A lighthearted approach to the serious matter of urological health.
Everything you wanted to know about human plumbing but were afraid to ask!
This is a great book for anyone interested in knowing the basics of how everything “down there” works and that there are medical answers to most urological problems.
As author Madeline Zech Ruiz says, “If you own a vagina or a penis, you need to read this book!”
In her amusing urology handbook, Ruiz argues that it’s well past time for society to get over its discomfort regarding our plumbing system. She not only provides critical information about that system but she also encourages readers to be proactive participants in keeping it healthy.
The author includes her own journey as a urologist’s wife living in the small town of McAllen, Texas who is constantly fielding questions from strangers and loved ones alike—at first, somewhat gingerly, but eventually embracing her role as a human conduit between the patient and her highly skilled doctor/husband.
Ruiz employs an accessible style with colorful phrases scattered throughout; for instance, she uses a analogies to detail the various urology subspecialties—her husband specializes in reconstructive surgery—and describes a weak urine flow thus, “his pee stream was sounding more like a slow skipping rock across a very large pond.” Other topics include penile prostheses, prostate health, vasectomies, kidney stones, and hormone replacement therapy.
Of particular note are chapters covering diabetes, the effects of anesthesia, a neighbor’s alarming case of parasites, and pelvic floor therapy for women experiencing incontinence.
In this last instance, Ruiz explains that the muscles at play are the same that one uses for holding in flatulence, and she says that a genteel doctor she interviewed “actually made the word ‘fart’ sound as though it were the harp in an orchestra.” Impressively, the book has already been translated into 13 languages. This may allow the author to break taboos globally for the sake of improving health. A very educational and entertaining read!
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