What is a urologist? And what does a urologist do?

Urology is an old practice of medicine, even going back to the time of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, when doctors frequently examined pee's colour, odor, and texture. They also looked for bubbles, blood, and other indications of disease.

Today, urology is a complex area of medicine that has come very far. Here's a look at what urologists do and when you should consider seeing one.

What is a urologist?

Urologists diagnose and cure ailments of the urinary tract in both men and women. They also diagnose and treat anything involving the reproductive tract in men.

In some cases, they may perform operation. For instance, they may remove cancer or open a blockage in the urinary tract. Urologists operate in many different settings, such as hospitals, private practices, and urology facilities.

The urinary tract is the system which creates, stores, and eliminates urine in the body. Urologists can treat any component of the system. This includes the:

Urologists also treat all portions of the male reproductive system. This system Consists of the:

Manhood, which is the organ that releases urine and carries sperm from the entire body
prostate, that's the gland underneath the bladder that adds fluid to sperm to produce semen
testicles, which are the two oval organs inside the scrotum that make the hormone testosterone and create sperm

What is urology?

Urology is the field of medicine that focuses on diseases of the urinary tract and the male reproductive tract. Some urologists treat general ailments of the urinary tract. Others specialize in a particular kind of urology, such as:

  • Female urology, which focuses on circumstances of a female's reproductive and reproductive tract
  • male infertility, which focuses on issues that prevent a person from conceiving a baby with his partner
  • neurourology, which focuses on urinary problems because of ailments of the nervous system
  • pediatric urology, which concentrates on urinary difficulties in kids
  • urologic oncology, which concentrates on cancers of the reproductive system, including the bladder, kidneys, prostate, and testicles

Which conditions do urologists deal with?

Urologists treat a huge variety of conditions.

In males:

  • Cancers of the liver, kidneys, penis, testicles, and adrenal and prostate gland
  • prostate gland enlargement
  • erectile dysfunction, or trouble getting or maintaining an erection
  • infertility
  • interstitial cystitis, also known as painful bladder syndrome
  • kidney ailments
  • kidney stones
  • prostatitis, which is inflammation of the prostate gland
  • urinary tract infections (UTIs)
  • varicoceles, or enlarged veins in the scrotum

In females:

  • Bladder prolapse, or the falling of the bladder into the vagina
  • cancers of the bladder, kidneys, and adrenal glands
  • interstitial cystitis
  • kidney stones
  • overactive bladder
  • UTIs
  • urinary incontinence

In children:

  • Bed-wetting
  • blockages and other problems with the urinary tract structure
  • undescended testicles

Procedures urologists do

When You See a urologist, they will start by performing one or more of these tests to learn more about your condition.

  • A cystogram, which involves taking X-ray pictures of your bladder.
  • A cystoscopy. This entails having a thin range called a cystoscope to see the interior of your urethra and bladder.
  • A post-void residual urine test to discover how quickly urine leaves your entire body during urination.
  • Take a urine sample to check your urine for bacteria that cause infections.
  • Urodynamic testing to assess the pressure and volume inside your bladder.

Urologists are also trained to perform unique types of operation. This may include performing:

  • Biopsies of the bladder, kidneys, or prostate
  • a cystectomy, which involves removing the bladder, to deal with cancer
  • extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy, which entails breaking up kidney stones so that they could remove them easily
  • a kidney transplant, which involves replacing a diseased kidney with a healthy one
  • a procedure to open a congestion
  • a repair of damage due to injury
  • a fix of urinary organs which aren't well-formed
  • a prostatectomy, which involves removing part or all of the prostate gland to treat prostate cancer
  • a procedure, which involves using strips of mesh to support the urethra and keep it shut to deal with urinary incontinence
  • a transurethral resection of the prostate gland, which entails removing excess tissue from a enlarged prostate
  • that a transurethral needle ablation of the prostate gland, which involves removing excess tissue from an enlarged prostate
  • a ureteroscopy, which entails using a range to remove stones from the kidneys and ureter
  • a vasectomy to prevent pregnancy, which involves cutting and tying the vas deferens, or the tube sperm journey to produce semen

When to see a urologist

Your primary care physician can treat you for moderate conditions, like a UTI. Your physician may refer you to a urologist if your symptoms do not improve or in case you've got a condition that requires treatments they cannot supply.

The following are some of the symptoms that may require seeing a urologist.

  • Blood in your urine
  • a frequent or urgent need to urinate
  • pain in your lower spine, pelvis, or sides
  • pain or burning during urination
  • difficulty urinating
  • urine leakage
  • weak urine flow, dribbling

You should also see a urologist if you are a male and you're experiencing these signs:

  • Decreased sexual appetite
  • a lump in the testicle
  • trouble getting or keeping an erection