If you’ve been referred to a urologist, it’s likely because you’re a man with a prostate problem. However, urological services will often be suggested for clients with erectile dysfunction, chronic urinary tract infections, or kidney diseases. Urologists are doctors who specialize in disorders related to the urinary system, which includes the kidneys, bladder, ureters, prostate, and urethra.
Clients with chronic urinary incontinence might also be referred to a urologist. A urological examination will typically include a physical exam, a urine test, and a review of your medical history. At your first visit to urologist services, the staff will likely take a series of diagnostic tests and a thorough history to determine any and all urinary challenges you’re having. During you’re visit, it’s important to ask as many questions as possible to get peace of mind moving forward.
Sometimes, you may be visiting a doctor or in the hospital for an unrelated reason, and your doctor may ask for a urology consult. Such a consult might occur while being treated for a condition in an adjacent system, such as a GI disorder, during a difficult pregnancy. Keep in mind that the doctor referring you to urology will have a good overview of your condition, and have a good reason for the referral.
As a man, you probably hear about how important your prostate health is. You might be sick of hearing about it and you might dread getting a prostate exam, but it’s for good reason:
- It’s estimated that 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.
- Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States.
- About 37 million American males suffer from an enlarged prostate, which is also known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.
With that in mind, there are many reasons to visit a urologist. If you don’t know what a urologist is, it’s a specialist who deals with the kidneys, prostate, male reproductive organs and other parts of the body associated with the genitourinary tract. Not only do urologists deal with those parts of the body, but they also deal with diseases that can affect those organs.
If your primary care doctor recommends an appointment with a urologist, here’s what you can expect:
- A urine sample: When you visit a urologist, you’ll be asked to provide a urine sample, so you would do well not to show up with an empty bladder. Many conditions that a urologists treats usually prevent a person from holding it in, but nonetheless you should go expecting to provide a urine sample for analyzing.
- Medical history: When it comes to male urology, the first time you visit a urologist’s office, either the urologist or a member of the medical staff will ask for a detailed medical history. That history is going to focus on the results of any exams you’ve taken related to your urological problem, what problems you may be experiencing and a comprehensive review of all your body’s systems. They’ll also want to know about any and all medications you take. If you don’t know the medications/dosages off the top of your head, bring your medication bottles with you.
The more they know about you and have on file, the more they’ll be able to help you. - Paperwork: A visit to any new doctor’s office is going to require you to fill out some paperwork and you’re more than likely very familiar with this drill. You’ll have to rate the severity of your symptoms, fill out questionnaires and any other pertinent information related to male urology.
- Exams: You have had some exams prior to your visit which necessitated the need to see a urologist. But the urologist may want to perform exams of their own, so don’t be surprised if that happens. This exams is going to focus on the genitourinary system and way also perform a digital prostate exam.
- Treatment: Regardless of whether you have additional exams at the urologist office or not, your urologist will be able to take the information they have and discuss different treatment options with you. This may involve additional testing, depending on what kind of symptoms and issues you’re dealing with and how severe they are.
- Other stuff: It’s possible that a urologist may order imaging studies done on the areas of your body that you’re being tested for. These studies may include sonography. A urologist may also order some additional tests such as urodynamics and cystoscopy, which examine how your bladder is functioning.
A visit to the urologist doesn’t have to be a scary experience. In fact, it can one of the best decisions you make for your health and it can give you some concrete answers to medical issues you might have associated with male urology. By completing the necessary steps, a urologist can get a detailed look at your system, how well it’s functioning and offer you treatment plans, whether you need help with bladder disorder treatment, prostate cancer treatment, erectile disfunction treatment, vasectomy concerns, kidney stones treatment or other male urology issues.
