Urology is the branch of medicine that deals with the health of the male and female urinary tract, and the male reproductive organs.
What does a urologist do?
A urologist deals with diagnosing and treating problems involving the urinary tract, both for male and female, along with issues of the male reproductive organ. The doctor has in-depth knowledge in the fields of surgery, internal medicine, pediatrics, and gynecology.
What diseases are treated by a urologist?
The diseases and disorders most often addressed are calculus, interstitial cystitis, urethral diverticula, impotence, stress incontinence, male infertility, urinary tract infections, and benign prostatic hyperplasia. Others include hypertension, diseases of the adrenal glands, congenital malformations of the genitourinary, renal disease in advanced stages requiring dialysis or transplant, genitourinary tumors, obstructive uropathy, and varicocele.
What are the procedures used by a urologist?
Among the most used procedures are prostate biopsy, cystoscopy, cryoablation, echography, digital rectal exam, reconstructive surgery, lithotripsy, and pyeloplasty. Others include prostatectomy, prostate MRI, prostate-specific antigen, rigid and flexible ureteroscopy, urethrocystography, urethrography, urine culture, uroflowmetry, and urography.
When should a patient visit a urologist?
It is not necessary to have a problem in order to visit a urologist. The doctor may, in fact, help prevent disturbances to the genitals before they appear. It is therefore recommended to visit during puberty and every 1-3 years after that to the age of 40.
A young man should visit a urologist whenever he is experiencing symptoms such as itching, pain, redness or spots on the genitals, and other symptoms that may be suggestive of a problem in the genitals.
In the case of urinary problems, both men and women should contact a urologist in case of recurrent infections with a frequency greater than 3 times per year, or whose symptoms do not disappear within 24-48 hours after taking antibiotics. Other symptoms include constant bladder pain, heartburn, and the need to urinate often.
