A urologist is a physician who specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the genitourinary system, which includes the bladder, kidneys, and the male reproductive system.
When Should You See a Urologist?
Urologists generally see patients for a wide range of issues related to the genitourinary system. Typically, a patient is referred to a urologist by his or her primary physician with symptoms such as:
- Kidney stones
- Incontinence
- Discomfort or pain while urinating
- Blood in urine (hematuria)
- Bladder cancer
- Male infertility
Sometimes, patients will not have any obvious symptoms but will be referred to a urologist because of an abnormality found during exams for another condition.
What Areas Do Urologists Specialize In?
There are seven urological subspecialties:
- Pediatric Urology: urologic diseases and conditions that involve children
- Urologic Oncology: cancers of the prostate, testicles, bladder and kidneys
- Renal Transplantation: transplanting kidneys from donors to patients with end-stage kidney disease
- Male Infertility: conditions that make it difficult or impossible for men to impregnate a woman
- Calculi: stones in the urinary tract or kidney
- Female Urology: urinary difficulties in women, as well as problems with the muscles and tissues of the pelvis (pelvic outlet relaxation disorders)
- Neurourology: conditions involving the muscles and nerves that control urination, or nerve problems affecting male erections
References
What is a Urologist?. (2005). American Urological Association. p. 1-7.
What is Urology? (1999). American Urological Association.