What is urology? Who are urologists?
Urology is a medical and surgical specialty within modern medicine that deals with diseases affecting the urinary tract and male reproductive system. The penis, prostate gland, and testicles constitute the male reproductive organs, while the human urinary system comprises the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra.
Urologists are doctors who diagnose, treat, and research illnesses affecting the organs that fall under the scope of urology. They possess knowledge and understanding of the basic medical sciences related to the genitourinary tract and the adrenal glands. They also have knowledge of internal medicine, pediatrics, gynecology, and other parts of health care.
A urologist can also serve as your primary doctor if you have symptoms like:
- Regular problems with kidney stones
- Long-term problems with holding your urine
- Prostate cancer
Education and training of urologists
To enter medical school, one must obtain a bachelor's degree and then take the Medical College Admissions Test. Upon completing a four-year course at medical school, one must spend about five to six years in a residency program.
During this time, the aspirants train in surgical and medical treatments of urological diseases. Some may further specialize in a subspecialty, for which they must complete a fellowship lasting one to three years. After completing their residency, the urologists can become board-certified by the American Board of Urology. The candidate must also pass a state medical examination and adhere to the medical board guidelines to begin practicing as a doctor.
Subspecialties of urology
Urology has extensive scope across the medical field. According to the American Urological Association, urology has mainly seven specialties, which are:
- Female urology: Focuses on issues affecting the female reproductive system and urinary tract. Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are the most common reason women visit female urologists.
- Male infertility: This subspecialty deals with problems that prevent men from conceiving babies. A semen analysis can identify the abnormalities causing low fertility.
- Neurourology: Focuses on urinary issues caused by nervous system conditions and spinal injuries. These include slow or incomplete bladder emptying, no bladder sensation, genital region pain, etc.
- Pediatric urology: The subspecialty addresses urinary problems in children, such as bed-wetting, bladder control problems, UTIs, hernia, etc.
- Urologic oncology: Focuses on cancers affecting the urinary system, such as cancers of the bladder, kidneys, prostate, and testicles.
- Renal (kidney) transplant: Usually the treatment of choice for kidney failure, renal transplant concentrates on surgically removing a damaged kidney and replacing it with a healthy one from a donor.
- Calculi (urinary tract stones): Deals with surgically removing kidney stones. Kidney stones are hard mineral or acid salt deposits that stick together in concentrated urine.
When should you see a urologist?
Identifying the signs of complex urological diseases in the early stages is challenging. Still, it is a dangerous gamble to ignore newly-emerged patterns or pain in or near your lower abdomen. You should consider seeing the best urologist near you if you notice urine-related symptoms like trouble while urinating, difficulty in starting urination and holding back urine, painful urination, or a burning sensation during urination. Other symptoms include changes in urination habits, like frequent urination and having a strong urge to urinate. Additionally, if you spot blood in your urine (hematuria), visit a urologist as soon as possible.
See a urologist if you notice groin-related symptoms like painful ejaculation, blood in the semen, erectile dysfunction, a lump in the testicle, or an enlarged testicle. Swelling near the tip of the penis or swollen lymphatic nodes in the groin area can also be causes for concern.
Although your primary healthcare provider can help with a primary diagnosis of urology-related diseases and conditions, they may eventually refer you to a urologist for a thorough diagnosis and treatment. Visit a urologist if your primary health care provider has diagnosed you with kidney stones, kidney diseases, interstitial cystitis, or bladder, kidneys, and adrenal gland cancers. If you are male, visit a urologist if you have been diagnosed with prostate gland enlargement, infertility, or cancers of the penis, testicles, and prostate gland. Additionally, if your child is wetting the bed or has undescended testicles, make an appointment with a urologist.
What types of tests does a urologist perform to diagnose urinary conditions?
When you visit a urologist, they may perform several tests to diagnose your condition. These include:
- Imaging tests like CT scans, MRIs, or ultrasounds to provide a view of your urinary tract.
- A cystogram to examine your bladder.
- A cystoscopy using a thin instrument called a cystoscope to inspect the inside of your urethra and bladder.
- After urination, a post-void residual urine test to measure urine flow and the amount left in your bladder.
- Urine samples can be analyzed for bacteria to identify possible infections.
- Urodynamic testing to assess the pressure and volume within your bladder.
What is a cystography?
Cystography uses X-rays to diagnose issues in the bladder. These X-rays can be still images or fluoroscopy, a type of X-ray video.
During a cystography, a healthcare provider inserts a thin urinary catheter to fill the bladder with contrast dye, enhancing its visibility. They then take X-rays to examine the bladder. In some cases, they may combine cystography with other procedures. For instance, cystourethrography captures images of the bladder and urethra, while voiding cystourethrography uses fluoroscopy to observe how the bladder empties during urination. This test can help detect conditions such as where urine flows back into the kidneys (vesicoureteral reflux).
A healthcare provider may perform CT cystography after trauma or surgery. While X-rays are commonly used to detect bone and joint problems or assess the heart and lungs, cystography uses a small amount of radiation to focus specifically on the bladder.
What treatments can a urologist provide?
Due to their extensive training in medicine and surgery, urologists can offer various treatments. For example, they can provide behavior modification and medication prescriptions to treat conditions like urinary retention, which you can manage with pelvic muscle strengthening exercises.
A urologist may carry out the following standard procedures:
- Cystoscopy: Provides an up-close examination of the bladder and urethra using a specialized telescope-like tool called a cystoscope.
- Ureteroscopy: It is like cystoscopy but involves examining the ureters and kidneys.
- Nephrectomy: Involves surgically removing the kidney to treat cancer.
- Vasectomy: Can be performed to prevent pregnancy by severing the tubes responsible for carrying sperm in men.
- Prostate biopsy: Extracting a tiny tissue sample from the prostate for cancer testing.
Difference between urology and nephrology
If you wanted to see a doctor who only focuses on the kidneys, you would make an appointment with a nephrologist. Nephrology is a subspecialty of internal medicine, even though experts regard both urology and internal medicine as subspecialties. Therefore, nephrologists are not surgeons, whereas urologists are. Additionally, nephrologists must be able to handle conditions like high blood pressure that arise elsewhere in the body due to kidney problems.
How do I decide between a gynecologist and a urologist?
The human body's sex organs and urine tract overlap significantly. Due to this, it can be confusing to decide which professional to consult when something goes wrong in that area.
Women are at risk of many of the same urological issues as males, including UTIs, kidney stones, hydronephrosis, and others. However, other problems are exclusive to women, such as pelvic organ prolapse. Furthermore, women have a shorter urinary tract, which makes them more exposed to UTIs.
Urinary problems could occur after childbirth as a result of pelvic muscle displacement. Whether there appears to be a clear cause or not, it is critical to have urinary problems examined right away. Irregular urine patterns and symptoms could indicate a dangerous disease. Thus, it is helpful to understand the differences between the two professionals to make the right choice for your health concerns.
A gynecologist (GYN) is a medical professional who specializes in female reproductive organs. They diagnose/manage/treat a wide range of issues, including fertility, STIs, hormone abnormalities, and more.
On the other hand, a urologist specializes in the urinary system. This includes the bladder, urinary tract, and kidneys. In general, if you have urinary problems, like overactive bladder, incontinence, or blood in your pee, you should schedule an appointment with a urologist near you.
Tips to maintain pelvic health
Stress and lifestyle can cause and aggravate pelvic floor spasms and discomfort in men and women alike. ​​You can enhance your pelvic health by exercising and eating well to prevent heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. The goal is to maintain an upright pelvic floor to avoid chronic problems with bladder and bowel control.
- Strengthen your pelvic floor. If you have loose muscles, you should do Kegel exercises every day.
- Meditation, yoga, warm baths, and guided relaxation may help loosen stiff pelvic muscles.
- Consuming enough fluids and fiber and regular exercise can help prevent constipation, improve stool consistency, and reduce bowel leakages.
- Avoid over-exerting yourself or pushing during bowel motions and urination.
- Reduce consumption of coffee, alcohol, and artificial sweeteners.
- Maintain a healthy body weight.
- Avoid heavy lifting, as it can cause organ prolapse.
Finding the best urologists near you in Marietta, GA
Early detection and treatment of urological disorders like prostate cancer can significantly increase your chances of long-term survival, especially when treatment begins at the early stages of your diagnosis. To find the best urologist for your unique case, visit Zocdoc.
Begin your search by entering your location (Marietta, Georgia), the specialty you seek (urology), and your preferred appointment date on Zocdoc. Click 'Find' to load a directory of top-rated doctors near you. Each doctor's profile displays their educational qualifications, board certifications, clinical interests, specializations, practice history, and spoken languages. It also informs you about previous patient ratings and reviews. You may further filter the urologists based on your unique case requirement and gender preference.
Zocdoc also helps make your insurance submission process hassle-free by letting you filter urologists according to those who accept your plan. Add your insurance carrier's name in the search query to utilize the feature. Zocdoc's insurance detector shall help you detect your insurance plan if you need clarification. Use the insurance card capture feature to submit your medical insurance information before making an appointment.
Our online patient support center is ready to assist if you're searching for urologists who accept your insurance. Through Zocdoc, you can link your medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to your account, although you can use only one insurance plan per appointment.
You can include your secondary insurance details in the appointment notes for those with multiple insurance plans. Alternatively, if your healthcare provider uses Zocdoc's Intake forms, you can conveniently enter your secondary insurance information to streamline the process.
Once you've selected the best urologist in your vicinity, you can click on the book appointment option, and we shall assist you in instantly booking your first session. Zocdoc allows you to book video appointments before in-person visits to understand your urologist better. Look for a purple video icon on your urologist's profile, or filter the video appointment selection.
Booking appointments with Zocdoc is easy, free, and secure!
Statistics on prostate cancer in Georgia
According to the American Cancer Society, there were approximately 9150 new cases of prostate cancer estimated in Georgia in 2022, with 1070 expected prostate cancer fatalities.
Additionally, data documented by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) from 2014-2018 suggests that the average annual incidence rate of prostate cancer per 100,000 Georgian men is 126.6%, making it the second most common cancer in Georgia.
Research by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015-2019) suggests that Georgia's average annual prostate cancer death rate is 21.5%. According to this data, prostate cancer stands second among the leading causes of death by cancer in Georgia men.
Sources
Urology Care Foundation
Healthline[1]
Healthline[2]
American College of Surgeons
Moffitt Cancer Center
American Cancer Society
Cleveland Clinic
WebMD
Urology Specialists of Ohio
Stanford Health Care
Johns Hopkins Medicine
