Do you Need to See a Urologist?
Here are the Common Conditions that a Urologist Treats
Nearly everyone has heard of a urologist, but not many know what a urologist does. Basically, a urologist diagnoses, treats, and monitors urinary tract and external genital organ disorders. This can also include the kidneys, uterus, urethra, bladder, and prostate. A urologist also performs surgeries in some cases.
One of the common misconceptions with urologists is that they only treat men, when, in fact, they treat both men and women. While urologist specializes in a specific field, they often work alongside your doctor, or other specialists depending on the nature of treatment.
Common Urological Conditions
There are several reasons that you may need to see a urologist. Here are some of the most common conditions.
- Urinary tract infections
This is a common reason to see a urologist, especially if the UTI’s are ongoing and happen frequently. Women are 10 times more likely to get a UTI. It is caused by bacteria entering the urinary tract through the urethra.
- Urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is the sudden loss of bladder control. It can be caused by infections, sphincter problems, neurological disorders, diabetic neuropathy, mobility impairment, and psychological issues.
- Interstitial cystitis
Also known as painful bladder syndrome, this condition mostly affects women, although some men suffer from it as well. Interstitial cystitis is a chronic inflammatory bladder syndrome that causes frequent urination and pain in the bladder and pelvic area.
- Prostatitis
Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland, a walnut-sized gland that only men have.
- Enlarged prostate
Different than prostatitis, enlarged prostate is often referred to as BPH (Benign prostatic hyperplasia). This is a common occurrence in men, especially as they get older.
- Kidney stones
Kidney stones are solid, pebble-like masses that develop in the urinary tract from minerals (like salt) that have clumped together in the urine. The symptoms can be severe and can include fever, blood in the urine, burning while you urinate, urinary urgency, and loss of appetite.
- Male and female infertility
Although age is a major factor, there are many other causes of infertility in men and women. This is a common condition for a urologist to treat.
- Sexual dysfunction
While sexual dysfunction occurs in both men and women, it is most common to see issues with men. These include erectile dysfunction and low testosterone.
- Cancers throughout the urinary tract
These can include kidney, bladder, prostate, penile, and testicular cancer.
While the list above covers some of the more common issues that urologists treat, they also have special training to fix urinary tract or genitalia abnormalities that are present at birth. This type of treatment also occurs in accident related situations, like car wrecks.
Urologists also treat some conditions found in children, not only adults. Although it is much less prevalent, pediatric urological care deals mostly with urination problems in children. This includes bedwetting, one of the most common issues.
If you suffer form any of these conditions, or are experiencing these symptoms then talk to your doctor right away. Urologists often work alongside your doctor as well as other specialists to provide proper diagnoses and treatment.
