Which conditions involve a urologist?
A urologist deals with all diseases relating to the urinary tract of both sexes, and diseases of the male genitalia. More specifically, all surgical diseases of the kidneys (stones, cancer, cysts, pyelonephritis, PUJ obstruction), ureter problems, bladder (stones, cystitis, tumours, invasive cancer), prostate (prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, cancer), penis (Peyronie disease, cancer, tight foreskin) and testicles (hydrocele, varicocele, cancer). A urologist also specializes in all types of incontinence and any problems with erections and male infertility..
Are there preventative examinations I can do in Urology?
YES. The most common blood test for the early detection of prostate cancer is the PSA. From general tests, simple urinalysis and ultrasound of the kidneys, bladder and testicles are simple and painless tests. Although there are no official guidelines from the European Urological Association, every man or woman over 50 should have these tests once a year (especially when there is a family history of cancer). Your urologist can arrange for you to have these tests and will advise you on the results.
My doctor said I’ve probably got prostatitis. What is it?
Prostatitis is a form of urinary tract infection that affects the prostate gland. It is quite common in young men and is usually transmitted by sexual contact. In older men it is usually effects urination habbits. It is a form of infection that requires patience and perseverance. The patient must drink plenty of fluids and the urologist will administer antibiotics for several weeks.
I pee my pants, what is wrong? I have incontinence?
You are not the first and definitely not the last patient suffering on incontinence (uncontrolled losing urine or peeing your pants). Millions of patients visit their urologists worldwide every year because of incontinence. If you lose urine at your sleep and you have never been dry before, you are suffering on a situation called enuresis and you need to see a specialist on this issue. Through medication or special methods or devices you may be able to solve the problem. If you have been dry before and you are losing urine now, either when feeling the urge or by body strain, coughing or laughing you are suffering on urge incontinence or on stress incontinence. These situations have to be further examined. It is possible that you are losing urine because of a defect emptying mechanism of the bladder due to a big prostate. It is also possible that your pelvis muscles do not cooperate with your bladder muscle and with your urethra sphincter. Moreover it can be that your bladder muscle is overreacting on small insignificant stimuli. Especially for female patients, it is possible that there has been an anatomic change of the pelvis structures due to the increasing age and the alteration of the hormones, thus a uterus ptosis or a bladder ptosis due to relaxation of the tissues can lead to incontinence.
