaker, is implanted under the skin in your buttock. A wire from the device is connected to a sacral nerve—an important nerve in bladder control that runs from your lower spinal cord to your bladder. Through the wire, the device emits painless electrical pulses that stimulate the nerve and help control the bladder. Another device, the tibial nerve stimulator, is approved for treating overactive bladder symptoms. Instead of directly stimulating the sacral nerve, this device uses an electrode placed underneath the skin to deliver electrical pulses to the tibial nerve in the ankle. These pulses then travel along the tibial nerve to the sacral nerve, where they help control overactive bladder symptoms.

Surgery

If other treatments aren’t working, several surgical procedures have been developed to fix problems that cause urinary incontinence.

Some of the commonly used procedures include:

Sling procedures. A sling procedure uses strips of your body’s tissue, synthetic material or mesh to create a pelvic sling or hammock around your bladder neck and urethra. The sling helps keep the urethra closed, especially when you cough or sneeze. There are many types of slings, including tension-free, adjustable and conventional.

Bladder neck suspension. This procedure is designed to provide support to your urethra and bladder neck—an area of thickened muscle where the bladder connects to the urethra. It involves an abdominal incision, so it’s done using general or spinal anesthesia.

Artificial urinary sphincter. This small device is particularly helpful for men who have weakened urinary sphincters from treatment of prostate cancer or an enlarged prostate gland. Shaped like a doughnut, the device is implanted around the neck of your bladder. The fluid-filled ring keeps your urinary sphincter shut tight until you’re ready to urinate. To urinate, you press a valve implanted under your skin that causes the ring to deflate and allows urine from your bladder to flow.

Absorbent pads and catheters

If medical treatments can’t completely eliminate your incontinence—or you need help until a treatment starts to take effect—you can try products that help ease the discomfort and inconvenience of leaking urine.

Pads and protective garments. Various absorbent pads are available to help you manage urine loss. Most products are no more bulky than normal underwear, and you can wear them easily under everyday clothing. Men who have problems with dribbles of urine can use a drip collector—a small pocket of absorbent padding that’s worn over the penis and held in place by closefitting underwear. Men and women can wear adult diapers, pads or panty liners, which can be purchased at drugstores, supermarkets and medical supply stores.

Catheter. If you’re incontinent because your bladder doesn’t empty properly, your doctor may recommend that you learn to insert a soft tube (catheter) into your urethra several times a day to drain your bladder (self-intermittent catheterization). This should give you more control of your leakage, especially if you have overflow incontinence. You’ll be instructed on how to clean these catheters for safe reuse.

Lifestyle and Home Remedies

Protecting your skin

Problems with urine leakage may require you to take extra care to prevent skin irritation. Some things you can do to protect your skin include:

Use a washcloth to clean yourself.

Allow your skin to air dry.

Avoid frequent washing and douching because these can overwhelm your body’s natural defenses against bladder infections.
Consider using a barrier cream, such as petroleum jelly or cocoa butter, to protect your skin from urine.

Making the toilet more convenient

If you have urge incontinence or nighttime incontinence:

Move any rugs or furniture you might trip over or collide with on the way to the toilet.

Use a night light to illuminate your path and reduce your risk of falling.

If you have functional incontinence, possible changes may include:

Keeping a bedpan in your bedroom

Installing an elevated toilet seat

Adding a bathroom in a more convenient location

Widening an existing bathroom doorway

Prevention

Urinary incontinence is not always preventable. However, you may be able to decrease your risk of incontinence with these steps:

Maintain a healthy weight. If you’re overweight, reaching a healthy weight may help.

Don’t smoke. Get help with quitting if you do smoke.

Practice Kegel exercises. Doctors often advise pregnant women to do Kegel exercises during pregnancy as a preventive measure.

Avoid bladder irritants. Avoiding or limiting certain foods and drinks may help prevent or limit urinary incontinence. For example, if you know that drinking more than two cups of coffee makes you have to urinate uncontrollably, cutting back to one cup of coffee or forgoing caffeine-containing drinks may be all that you need to do.

Eat more fiber. Including more fiber in your diet or taking fiber supplements can help prevent constipation, a risk factor for urinary incontinence.

Exercise. Physical activity reduces your risk of developing incontinence.

The post Bladder Basics: Urinary Incontinence appeared first on Black Health Matters.

And while that often used to be the case, survivorship programs, like the one at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, offer counseling and interventions to promote sexual recovery after cancer treatment.

“Prostate cancer, especially if it’s caught early, is a highly treatable disease,” says Daniela Wittmann, an associate professor of urology and social work at U-M, and a certified sex therapist with more than 30 years of experience. “But that also means that men are often living for a long time and dealing with the side effects of treatment.”

U-M’s David and Jan Brandon Prostate Cancer Survivorship Program is devoted to helping men—and their partners—manage those side effects, the most disruptive of which are urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

“What we do is that we help men and their partners manage expectations for what the side effects of treatment are going to be like,” Wittmann says. “Before treatment, we tell them about the rehabilitation that’s available, and then after treatment, we are there as a team to support them and to help them with rehabilitation—the physiological, emotional, relationship aspects as they relate to intimacy.”

While more than 90 percent of men will largely recover bladder control within a year, recovery of erectile function is a longer and more variable process, she says. It can take two or more years to recover, depending on a patient’s starting level of function, age and the specifics of their surgical procedure, she says.

Before surgery, patients and their partners are invited to hear from a multidisciplinary team, as well as other prostate cancer survivors, about side effects and rehabilitation opportunities. And starting about six weeks after surgery, patients and their partners are invited to meet with members of a care team that includes a sex therapist.

“The goal is to understand what the patient is experiencing and to assess how their side effects are evolving,” Wittmann says. “We help men and their partners feel emotionally supported, to process any sense of grief and loss, which are natural and common, and to help them re-engage sexually if that’s important to them.”

Without such support, men are far less likely to try available interventions, she notes.

“Penile rehabilitation doesn’t necessarily help men recover erectile function, but it helps keep the tissues healthy while they’re waiting for a natural response to return,” Wittmann says. “It also helps men remain engaged in their sexual recovery.”

The psychological and emotional side effects can weigh as heavily as the physical side effects, she says.

“It sometimes means overcoming barriers because people experience feelings of loss around spontaneous sex—like sex is too much work when they have to use sexual aids,” Wittmann says. “We tend to say to them, spontaneity can be replaced with anticipation. You can have dates where you know you’re going to be making love and you can plan something fun.”

Bladder cancer patients also often experience similar side effects, she notes. And may have additional body image issues that would benefit from support if they now have a stoma on their stomach.

Not all hospitals and cancer centers offer similar survivorship programs, and Wittmann recommends that men and their partners speak with their doctors about what resources may be available in their area.

The post Yes, You Can Have Sex After Prostate Surgery appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women, kills more people than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined. African Americans are more likely to develop lung cancer than any other group in this country.
An American Lung Association report found a complex mix of biological, environmental, political and cultural factors that make us more likely to get lung cancer and more likely to die from it. The report says:
Despite lower smoking rates, African Americans are more likely to develop and die of lung cancer than whites.
African-American men are 37 percent more likely to develop lung cancer than white men, even though their overall exposure to cigarette smoke—the primary risk factor for lung cancer—is lower.
African Americans are more likely to be diagnosed later, when cancer is more advanced.
African Americans are more likely to wait longer after diagnosis to receive treatment, to refuse treatment and to die in the hospital after surgery.
African Americans have a lower five-year relative survival rate than whites.
The news isn’t all bad. According to the National Cancer Institute, smoking rates have dropped, which has led the rate of lung cancer to decline among African-American men since the mid-1980s; it has
been stable among African-American women since 1990. Despite our higher numbers, the differences in lung cancer death rates between African Americans and whites are narrowing. We’ve also made progress in reducing exposure to secondhand smoke. And, perhaps most importantly, the majority of lung cancer cases can be prevented. Experts say this is because about 90 percent of lung cancer cases in men and about 80 percent of those in women are caused by smoking. (Smoking also causes other cancers, including esophagus, throat, pancreatic, kidney and bladder cancer, as well as heart disease, stroke, aortic aneurysm, COPD and other health problems.)
Still, more needs to be done to address this health disparity. Steps include:
Enacting and enforcing policies to reduce tobacco use, including curbing cigarette advertising targeting youth, comprehensive smoke-free air laws and coverage of tobacco cessation services.
Addressing radon exposure in federal housing. Radon exposure is the number two cause of lung cancer.
Changing the health-care system to improve access to care, improve delivery of health care and reduce communication barriers between patients and providers.
Recruiting more minorities to the health-care field.
Encouraging African-American community and spiritual leaders to speak up about lung cancer.

The post Lung Cancer and African Americans appeared first on Black Health Matters.

1. Cherries are packed with antioxidants called anthocyanins, which may help reduce inflammation (goodbye gout symptoms and muscle pain after your morning run!) and lower triglycerides and cholesterol.
2. Trouble sleeping? Munch on some cherries, one of the few foods that naturally contain melatonin, which helps regulate the body’s internal clock.
3. They are an excellent source of vitamin A, which is used to treat everything from acne and ulcers to PMS and low sperm count. This powerful red fruit contains 19 times more vitamin A than blueberries and strawberries.
4. Rich in vitamins C—which boosts the immune system—and E, shown to be effective in preventing bladder cancer death, this fruit also are full of potassium (helps treat high blood pressure), magnesium (quells heartburn), iron and folate.
5. Cherries are considered a brain food, helping to prevent memory loss.
6. Diabetics can eat them with abandon since they have a very low glycemic index. Studies show folks who eat foods with a low glycemic index have better blood sugar control.

All these benefits and one cup of raw cherries has only 87 calories. We’re heading to the farmer’s market now. Who’s coming with?

The post We Love Cherries: 6 Reasons You Should, Too appeared first on Black Health Matters.