November is Bladder Health Awareness Month, and this year, we would like to share some pieces from our friends at the Urology Care Foundation, the official foundation of the American Urological Association (AUA), about Bladder Health Awareness Month. 
“Each day, millions of Americans struggle with the impacts of bladder conditions and diseases such as urinary incontinence, overactive and underactive bladder, interstitial cystitis, urinary tract infections, nocturia, bladder cancer, urotrauma and neurogenic bladder. These can impact an individual’s health, quality of life, and result in significant health costs (estimated to be more than $70 billion per year).”
Richard A. Memo, MD, chair of the Urology Care Foundation, tells us, “Bladder Health Month is a great time to focus on connecting, educating and empowering individuals to take control of their bladder health. … Most Americans are still not yet talking to their healthcare provider about their bladder health symptoms because they are too embarrassed, but several bladder conditions can be treated through simple lifestyle changes, behavior modifications or diet and exercise.”
And Kathleen Kobashi, MD, FACS, Foundation spokesperson and head of the Section of Urology and Renal Transplantation at Virginia Mason Medical Center, adds “‘awareness is critical when it comes to reducing the stigma associated with incontinence and other bladder health conditions and symptoms.’”
The Foundation and AUA are doing terrific work to build awareness, reduce stigma, and empower patients and providers to take the important first steps toward a solution.
If you or someone you know would like more information about bladder health, we encourage you to visit these sites!
http://www.urologyhealth.org/media-center/press-releases/november-is-bladder-health-awareness-month
https://www.urologyhealth.org/careblog/november-is-bladder-health-month
https://www.nationalincontinence.com/blog/celebrating-bladder-health-awareness-month-with-nafc/
