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Urology ​​101

So your doctor told you to see a urologist and you said “OK”, all the while you are thinking “What is a urologist?” “What do they do?” And what is Urology?

Urology is a branch of medicine that deals with health issues of the male and female urinary tract, and the male reproductive syste​​​​​​​​​​​​​​m.

Your urologic health is important. Issues in this part of the body are vital to your total health. Urologists treat both men and women, from newborns to older adults. 

The urinary tract is a pathway made up of the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. These parts of your body make, store and get rid of the urine in your body. Your body makes urine to get rid of waste. It also makes it to get rid of the extra water that it doesn’t need. Before leaving your body, urine travels through the urinary tract. ​​​​​​​

A urologist is a doctor that focuses on these parts of the body. ​​​​​​​

The male reproductive system makes, stores, and transports semen for reproduction. It is made up of the penis, testes, scrotum and prostate.

Most physicians are either medical doctors OR surgeons, but urologists are both. They have more than 15 years of schooling and training before they can become a board certified urologist.

Urologists handle such health problems as cancer of the prostate, bladder, kidneys and testicles. These are just a few of the types of health issues a urologist treats.

Men, women and children can
be referred to a urologist for many reasons.

These may involve problems with bladder infections or incontinence. A man with erectile dysfunction or a child with bed wetting challenges may also be referred. As would a patient with kidney stones, an injury to the urinary system or a male infertility concern. Urology is a large field so they take care of many health issues.

Due to the wide variety of health care problems linked to urology, urologists also know about internal medicine, pediatrics, gynecology and other parts of medicine.

For more information, visit UrologyHealth.org

UrologyHealth.org ​ |  SPRING 2017  |  UROLOGY​HEALTH extra