Urinary health rarely becomes a talking point unless something feels off. Yet, as Dr. Rajiv Goel, Senior Consultant & Director, Urology & Uro-Oncology, Narayana Hospital Gurugram, explains, men and women experience urinary issues very differently. These differences stem from anatomy, hormones, aging, and daily habits—and they influence how symptoms appear, how severe they feel, and when people seek help.

How Anatomy Shapes Urinary Problems

“Anatomy plays a major role in urinary health,” Dr. Goel explains. Women have a much shorter urethra than men, which makes it easier for bacteria to reach the bladder. This is why urinary tract infections (UTIs) are far more common in women across all age groups.

Burning during urination, frequent urges, and discomfort are often early signs. While these symptoms are familiar to many women, repeated infections can quietly make the bladder more sensitive over time.

Men, on the other hand, have a longer urethra, offering some natural protection against infections. But they face a different structural challenge. “The prostate gland, which encircles the urethra, typically enlarges with advancing age,” Dr. Goel says. This can obstruct urine flow, causing difficulty starting urination, a weak stream, incomplete emptying, and frequent night-time bathroom visits.

Hormones and Ageing: A Silent Influence

Hormones play a crucial role in urinary health. For women, estrogen helps maintain the health and elasticity of the bladder and urethra. “When estrogen levels drop after menopause, tissues become drier and more prone to irritation and infections,” Dr. Goel notes.

This hormonal shift also contributes to urinary leakage, especially if pelvic floor muscles are weak.

In men, testosterone influences prostate growth. As hormone levels shift with age, the prostate slowly enlarges. “Because the process is gradual, symptoms are often ignored until they start interfering with daily life,” Dr. Goel explains.

Infections in Women, Obstruction in Men

The nature of urinary problems also differs by gender. Women typically experience infection-driven symptoms—sudden burning, urgency, cloudy urine, and discomfort. These are sometimes brushed off as routine, even though recurrent infections can lead to chronic bladder sensitivity.

Men more often face obstruction-related issues. “Urine may not empty fully from the bladder, leading to pressure, dribbling, and frequent urination,” says Dr. Goel. While infections are less common in men, they tend to be more complex and take longer to resolve.

Daily Habits That Add to the Risk

Lifestyle choices quietly influence urinary health. Women often delay urination due to work, travel, or lack of clean toilets. “Holding urine for long periods increases the risk of infections,” Dr. Goel warns. Pregnancy and childbirth further weaken pelvic floor muscles, contributing to leakage later in life.

Men, meanwhile, tend to consume more caffeine and alcohol. These irritate the bladder and increase urine production. Combined with prostate-related narrowing, this leads to frequent urination and disturbed sleep.

Why Men and Women Report Symptoms Differently

“Women are generally more open about urinary discomfort and seek help earlier,” Dr. Goel observes. Men, however, often associate symptoms with ageing or embarrassment, leading to delayed care. This silence can worsen blockages and reduce quality of life.

Prevention Looks Different, But Awareness Matters for All

For women, hydration, timely urination, pelvic floor strengthening, and early treatment of symptoms are key. For men, monitoring urine flow, frequency, and night-time urination is essential, especially with age.

One message applies to everyone: urinary symptoms should never be ignored. As Dr. Goel emphasizes, recognizing these signals early can prevent long-term discomfort and protect everyday wellbeing.

Students gaming more than 10 hours a week can have long-lasting negative effects on their physical and mental health, a new Australian study suggests.

Researchers from Curtin University, Perth have found that playing online games for over 10 hours can worsen diets, increase body weight and led to poorer sleep than lighter gamers.

Professor Mario Siervo, Curtin School of Population Health said of the results: "What stood out was students gaming up to 10 hours a week all looked very similar in terms of diet, sleep and body weight. The real differences emerged in those gaming more than 10 hours a week, who showed clear divergence from the rest of the sample."

What Did The Study Find?

Researchers surveyed 317 students across five Australian universities, with a median age of 20, to understand how time spent gaming each week might affect their diet, sleep, and body composition.

Students were categorized as low gamers (zero to five hours a week), moderate gamers (five to 10 hours) or high gamers, who played video games for more than 10 hours each week.

They found that low and moderate gamers showed largely comparable health outcomes but health indicators deteriorated sharply among students whose gaming time exceeded 10 hours a week.

The study found diet quality declined and obesity was more common once gaming exceeded 10 hours a week, with each extra hour linked to poorer diets even after accounting for other lifestyle factors. While high gamers recorded a body mass index (BMI) of 26.3kg/m2, low and moderate gamers fell within a healthier range, with median BMIs of 22.2kg/m2 and 22.8kg/m2 respectively.

Professor Siervo said: "Each additional hour of gaming per week was linked to a decline in diet quality, even after accounting for stress, physical activity and other lifestyle factors."

Additionally, sleep quality was generally poor across all groups but students who played video games for moderate or high amounts of time reported worse sleep than low gamers.

Despite clear results, the expert added that the study does not prove cause and effect but shows excessive gaming is linked to higher health risks, while low to moderate play appears largely fine.

Why Is Playing Video Games Bad For You?

"Our data suggests low and moderate gaming is generally fine, but excessive gaming may crowd out healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet, sleeping properly and staying active.

"Because university habits often follow people into adulthood, healthier routines such as taking breaks from gaming, avoiding playing games late at night and choosing healthier snacks may help improve their overall well-being," Professor Siervo said.

Playing video games for excessive amount of time has also been linked to paving the way for mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, aggression and poor emotional control as well as social/life problems including neglecting responsibilities, isolation, poor relationships, academic/career impact.

Moreover, previous research has also found that playing games for over three hours straight significantly raises the risk of physical issues. Sessions exceeding this time frame can lead to eye fatigue, headaches, neck pain and wrist pain, regardless of the player's age or gender.

This study was published in Nutrition on January 16.

Days after eagle-eyed fans spotted Nick Jonas stepping out of the Golden Globes during the Nikki Glaser-hosted show in Los Angeles, the popstar has now revealed what led to him there.

In an X video from January 11, Jonas was seen standing alone outside of a tent at the Beverly Hilton hotel surrounded by palm trees and green foliage, looking like he was taking a breather while sipping from a glass bottle of water and rubbing his chin.

As the clip began to go viral online, users shared their guess on why he had to exit the ceremony, commenting, "Social anxiety got the best of him." Soon after, he did reveal that he anxiety had "hit him like a gut punch" on X.

Living with Type 1 diabetes, Jonas has previously spoken about the emotional challenges of managing a chronic condition and how it has affected his life.

What Is Social Anxiety?

As explained by Dr Sanil Sinhasan, Consultant Psychiatrist at Mind Care Clinic and SRV Hospital, Mumbai, to Health Shots: "Social anxiety disorder is an intense fear of being judged, rejected, or embarrassed in social or performance situations.

"People with social anxiety often worry excessively about how they look, speak or are perceived by others."

This kind of anxiety is typically triggered by meeting new people, public speaking or even everyday interactions like eating in public, stemming from fears of negative evaluation by others.

Symptoms include blushing, sweating, trembling, rapid heartbeat, nausea, dizziness, trouble speaking, stomach issues. If left untreated, social anxiety can become debilitating as it can also cause fast, shallow breathing, muscle tension, suffocation, symptoms that can intensify anxiety further and lead to serious medical events.

How To Overcome Social Anxiety?

Professional therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and medication such as antidepressants (SSRIs/SNRIs) can offer deeper solutions for managing fear and building skills.

Regular physical activity can also help release endorphins and reduce tension as well avoiding excess caffeine can support mental health.

Mental health experts also recommend opening up to loved ones and avoiding isolation. Speaking to loved ones and sharing how you’re feeling can help ensure your current state doesn’t aggravate.

Doctors also advise speaking therapist if social anxiety significantly impacts your life as professional help is crucial for lasting change.

Wondering if abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain and leg swelling are signs of something fatal?

According to Dr Ninad Katdare, Consultant Surgical Oncologist, Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre, they may be symptoms of cervical cancer. While many may expect drastic signs such as severe pain, heavy bleeding or obvious illness, identifying certain symptoms can help with early diagnosis and treatment.

Cervical cancer develops in a women's cervix (uterus opening) due to abnormal cell growth, primarily caused by persistent HPV infection, a common infection that's passed through sexual contact.

When exposed to HPV, the body's immune system typically prevents the virus from causing damage however, in a small percentage of people, the virus can survive for years and pave the way for some cervical cells to become cancerous.

Treatment involves surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, with early detection significantly improving outcomes, though it remains a major cancer in low-income countries. Cervical cancer can also be prevented through vaccination and regular screening (Pap/HPV tests).

Dr Katdare told News18: "In its early stages, it is often more of a whisper than a shout. As a cancer surgeon who has treated hundreds of women with gynaecological cancers, I can say with confidence that recognising these subtle cues can lead to earlier diagnosis and significantly better outcomes."

He recommends looking out for these early signs:

1. Intermenstrual Bleeding

2. Changes In Vaginal Discharge

But Dr Katdare warns that any sudden or abnormal changes in discharge may be a symptom of the cancer. “Because discharge issues are commonly linked to infections, many women self-medicate or delay seeking care," he said. “While infections are far more common, chronic or unusual discharge especially in older women requires thorough evaluation."

Discharge may become persistent, watery, foul-smelling, or tinged with blood or pink, brown, or rust-colored if you're suffering from this kind of cancer.

3. Persistent Pelvic Pain

Consistent pelvic pain particularly that occurs outside the menstrual cycle or during sexual intercourse should be a point of concern. According to Dr Katdare, "Pain during intercourse, or dyspareunia, is especially important. It should not be dismissed as ‘just dryness’ or an age-related change. In cervical cancer, this pain may result from inflammation or tumour growth involving the cervix and surrounding tissues."

4. Leg Swelling

5. Urinary And Bowel Symptoms

“These symptoms are often evaluated in isolation because they don’t seem related to the cervix," said Dr Katdare, “which can delay the correct diagnosis."

Ultimately the expert advised: "“Cervical cancer does not always announce itself loudly,. Sometimes, it leaves silent clues. The sooner you listen to them, the better the outcome. If something feels ‘off,’ trust that instinct and seek medical advice. Early action can make the difference between a curable disease and a life-altering diagnosis."