Men's Urology in Salt Lake City
We treat enlarged prostate (BPH), frequent urination, nighttime waking, and urinary leakage after prostate surgery, and we perform vasectomy procedures. That includes the complex cases other clinics refer out.
Elisabeth Ferlic, MD
Board-certified urologist · Fellowship-trained in voiding dysfunction and female pelvic medicine
In this guide
- These problems are common and treatable
- Complete urologic care for men
- About Elisabeth Ferlic, MD
- What are my options?
- Treatment options for men with voiding issues, BPH, or incontinence
- Vasectomy: a straightforward office procedure
- Benefits and risks, side by side
- What happens at the first visit?
- Frequently asked questions
These problems are common and treatable
Prostate and bladder changes
- Enlarged prostate (BPH)
The prostate continues to grow with age, and it surrounds the channel that urine passes through (the urethra). As the prostate enlarges, it narrows that channel, which produces the typical symptoms: a weak urine stream, straining to start, stopping and starting mid-stream, and a feeling of incomplete emptying. Enlarged prostate treatment includes medication that relaxes or shrinks the prostate and minimally invasive procedures for men whose symptoms no longer respond to medication. The right choice depends on the size and shape of your prostate, your symptoms, and your goals for treatment.
- Frequent urination & weak stream
Frequent urination, sudden urges that give little warning, and a stream that takes far longer than it used to are among the most common reasons men see a urologist. Sometimes the prostate is responsible; sometimes the problem is the bladder itself. Overactive bladder is often thought of as a women's condition, but millions of men have it, and overactive bladder treatment for men follows the same principle: identify the cause, then match the treatment to it. Rather than guess, we test. A flow study and a bladder scan take only a few minutes and usually settle the question.
- Leaking after prostate surgery
Leaking urine after prostate removal or another prostate procedure is not uncommon, and it does not have to be permanent. Sadly, it is often minimized or treated as part of the cost of treating cancer. Addressing it is part of cancer survivorship. Treatment begins with pelvic floor therapy and moves to procedural options if the leaking persists. Many clinics decline these cases. We accept them, because post-surgical bladder problems fall directly within Dr. Ferlic's fellowship training.
Nerve-related and lifelong conditions
- Nerve-related bladder problems
The nerves that control the bladder can be damaged by a spinal injury or stroke, or disrupted by Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, or long-standing diabetes. Nerve-related bladder problems can also be present from birth (congenital), as with spina bifida. The result is called neurogenic bladder. The bladder may not empty, may not hold, or both, and the condition calls for a urologist trained specifically in how the nerves and the bladder interact. That training is the core of Dr. Ferlic's fellowship, and very few specialists in Utah manage neurogenic bladder from diagnosis through long-term care. If you or someone you care for has been referred back and forth between neurology and urology without anyone taking responsibility for the bladder problem, our practice manages these cases.
- Congenital urologic conditions after pediatric care
Many teens are lost to follow-up after aging out of pediatric urology clinics. For patients with spina bifida and other congenital conditions, scheduled follow-up is not just recommended; it identifies early problems and helps prevent long-term damage to the bladder and kidneys. Dr. Ferlic has cared for these patients for years, often at the request of pediatric urologists, and welcomes young adults who need an ongoing urologic home.
Complete urologic care for men
Many men put off this appointment for a year or more. Waking several times a night, a slower urine stream, or dribbling after finishing are easy to dismiss as normal aging. In most cases these are symptoms of a treatable condition, and treating it earlier preserves more options. When the problem goes unaddressed too long, medication alone may no longer be enough, and the remaining treatments become more involved.
Dr. Ferlic is a board-certified urologist, fellowship-trained in voiding dysfunction, one of only two urologists in Utah with that training. That credential matters for men because the fellowship is, at its core, advanced training in bladder function, and the bladder must function in both sexes. Her training covers difficulty emptying, difficulty holding, and problems caused by the prostate or by the nerves, including complex conditions such as neurogenic bladder that many Utah clinics do not manage.
This is not a women's clinic. It is a urology practice, and care for men makes up a full half of it. If you have been searching for a prostate specialist or a urologist for men in Salt Lake City, this page describes the conditions we treat and the treatments we offer, including the post-surgical leakage cases that many offices decline.
About Elisabeth Ferlic, MD
Elisabeth Ferlic, MD, is a board-certified urologist, fellowship-trained in voiding dysfunction and female pelvic medicine. She treats women and men across the Salt Lake Valley.
What are my options?
A starting point for the conversation, not a prescription. Your evaluation decides what fits.
A weak stream or straining to start
Often with a feeling of incomplete emptying
Medication or a prostate procedure
Medication relaxes or shrinks the prostate; procedures when it stops working
Frequent urination and sudden urges
The cause can be the prostate or the bladder itself
A flow study and a bladder scan
A few minutes of testing usually settles the question
Leaking after prostate surgery
After prostate removal or another prostate procedure
Pelvic floor therapy, then procedures
Surgical options such as male slings or artificial sphincters when needed
Permanent birth control
After a consultation to confirm your decision
An office vasectomy
Local anesthesia, about 20 minutes, and a semen test to confirm it
Treatment options for men with voiding issues, BPH, or incontinence
Medication management: first-line treatment for enlarged prostate (BPH) and overactive bladder, with an honest review of what each drug helps, what it does not, and when a prescription that is not working should be stopped Bladder Botox: an office procedure that calms an overactive bladder when medications are not enough; the effect typically lasts around six months and can be repeated Procedures for leaking after prostate surgery: evaluation and treatment for stress incontinence that follows prostate surgery, from pelvic floor therapy through surgical options (such as male slings or artificial sphincters) when needed Procedures for an enlarged prostate: traditional surgical treatments as well as minimally invasive options are available for BPH Sacral neuromodulation (i.e., InterStim or Axonics): a small implanted device that steadies the nerve signals between the brain and the bladder; an established option for urgency and frequency that medication has not controlled, and one of the few treatments that works for nerve-related bladder problems
Tibial nerve stimulation: office-based procedures as well as implantable devices that can help with urgency
| Medication management | Bladder Botox | Sacral neuromodulation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Prescription medication, with an honest review of what each drug helps and what it doesn't | An office procedure that calms an overactive bladder | A small implanted device that steadies nerve signals between the brain and the bladder |
| Used for | Enlarged prostate (BPH) and overactive bladder | Overactive bladder | Urgency and frequency, including nerve-related bladder problems |
| When it fits | First-line treatment | When medications are not enough | When medication hasn't controlled urgency and frequency |
| Good to know | A prescription that isn't working should be stopped | The effect typically lasts around six months and can be repeated | One of the few treatments that works for nerve-related bladder problems |
Medication management
- What it is
- Prescription medication, with an honest review of what each drug helps and what it doesn't
- Used for
- Enlarged prostate (BPH) and overactive bladder
- When it fits
- First-line treatment
- Good to know
- A prescription that isn't working should be stopped
Bladder Botox
- What it is
- An office procedure that calms an overactive bladder
- Used for
- Overactive bladder
- When it fits
- When medications are not enough
- Good to know
- The effect typically lasts around six months and can be repeated
Sacral neuromodulation
- What it is
- A small implanted device that steadies nerve signals between the brain and the bladder
- Used for
- Urgency and frequency, including nerve-related bladder problems
- When it fits
- When medication hasn't controlled urgency and frequency
- Good to know
- One of the few treatments that works for nerve-related bladder problems
Vasectomy: a straightforward office procedure
A vasectomy is the most effective form of permanent birth control available (over 99%) and one of the most straightforward procedures in urology. It is performed in the office under local anesthesia. The procedure itself takes about 20 minutes, recovery generally means a few days of taking it easy, and most men return to desk work within two or three days.
If you are considering a vasectomy in Utah, the process at Core Urology and Pelvic Health has three steps: a consultation to answer your questions and confirm your decision, the procedure on a scheduled date, and a semen test about three months later to confirm that it worked. The final step matters because a vasectomy is not immediately effective, and skipping the confirmation test leaves room for an unplanned pregnancy. The entire process is handled directly by a board-certified urologist in Salt Lake City.
Whenever possible, procedures are scheduled for Friday afternoons (and Saturdays when available) so that recovery falls over the weekend.
Benefits and risks, side by side
Every treatment has trade-offs. Your history and your goals decide which ones matter most.
What treatment can address
- A weak stream, straining, and incomplete emptying from an enlarged prostate
- Frequent urination and sudden urges
- Leaking after prostate removal or another prostate procedure
- Neurogenic bladder, from diagnosis through long-term care
- Permanent birth control through vasectomy
What to weigh first
- The size and shape of your prostate
- Your symptoms and your goals for treatment
- Whether the prostate or the bladder is the cause
- Waiting too long can mean medication alone is no longer enough
- A vasectomy isn't effective right away; a semen test confirms it
What happens at the first visit?
The visit starts with what has changed and what you want help with. Any treatment and follow-up plan is specific to you.
Talk through your symptoms
Bring your concerns, medication list, and relevant medical history.
Decide what needs checking
Testing depends on your symptoms and history, and some concerns need a separate workup.
Discuss a plan and follow-up
Review benefits, risks, alternatives, and what to watch for.
Before you schedule
Ask which appointments are available and whether your concern suits a video visit or needs an in-person evaluation.
Here’s what our great patients say
Is frequent urination just part of getting older?
Getting up once a night becomes common with age. Getting up three or four times, planning your day around restrooms, or noticing a stream that is much weaker than it used to be usually points to a treatable condition. The cause is most often the prostate, sometimes the bladder, and occasionally the nerves, and a short set of simple tests sorts out which one it is. Each has established treatment options.
Do I need a referral?
No referral is required to see a urologist, and you can contact us directly. If your primary care doctor referred you, we will send a consultation note back to that office so your records stay complete.
Can I schedule a vasectomy now?
Contact the practice to ask which visit types are available and when in-person appointments and procedures can be scheduled.
Our team is ready to help you
Serving the Salt Lake Valley.