A urologist is a doctor, and more specifically a surgeon, specialist in the urinary, genital and reproductive organs of both men and women. However, for these problems, women most often consult a gynecologist. In men, the urologist most often deals with problems encountered in terms of sexual and urinary disorders, and in particular related to pathologies of the prostate. When should you consult a urologist?
The urologist is a surgeon who specializes in disorders of the urinary and genital systems of both men and women. This area of medicine deals with conditions that affect the urinary system, i.e. the kidneys, ureters (ducts of the urinary system between the kidneys and the bladder), bladder, urethra (urinary tract that allows urine to evacuate from the bladder to the outside) and the prostate in men.
After 6 years of medicine, a urologist is trained during a 5-year internship and 3 additional years of study to obtain a Diploma of Complementary Specialized Studies (DESC) in urological surgery.
As the gynecologist is the specialist of the genital system of the woman, the urologist is also the doctor who takes care of that of the man. Thus, this doctor takes care of all pathologies of the prostate and bladder such as infections, adenomas (benign tumors) or cancers.
The urologist also treats in both sexes urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections, renal colic, vaginal dryness in women, male sterility and erectile dysfunction in men, specialty named for men , andrology.
A urologist is a specialist who can be consulted as much for the detection of diseases of the urinary and genital system, as for drug treatments or surgical interventions concerning diseases that affect these organs of the body.
Whether in women or in men, the first symptoms that suggest a dysfunction of the urinary or genital system should encourage you to consult a urologist. Indeed, as with all diseases in general, in these areas too, an early diagnosis usually allows a faster cure.
These symptoms which should alert and push to make an appointment with a urologist can be burning, embarrassment, or even a complete blockage, to urinate, repeated urges to urinate at night especially for men because this can be a sign for them of a prostate problem.
For men, screening for prostate cancer is offered by urologists from the age of 50, or 45 for those with a family history or who have already had this disease.
Apart from this case for men, in the event of symptoms, it is however advisable to first consult your general practitioner who, depending on the case, then directs his patients to a urologist. This course is also essential for health insurance to cover part of the cost of the visit to this specialist.
Regarding women, a urologist is the specialist capable of treating pathologies of the urinary system such as urinary incontinence, cystitis, tumors, etc. It can also take care of diseases of the reproductive system, but most often it is the gynecologists who take care of it for the woman.
Men should consult a urologist in case of affection of the urinary or genital tract. This specialist treats diseases such as benign prostate hyperplasia (increase in the number of cells), kidney stones, urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, urinary or prostatic infections, or even cancers. the urogenital system (prostate, testicle and kidney).
The first examinations carried out in the office of a urologist generally take the form of an auscultation of the perineum or a digital rectal examination. Depending on the diagnosis of this specialist, additional examinations may be carried out. This may involve a cytobacteriological examination of the urine, a flowmetry (assessment of the quantity of urine evacuated in a certain time during urination), a cytoscopy (exploration of the wall and mucous membranes of the bladder), a urodynamic assessment (exploration of the functioning of the bladder, urethra and sphincter system), an ultrasound of the urinary system or the prostate, or X-rays. If necessary, the urologist can intervene surgically during an intervention.
