When should you see a urologist?
Urologists are medical practitioners who specialize in diagnosing and treating urinary tract disorders in men and women. Some urologists treat general urinary tract diseases, while others specialize in different subfields of urology, such as male infertility, female urology, pediatric urology, or urologic oncology.
Consult a urologist near you if you have difficulty urinating, a weak urine flow, blood in urine, cloudy urine, urinary incontinence while exercising, laughing or sneezing, or a constant urge to urinate. Additionally, you must consult urologists if you have pain while urinating or have continuous pain in your lower back, groin, or flanks. Other symptoms include bladder control loss, difficulty maintaining an erection, urinary tract infection, infertility, and pelvic pain.
Educational qualification and training of urologists
To become a urologist, candidates must first earn a bachelor's degree and then pass the MCAT (medical college admissions test) to enter medical school. A medical degree usually takes four years to complete.
After that, urology students enroll in a residency program for five to six years. The American Board of Urology offers board certification to students who complete a residency program. During their residency, students receive training in the surgical and medical management of urologic disorders.
Following that, students must finish a fellowship that may take another one to three years if they want to specialize in a particular field of urology. Among the urology subspecialties are:
- Pediatric urology: This surgical specialty focuses on diagnosing and treating genitourinary tract conditions that are congenital or acquired in newborns, kids, and teenagers.
- Urologic oncology: Cancers of the urinary system, such as those of the bladder, kidneys, prostate, adrenal gland, and testicles, are the focus of the discipline of urologic oncology.
- Male infertility: This subspecialty focuses on issues that make it difficult for males to conceive a child with a spouse.
- Endourology/calculi: The most common treatment for urinary stones is closed manipulation of the urinary tract, which is the primary focus of endourology. Now, minimally invasive surgical methods are a part of the field. Prostate surgery, stone removal surgery, and straightforward urethral or ureteral surgeries are a few examples of closed manipulation of the urinary tract. Endo-urologists put endoscopes into the urinary tract to carry out these procedures.
- Female urology: This subfield focuses on female reproductive and urinary systems issues.
- Neurourology: The nervous system's control of the genitourinary organs is the primary focus of neuro-urology.
- Reconstructive urology focuses on repairing the genitourinary tract's anatomy and functionality.
Then, students must take and pass a state medical examination and adhere to any requirements set down by the medical board to practice as a doctor. Doctors must keep up with continuous medical advancements to maintain their licenses and provide optimal patient care.
What conditions can urologists treat?
If you are experiencing any of these issues, you should consider visiting a urologist near you:
Kidney stones form when minerals and salts build up and harden in the kidneys. They vary in size and can be painful to pass. Some stones may pass with medication and plenty of water, while others might require assistance from your urologist.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also called enlarged prostate, frequently affects men as they age. Though non-cancerous, BPH can lead to uncomfortable urinary symptoms due to restricted urine flow.
Prostate cancer manifests in the prostate gland of men. If detected early by your provider, they can treat it successfully. Most men diagnosed with prostate cancer survive, as it tends to grow slowly.
Urinary incontinence can be of two types, namely, stress incontinence, which occurs when you leak urine due to pressure on the bladder, and another is urge incontinence, characterized by a sudden, strong urge to urinate.
Many men experience erectile dysfunction as they age. If you face persistent issues, discussing them with your urologist is important.
UTIs arise when bacteria enter the urethra and ascend to the bladder. Symptoms include an excessive urge to urinate and pain during urination. Your urologist will likely prescribe antibiotics to treat it.
If a couple cannot conceive after a year of trying, the male partner should undergo fertility testing. Reasons behind male infertility include low sperm motility, low sperm production, and other factors.
A vasectomy is an outpatient procedure that permanently prevents pregnancy. It takes about 20 minutes, during which your urologist cuts or blocks the vas deferens to stop sperm from leaving the testicles.
Low testosterone levels may reduce sex drive and cause fatigue, erectile dysfunction, and loss of muscle mass. Your urologist may recommend testosterone replacement therapy, tailoring a treatment plan to your needs.
An overactive bladder causes a frequent and urgent need to urinate, often resulting in urination more than eight times a day. Your urologist will assess any underlying conditions that might contribute to your symptoms.
What procedures do urologists near you perform?
Urologists are skilled in a variety of procedures. To better determine your diagnosis, they might carry out one or more of the following procedures:
- Physical examination: Urologists may examine the rectum, genitals, abdomen, or groin, depending on your symptoms. Urologists also perform a digital rectal examination to evaluate the prostate gland manually in males. In the event of urinary symptoms, women may have to undergo a pelvic exam. Percussion can help confirm urinary retention, while palpation can reveal testicular torsion or an inguinal hernia.
- Blood tests: Urologists use blood tests to diagnose genitourinary disorders. Most of the tests support the diagnosis. Specific cancer markers in the blood, such as alpha-fetoprotein, aid in the early detection and screening of testicular cancer. A testosterone test detects low testosterone levels. Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine tests measure kidney functions. Urologists perform blood calcium tests to screen for kidney disease.
- Urinalysis: Urologists conduct a gross examination of urine that includes the sample's appearance, color, and odor, as well as microscopic and chemical analysis. A chemical analysis determines whether the patient has diabetes or kidney disease. Urologists may also perform a urine culture to confirm a bacterial infection and urine dipstick tests to detect blood in the urine.
- Imaging studies: When a diagnosis is unclear, urologists use imaging tests via blood or physical examination. These include an X-ray, a CT scan, an MRI, a retrograde urethrogram, a PET scan, and an ultrasound.
- Cystoscopy: Urologists may order this test, which involves numbing the urethra before inserting a narrow scope to view the bladder.
- Urodynamic testing: Urologists assess urinary issues or incontinence caused by an enlarged prostate. It determines the pressure and volume changes of the bladder.
- Seminogram: Urologists use semen analysis to assess the quantity, motility, quality, and shape of sperm in an ejaculated semen sample. Seminograms are essential in cases of male infertility.
- Post-void residual urine test: Urologists measure the rate at which urine exits the bladder during urination. This test also helps assess how much urine remains in the bladder after urinating.
- Surgical procedures: Urologists may perform kidney, bladder, or prostate biopsies. Depending on the intervention required, they may conduct a kidney transplant, cystectomy, prostatectomy, ureteroscopy, and vasectomy. Other procedures are sling surgery to treat urinary incontinence, transurethral resection, or needle ablation of the prostate.
How can you maintain good urological health?
A proper diet is vital for maintaining excellent urological health since it relieves pressure on your kidneys and can lower the risk of developing urinary tract problems. Reading nutrition labels on favorite foods can help you stay aware of calorie intake, sodium, and sugar content. Blueberries and strawberries have high vitamin C content and can help your bladder fight harmful bacteria. Due to their high water content, berries can also help with the daily flushing of your urinary system to prevent urinary tract infections.
However, it's essential to avoid pesticide-treated vegetables and fruits. Frozen fruits and vegetables are healthy alternatives that have the same nutritional value. Most importantly, drinking enough water reduces your chances of developing UTIs and kidney stones. Patients should avoid artificial sweeteners if they have sensitive bladders.
How to prevent kidney stones?
Minor modifications to your daily diet and nutrition can help you prevent kidney stones.
- Limit intake of animal protein.
Foods like beef, poultry, fish, and pork are rich animal protein sources, making them more acidic. Intake of these foods would increase the acid levels in the urine, leading to the formation of kidney stones. Therefore, limit your intake of animal proteins and drink lots of water after your meals to avoid dehydration and prevent stones from forming.
Dehydration or not drinking ample water increases the risk of kidney stones. So drink lots of water daily and make sure your body stays well hydrated, especially if you live in a hot, humid, or dry area. An adult body, on average, needs about 3 liters of water daily. Lack of water in the body leads to low urine output. Also, the urine becomes more concentrated, and the urine salts that cause stones cannot dissolve.
The color of your urine shows how hydrated you are. It should be colorless or pale yellow. Dark urine could indicate dehydration. Foods rich in citric acid, like oranges and lemons, can help prevent stones from forming.
Eating salty foods or higher amounts of salt can increase the risk of kidney stones. Higher quantities of salt in the urine prevent calcium reabsorption into the blood, increasing the amount of calcium in the urine, which causes kidney stones. Lowering your salt intake helps to maintain the calcium levels in the urine, thus preventing kidney stones.
Avoid chips, processed foods, canned vegetables, soups, lunch meat condiments, etc. You can use a salt-free herbal seasoning blend or fresh herbs to flavor your foods without salt.
- Limit intake of oxalates.
Oxalate is a natural compound found in various foods. It binds with calcium present in the urine and forms kidney stones. Limiting your intake of oxalates may prevent the risk of kidney stones. Foods like chocolates, coffee, soy products, white bran, peanuts, beets, and sweet potatoes are rich in oxalates. Therefore, you must limit your intake of such foods. Eating calcium-rich foods helps bind the oxalates and calcium in the digestive tract, thus preventing the risks of developing kidney stones.
A low-calcium diet increases the risk of kidney stones. However, avoid taking calcium supplements as these could increase the risk of stones. Instead, opt for foods naturally rich in calcium, as the body quickly absorbs this form of calcium. Low-fat yogurt, low-fat cheese, and low-fat milk are good calcium-rich foods. If you take calcium supplements, try taking them with your meals to reduce the risks of stones.
How to find the best urologist near you?
Finding a urologist best suited to your medical needs can be challenging. Zocdoc connects patients with the best providers available. On the website, enter your condition, preferred location and date, and insurance policy, and Zocdoc will provide you with an extensive list of urologists in Orlando.
When looking for an in-network doctor, you can trust Zocdoc to keep your health insurance information safe per the industry's best practices. For any insurance-related queries, contact Zocdoc's patient help center.
Each healthcare provider listed on Zocdoc has a profile detailing the practitioner's educational background, place of practice, and specific specialties and services. Zocdoc also gathers patient feedback after each visit and constantly updates it on the website.
Use Zocdoc's insurance checker to verify if a urologist accepts your insurance plan. Zocdoc also lets you schedule video consultations. Look for the purple-colored video button on the practitioner's profile or filter the search results for video availability.
All appointments with Zocdoc are safe, secure, and free.
Urological Healthcare Statistics in Orlando, Florida
According to "The State of the Urology Workforce and Practice in the United States," in 2020, approximately 925 urologists were practicing in Florida. In 2015, it was far more; about 1,263 urologists were practicing in the state.
According to state-level forecasted models published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, the urologic care ratio in Florida will decrease by approximately 30%, from almost 6.23 per 100,000 in 2010 to nearly 4.39 per 100,000 by 2030.
According to the Orlando Health Cancer Institute 2020 report, Florida's prostate cancer incidence rate was nearly 9.4% in 2020.
According to the American Cancer Society's recent 2024 projection, there will be approximately 24,090 prostate cancer cases. The organization also estimated that about 2800 Floridians will die from prostate cancer and almost 1,520 from urinary bladder cancer.
A 2002 study states that a dedicated team with an experienced urologist can best manage urinary tract infections in colorectal cancer patients. In addition, prostate cancer treatment frequently necessitates the expertise of multiple medical specialists, including urologists. Urologists oversee the treatment of bladder cancer and may perform surgical interventions if needed.
Sources
WebMD
Cleveland Clinic
Healthline[1]
Healthline[2]
VeryWell Health
Urology Care Foundation
American Urological Association
National Center for Biotechnology Information[1]
National Center for Biotechnology Information[2]
Orlando Health
American Cancer Society
Mayo Clinic
The Canadian Urological Association
Urology Clinics of North Texas
