How a urologist examines women. Appointment with a urologist, how to choose a good doctor. Diseases treated by a urologist
If you are going to an appointment with a urologist, you are probably interested in knowing how it goes.
The consultation always begins with a survey.
As soon as you enter the office, the doctor will ask what you are complaining about. You must be honest about all the symptoms that are bothering you. No need to be shy!
You're at a doctor's appointment doing an examination, not a date where you need to make a good impression of yourself. Therefore, you must tell about all the symptoms from the organs of the genitourinary system, even if you consider them shameful.
Often, patients withhold information about past sexually transmitted infections, sexual impotence, urinary incontinence, etc. These phenomena are really unpleasant. But the doctor needs all the data to make a diagnosis.
The patient's complaints give the doctor the opportunity to:
- establish in which organ the pathological process is localized;
- suspect the diagnosis
- determine the optimal survey plan.
Some complaints are so characteristic that the urologist immediately makes a primary diagnosis based on them. For example, pain during urination speaks of urethritis.
Frequent strong urges indicate cystitis.
Pain in the lower back when urinating - evidence of vesicoureteral reflux, etc.
There are also complaints in which it is impossible to assume a diagnosis. For example, back pain at rest.
But in any case, the doctor needs this information to understand which organ needs to be examined.
It is necessary to inform the urologist about non-specific complaints. For example, fever, weakness, malaise, loss of appetite, etc.
In isolation from other symptoms, such complaints do nothing for the doctor and do not facilitate diagnosis. However, in combination with other objective and subjective signs of urological diseases, they help to get an idea of the origin of the pathology.
Honest answers to all the questions of the urologist will help:
- reduce the time spent on diagnostics;
- reduce the number of diagnostic procedures and, accordingly, the cost of the examination;
- start treatment faster.
The doctor may ask questions not only about the symptoms of the current disease. He may ask what you have been ill with before, whether you have chronic pathologies. In particular, he is interested in diseases localized outside the genitourinary system.
The urologist can clarify what your relatives were sick with. He will also probably take an interest in the events that have taken place in your life lately.
These may be:
- change of sexual partner;
- pregnancy or childbirth;
- change of work and working conditions;
- transferred operations;
- domestic injuries, etc.
There are many clinics where everyone can undergo an examination by a urologist.
Including you can contact our clinic. We have experienced professionals. They know how to find an approach to the patient, communicate politely and ethically.
Both men and women attend. In addition, you can bring your child to the appointment if he has diseases of the genitourinary system.
After the interview, the doctor conducts an objective examination. It is not always pleasant. This is an inspection, probing of tissues, determination of various objective symptoms. Sometimes patients ask if it is possible to refuse to undergo an objective diagnosis with a urologist. Of course, you have the right to do so. After all, you are the only one responsible for your own health. But this will make it difficult for the doctor to establish the correct diagnosis and select an effective treatment.
How is the examination in men
Most often, men come to see a urologist. Because in them this specialist treats not only diseases of the urinary system, but also pathologies of the reproductive organs.
Unlike women, whose reproductive system is handled by a gynecologist.
One by one only appearance patient, his gait and behavior, an experienced urologist can draw many useful conclusions. For example, in the case of anxiety and trying to find a position of the body that relieves pain, the doctor thinks first of all of renal colic.
If the patient tries to bend the legs and bring them to the body, this indicates paranephritis. Because this position relieves pain. With this disease, a gait with an inclination of the body towards the diseased kidney is also observed.
In the case of diseases of the scrotum, the patient tries to walk slowly. He practically does not extend his legs in the hip joints.
With prostatitis, a person sits very carefully, often on the edges of a chair. This also does not escape the attention of the observant urologist.
Inspection can take place in different ways, depending on the purpose of the man's visit.
It's one thing if this is a preventive examination, for example, in adolescents during a school medical examination. It is quite another if the patient addressed with specific complaints. Then the survey will be less superficial and more targeted.
The examination begins with an assessment of the condition of the skin.
If the urologist sees that it has acquired a grayish color, this may indicate kidney failure. This is also indicated by the presence of edema.
The doctor evaluates the hair growth of the external genitalia.
In men, it can change with hormonal imbalance. Also, in the stronger sex, gynecomastia can be detected - breast enlargement. This is also indicative of dysfunction. endocrine system, and sometimes about tumor processes.
The doctor examines the patient's abdomen. If it has a rounded bulge, it indicates an overfilled bladder. Often this symptom is observed in prostate adenoma due to acute urinary retention.
The doctor examines the genitals of a man.
A single examination is enough to detect signs of a number of diseases:
- phimosis;
- balanoposthitis;
- paraphimosis;
- narrowing of the urethra;
- hypospadias;
- tumors of the reproductive organs.
With the release of pus from the urethra, the urologist can immediately diagnose urethritis.
Identified scars may indicate that a person has had syphilis.
Enlargement and redness of the penis indicates a cavity.
Fluid blisters are a sign of herpes.
Also, during the examination, the doctor can identify precancerous diseases - leukoplakia, genital warts, etc.
The urologist examines the patient's scrotum. It may be enlarged. This occurs with a tumor, dropsy or inflammatory process (orchiepididymitis). Visually, you can also notice an increase in the veins of the spermatic cord (varicocele). Sometimes the doctor finds the elephantine scrotum or the presence of fistulas, which is characteristic of tuberculosis.
After that, the urologist performs palpation of various organs. It is carried out in various positions of the body. The kidneys are palpated in the supine position, and then on the side.
Children can be palpated while standing.
In this position, the kidney may descend. This phenomenon is called nephroptosis.
The doctor pays attention to the size of the kidney, its surface (may be smooth or bumpy). Enlarged kidney often with polycystic.
In the case of tumors, the surface may be uneven, and the kidney itself is often displaced. With hydronephrosis, there is an increase in the elasticity of the kidney, its soreness. The urologist observes an even more pronounced pain syndrome with pyelonephritis. In this case, the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall are tense, and palpation is almost impossible.
The urethra is palpated.
In men, hardening of the urethra usually indicates inflammation. Diverticula or stuck stones are also felt in the urethra. After that, the urologist proceeds to palpation of the scrotum.
An increase, especially one-sided, indicates dropsy or orchiepididymitis.
The presence of fluctuation (fluid fluctuation) indicates the purulent nature of the lesion. If the testicle is enlarged, but does not hurt, it may be a tumor.
With varicocele, the veins are palpated in the supine position, and then in the standing position. This allows you to establish a diagnosis even without the help of ultrasound.
In the standing position, the veins thicken significantly.
In men, the prostate is palpated. To do this, the urologist inserts the index finger into the rectum.
The doctor can evaluate it:
- dimensions;
- soreness;
- consistency.
Normally, palpation should be painless. The presence of pain syndrome may be evidence of prostatitis.
With cancer, there may be no pain, but the prostate becomes very dense. The doctor uses laboratory research methods in the diagnosis of diseases. He can take tests immediately, at the reception. Some studies are scheduled for the next day.
The doctor will definitely prescribe general clinical diagnostic methods - this is a general blood test, urine test, a biochemical blood test. He will take swabs or prostate secretion for analysis if the situation requires it.
And also if the necessary measures are taken to collect clinical material (for example, the patient has not urinated for a long time, has not taken antibiotics, etc.).
Some doctor's offices have ultrasound machines. In this case, the specialist can immediately conduct an ultrasound diagnosis. Based on the clinical situation, he will examine the kidneys, ureters, bladder.
An ultrasound of the scrotum is performed, prostate. After that, the doctor prescribes treatment, if there is a preliminary diagnosis. If it is not available, therapy can be selected later, at one of the subsequent appointments.
How is the examination in women
The urologist sees women less often.
In general, they are examined in the same way as men. But at the same time there is a certain specificity.
Urologists accept women if they suspect a pathology of the urinary system only, but not of the reproductive system. Patients with cystitis, pyelonephritis, urolithiasis, kidney tumors, etc. turn to them.
On palpation in women, the bladder can be palpated. Its posterior wall is palpable through the vagina.
In this way, you can identify:
- tumors;
- stones;
- foreign bodies.
Usually the reason for a woman's visit to the doctor is:
- lower back pain;
- protein in the urine;
- various urination disorders (difficult, painful, frequent, incomplete, etc.).
A woman may be referred to a urologist if laboratory symptoms are accidentally detected. For example, with an increase in creatinine in biochemical analysis blood. Smears in women are taken not only from the urethra, as in men, but also from the vagina and cervix.
Urologists often work in perinatal centers and examine pregnant women. They have one of the serious complications is eclampsia. It is characterized by impaired renal function, and in this case, the woman needs the help of this specialist.
If you need the help of this specialist, please contact our clinic. We accept patients of all genders and ages.
Experienced professionals work here, who will quickly make the correct diagnosis and select the optimal therapeutic tactics.
The list of narrow specializations of doctors can lead the patient into slight confusion. Therefore, for any pathologies, you visit a local therapist so that he can figure out where to refer you next. It is not difficult to suspect pathologies of the genitourinary system and the kidneys themselves. The marker for this is poor urine tests and certain complaints. For a detailed examination and clarification of the diagnosis, you get a referral to a urologist.
You should not consider a urologist exclusively male (this is a common opinion). A doctor of this specialization deals with pathologies of the genitourinary system, regardless of what gender a person has them. Perhaps, only pediatric urologists who treat young patients can be singled out as a separate group. The division of all doctors into adults and children is due to physiological and anatomical features child's body.
What does a urologist treat?
Here is a list of diseases that are within the competence of a urologist:
All inflammatory processes genitourinary system - cystitis, urethritis. Urolithiasis disease. Injuries and neoplasms localized in the bladder and urinary tract. Pathologies and defects of the genital organs in men. Pathology of the prostate. Diseases of the kidneys and adrenal glands. Infertility.
The science of urology belongs to the category of surgical specializations. Therefore, directly at the appointment with the urologist, you can also receive emergency surgical care.
Classification of doctors
All urological specialties are divided into additional, narrower groups:
Urogenycology. The doctor deals with the treatment of urogynecological ailments in women. Exist a large number of pathologies that can equally be considered both urological and gynecological. Andrology. An andrologist treats male pathologies. This includes not only inflammatory diseases, but also congenital defects of the male reproductive system. Pediatric urology. Consultation with a pediatric urologist is necessary when birth defects genitourinary system, etc. Oncourology. Its goal is to find and cure oncological processes of the genitourinary system. Phthisiourology. Treats urological pathologies of tuberculous nature. Geriatric urology. Quite an extensive and complex area of urological science. Her contingent is elderly patients. Emergency urology. The doctor specializes in emergency surgical care in the urogenital organs.
Preparation for the reception
The urological appointment requires little preparation, which is slightly different for women and men. In addition to a general visual examination and anamnesis, the doctor also performs other diagnostic manipulations. We will describe below how the examination by a urologist is carried out, but for now we will focus your attention on the preparation that is required before an appointment with a urologist.
How to prepare a woman
Just like visiting a gynecologist. A gynecological chair is used to examine women. Therefore, do not forget to bring a diaper with you for examination. The day before the visit to the doctor, it is necessary to exclude sexual intercourse.
Do not douche before examining a urologist. It is not necessary to carry out hygiene of the genital organs with disinfectant solutions (furatsilina, chlorhexidine). The doctor will need to take tests, and after using medicinal solutions, the indicators may be unreliable.
How to get ready for a man
For men, in addition to the hygienic toilet of the genital organs, it is required:
Refusal of sexual intercourse within 2 days before undergoing an examination. Cleansing enema. Cleansing the rectum is required so that the doctor can perform a digital examination of the prostate gland through the rectum. Do not be afraid, and embarrassed by the erection that occurs during such an examination - this is normal. Worse if an erection does not occur. A cleansing enema can be replaced by taking a laxative the day before.
Urologist appointment
We understand that excitement for men and women in front of the doctor's office is a common thing. What does the urologist do at the appointment, is the examination painful, what tests are required, how does the doctor diagnose? These thoughts do not give you rest, and do not allow you to enter the office calm and relaxed. And this is necessary.
Advice. If you're too worried, before visiting the doctor, take any calming drops.
Nothing terrible happens in the urologist's office. The examination begins with a simple conversation. Answer the doctor's questions in detail, this will help an accurate diagnosis. If available chronic diseases The doctor needs to know what medications the patient is taking on a regular basis. Don't forget to mention them. Along the way, the doctor examines your outpatient card, looks at the tests, the results of which should be glued to it. If the reception is primary, and you did not take tests, the doctor will definitely prescribe them. Some tests are done right in the office.
The next stage is a palpatory (manual) examination of the abdomen and kidneys. It is performed on the couch, sometimes standing.
To examine the genitals of women, the doctor uses a gynecological chair. In men, the doctor conducts a visual and palpatory examination of the external genital organs, after which he proceeds to examine the prostate gland. Anatomically, the prostate gland of men, on the one hand, is adjacent to the bladder, on the other hand, it touches the rectum. Therefore, the only possible way to determine the size and density of an organ is to examine it through the anus. To do this, the patient is offered to lean on the couch, leaning forward. The doctor inserts a finger into the rectum and feels the prostate. For your information, the same method is used to massage the prostate in men, analyzes of the secretion from the prostate gland are also taken using finger pressure on the gland.
Examination of the prostate in men can cause pain only if there is acute prostatitis. In other cases, the procedure is painless.
How to choose a good specialist
In order to get an appointment with a urologist, it is enough to make an appointment with him at the clinic's registry. If another specialist recommends that the patient undergo a urological examination, he will prescribe additional tests for you. Many patients take them in paid laboratories in order to get results faster. We'll let you in on a little medical secret. Any doctor, including a urologist, to whom you have to make an appointment, trusts the laboratory of the institution in which he works more. If you need some additional analysis using rare or expensive reagents, the urologist himself will advise you to sign up for tests in a private laboratory of a good, in his opinion, level.
And if you do not live in a metropolis, and you cannot find a urologist in your latitudes? How to make an appointment, and most importantly, where to find a good specialist?
Finding a doctor these days is easy. Addresses of clinics and private medical structures are easy to find on the Internet, you can also sign up without leaving your home. But you want to be examined by a good doctor, and not the one whose phone caught your eye first! Therefore, we dare to give you some tips that guarantee high-quality and competent service.
Finding a good urologist is easiest in a large clinic with a urology department. You can make an appointment with a high-class doctor by insurance agents who carry out individual health insurance. Usually they know doctors well not only personally, but also receive feedback from patients who have already used urological services.
We would not really recommend using the advice of colleagues and friends. Their experience was not necessarily successful, the psychological aspect of the reception is of great importance. If you still go to a urologist in a private structure, first check the availability of a license and diplomas of the relevant education. Serious honey. institutions do not hide them.
Our advantages:
Inexpensive doctor's appointment from 900 rubles Urgently analyzes on the day of treatment from 20 minutes to 1 day Close 5 minutes from Varshavskaya and Chistye Prudy metro stations Conveniently we work every day from 9 to 21 every day (including holidays) Anonymously!
A urologist is often seen as a male-only physician who treats a variety of genitourinary disorders, ranging from sexually transmitted infections to kidney, prostate, and bladder tumors. Therefore, clinic administrators almost never have additional questions when making an appointment with a urologist for a male patient.
Women, on the other hand, traditionally, with any complaints in the pelvic area, turn to a gynecologist, who, if necessary, can organize a joint examination with a urological specialist.
Urologists, of course, do not pretend to examine and treat diseases of the vagina, cervix, the uterus itself and its appendages. But there are specific diseases that they deal with, both in men and women.
Urological diseases in women include:
Acute and chronic cystitis. Acute and chronic urethritis. Pyelonephritis. Syndrome of neurogenic overactive bladder. Urolithiasis disease. Tumors of the urinary system.
Examination of a woman by a urologist bears the features of a gynecological and general therapeutic examination.
After collecting complaints and anamnesis, when the time of onset of symptoms is clarified, their characteristics, especially the presence of pain in the projection of the kidneys and bladder and changes in urination, the urological examination itself begins:
The doctor examines the woman's lumbar region and lower abdomen, performs tapping and palpation of these areas, finds out the presence of pain and visible changes. Next, the patient is placed on a couch or urological chair, where the urologist examines the external genital organs, the urethra, determines visible changes (pathological discharge, papillomas, sores), palpates the urethra and bladder through the vagina and abdominal wall. At this time, a urologist can take material from the urethra for PCR diagnosis of STIs, seeding for flora and sensitivity to antibiotics. Sometimes it is necessary to perform urethro- and cystoscopy. That is, with a special apparatus that looks like a tube, they enter the urethra and bladder and, using a video system, examine the mucous membrane of these organs. During the examination, suspicious tissue can be taken for examination.
A urological examination is only the first part of a woman's examination by a urologist. Next, an ultrasound examination of the kidneys, bladder, ureters and laboratory tests of urine, smears from the urethra and blood are performed.
Based on the totality of data obtained as a result of an examination by a urologist and an ultrasound scan with tests, a urological diagnosis is made and treatment is prescribed. Moreover, when pathogens of sexually transmitted diseases and sexually transmitted infections in the urethra or bladder are detected in the bladder, a woman is treated not by a gynecologist, but by a urologist.
The statistics of prostate diseases is getting worse every year. According to urologists, the number of men suffering from prostatitis, adenoma and malignant neoplasms is steadily increasing.
Therefore, an examination of the prostate by a urologist is mandatory for every member of the stronger sex over 40-45 years old, or even earlier if there are indications for a consultation with a doctor.
Examination of the prostate by a specialized specialist is necessary for early diagnosis of the inflammatory process, benign hyperplasia and malignant malignancy of organ cells. Treatment at the initial stage is sparing, requires relatively low doses of medications and allows you to fully restore the function of the prostate gland. A man retains sexual activity, libido and the ability to conceive (of course, adjusted for the age factor).
A prostate examination by a urologist should be done at least once a year after the age of 45.
However, you should not wait for the next appointment with a specialist if a number of symptoms appear that indicate a possible pathology of the prostate gland.
- discomfort in the perineal region, regardless of intensity, in other words, light, insignificant pain impulses should alert, and even more so, severe acute pain radiating to the scrotum, rectum;
- erectile dysfunction, including early ejaculation, a smaller volume of semen;
- discomfort during intercourse;
- difficulty conceiving a child;
- uncharacteristic discharge from the urethra, especially thick purulent discharge mixed with blood should alert;
- urination disorders, which can manifest as false or too frequent impulses to empty the bladder, a feeling of incomplete urination, pain when urinating;
- increasing discomfort during bowel movements;
- an unpleasant odor and an uncharacteristic shade for urine.
The entry of bacteria into the tissues and ducts of the prostate is accompanied by fever, a state of general intoxication. The presence of one, and even more so several of these signs are the reason for an urgent visit to the clinic to examine the prostate by a urologist.
Self-medication in the acute period sometimes causes relief of the patient's condition. However, this may be a consequence of the transition of pathology into a chronic form, which is very difficult to treat.
Examination of the prostate by a urologist requires proper preparation. This is necessary for the doctor to conduct all the necessary diagnostic tests during one visit.
Before visiting a doctor, you should:
- refrain from sexual activity, including masturbation;
- make a cleansing enema with a decoction of chamomile or salted water, for these purposes you can also use medicines in the form of microclysters (for example, Microlax), this is necessary for a full rectal digital examination of the prostate;
- in a smartphone or notebook, make notes regarding the intake of certain medications (name, duration of use, dosage, who prescribed), complaints, you should also jot down your questions to the doctor;
- prepare extracts from the medical record, the latest results of blood and urine tests, the conclusions of other specialists.
It is clear that in order to solve such a delicate issue as examining the prostate by a urologist, every man strives to get to the best specialist in this field. If there is a financial opportunity, they turn to a private clinic that values \u200b\u200bits reputation. As a rule, in paid centers they are very scrupulous about the qualifications of doctors, in addition, most studies can be carried out right there. Some patients seek specialists through acquaintances and contact them privately.
However, to save money and time, the initial or preventive examination of the prostate by a urologist can be done at the clinic at the place of residence. And the further tactics of therapy should be determined according to the results of the examination and the tests performed. However, a qualified specialist must, upon request, provide data on his education, explain in detail the appropriateness of prescriptions, issue forms for the purchase of drugs at any pharmacy, and not sell various dietary supplements on his own.
How to check the prostate in men: examination by a doctor, diagnostic manipulations, rectal examination
In accordance with the data of anonymous questions, the usual shyness and fear of various therapeutic and diagnostic manipulations keep the representatives of the stronger sex from visiting the urologist.
Often, a man tries to be treated on his own for a long time, and gets to the doctor already with advanced pathological changes in the tissues of the prostate gland.
Many people guess how the prostate is checked in men, it’s not pleasant, but such manipulations are necessary for the early detection of diseases, the prevention of their complications and the appointment of therapy. The first visit to the doctor begins with an anamnesis. The doctor is interested in what worries the patient, asks for a detailed description of the symptoms, changes in their severity depending on sexual intercourse, urination, emptying the rectum, etc. Great importance has a family history.
One of the mandatory questions is data on the presence of malignant or benign pathologies of the prostate gland in the next of kin. In the process of questioning the patient, the doctor can also suggest the cause of the development of a particular disease.
When filling out the patient's medical record, the doctor must be informed about taking medications, allergies and other concomitant diseases.
If the patient was preparing for a prostate examination procedure in men, the doctor necessarily conducts a rectal digital examination of the prostate gland.
It is done in this way:
- the patient is asked to take a knee-elbow position or lie on his side, pressing his knees to his chest (for physically weakened patients, it is possible to perform manipulation in the supine position);
- the doctor puts on insulated disposable gloves, lubricates the index finger and anus of the patient with petroleum jelly or lubricant;
- the doctor slowly inserts a finger into the rectum and palpates the surface of the prostate gland;
- during manipulation, a secret of the prostate is released from the urethra, which is often collected for analysis (determination of bacteria, leukocytes, pathogenic flora by PCR).
The normal size of the prostate gland is up to 45 mm in width and up to 35 mm in length. In the middle it is divided by a longitudinal groove.
Signs of inflammation are the following symptoms:
- the presence of knots and seals;
- immobility relative to the lining of the rectum;
- acute pain on palpation;
- change in the contours and size of the prostate gland.
On palpation of the prostate, a man develops an erection. This is a completely physiological reaction, moreover, it is a sign of the normal functioning of the organs of the genitourinary system.
If no abnormalities were found during the prostate examination of a man, there is no need for further procedures. However, if there are a number of symptoms, the doctor issues directions for tests and examinations for additional diagnostics.
As a rule, this is a clinical analysis of blood and urine, ultrasound and MRI of the prostate gland, specific studies for tumor markers. Such procedures are necessary to determine the exact disease, its cause, stage and extent of damage to the prostate.
Here is a list of diseases that are within the competence of a urologist:
- All inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system - cystitis, urethritis.
- Urolithiasis disease.
- Injuries and neoplasms localized in the bladder and urinary tract.
- Pathologies and defects of the genital organs in men.
- Pathology of the prostate.
- Diseases of the kidneys and adrenal glands.
- Infertility.
The science of urology belongs to the category of surgical specializations. Therefore, directly at the appointment with the urologist, you can also receive emergency surgical care.
Preparation for the reception
The urological appointment requires little preparation, which is slightly different for women and men. In addition to a general visual examination and anamnesis, the doctor also performs other diagnostic manipulations. We will describe below how the examination by a urologist is carried out, but for now we will focus your attention on the preparation that is required before an appointment with a urologist.
How to prepare a woman?
Just like visiting a gynecologist. A gynecological chair is used to examine women. Therefore, do not forget to bring a diaper with you for examination. The day before the visit to the doctor, it is necessary to exclude sexual intercourse. Do not douche before examining a urologist. It is not necessary to carry out hygiene of the genital organs with disinfectant solutions (furatsilina, chlorhexidine). The doctor will need to take tests, and after using medicinal solutions, the indicators may be unreliable.
How to prepare a man?
For men, in addition to the hygienic toilet of the genital organs, it is required:
- Refusal of sexual intercourse within 2 days before undergoing an examination.
- Cleansing enema. Cleansing the rectum is required so that the doctor can perform a digital examination of the prostate gland through the rectum. Do not be afraid, and embarrassed by the erection that occurs during such an examination - this is normal. Worse if an erection does not occur. A cleansing enema can be replaced by taking a laxative the day before.
According to experts
It is best to do a urine test before the first visit to the urologist. This will facilitate the correct diagnosis. Moreover, such an analysis will still have to be taken.
It is also advisable to start keeping a log of symptoms a few days before the examination with a urologist:
- Write down how many times a day you urinate;
- in what area does the pain occur and how strong is it;
- what you ate and drank during the day;
- try to trace the relationship between diet and lifestyle and the worsening or improvement of symptoms.
This will be very helpful when you discuss your problem with your doctor and ask him questions.
How is the first examination with a urologist?
As your urologist checks in, you can expect a lengthy discussion about your symptoms.
The urologist may ask various questions, such as:
- How often do they occur and when did the symptoms first appear?
- Do they really bother you?
- Do you have blood in your urine? If yes, how often?
- Have you had urinary tract diseases in the past?
- Do you suffer from high blood pressure?
- Do any of your relatives have ailments of the genitourinary system?
- Have you had any episodes of urinary incontinence?
The doctor may also do a digital examination of the prostate gland and a rapid bladder ultrasound scan. Don't worry, this is not an invasive procedure.
It is important to know. Although the urologist will primarily ask questions about the condition of the genitourinary system, there is a chance that your urological problem is actually related to other body systems. Be prepared to give the urologist full list all medications you take, including any prescription medications. It is advisable to make this list in advance.
After the examination is completed, the doctor will discuss the treatment plan with you. It usually includes passing additional tests and analyzes to be performed either at the time of the current visit or at subsequent visits.
Such studies may include:
- blood tests;
- analysis for testosterone levels;
- Ultrasound of the kidneys, bladder, and prostate;
- cystoscopy;
- CT or MRI to assess the condition of the kidneys or pelvic organs;
- biopsy of the bladder or prostate.
Through these procedures, the specialist will be able to determine the correct course of action to be taken for your treatment. Assign yourself folk remedies from prostatitis and other diseases without prior consultation with your urologist should not be.
What awaits you at the doctor's appointment? step by step
- First, the doctor talks to the patient. He asks how the person feels, what problems bother him. To compile a more complete picture of the disease, the doctor asks leading questions, finds out how the symptoms change depending on the situation. Also, the urologist should familiarize himself with the patient's life history, that is, find out what and when the person was ill. It is especially important for him to ask about the presence of diseases of the genitourinary sphere in a person's life.
- Look at the couch. The doctor will ask you to strip down to your underwear and lie on your back. So he can feel the kidneys and organs adjacent to them.
- An appointment with a urologist for men also includes examination and probing of the external genital organs: the penis, scrotum. It does not hurt at all, does not lead to unpleasant sensations, if the tissues of these organs are not affected by pathology.
- Examination of the prostate. It is carried out only through the rectum. To do this, the patient will need to take a knee-elbow position or squat, after removing all clothing below the waist. The doctor will insert a gloved finger lubricated with glycerin into the patient's rectum, probing his prostate. This is a rather unpleasant procedure, but pain occurs only if the prostate is inflamed. Examination of the prostate may be accompanied by an erection. There is nothing wrong with this, even if you are being examined by a woman's urologist - such a reaction should occur normally during this manipulation, the doctor does not experience any personal feelings. Rather, on the contrary, for a doctor, no matter what gender he is, when palpating the prostate gland, it is important not only to assess the size, density and uniformity of the gland itself, but also to analyze the level of erection.
What procedures can a urologist do during an appointment?
- takes a smear from the urethra (for this, a woman needs to lie on a gynecological chair)
- performs prostate massage
- takes the secret (“juice”) of the prostate for examination
- corrects paraphimosis
- catheterization of the bladder
- bougienages the urethra, that is, it passes a metal probe through the urethra under local anesthesia
- removes neoplasms of small sizes on the external genital organs with an electrocoagulator
- produces quenching of the seminal tubercle
- removes foreign body from the urethra
- changing an indwelling urinary catheter
- injects drugs into the bladder through a catheter
- performs diaphanoscopy of the scrotum
- changes dressings and removes stitches after urological operations
- performs suturing of small wounds on the genitals of a man
- opens boils on the male genital organs
- cuts adhesions on the foreskin
- prescribes and can conduct ultrasound of the scrotum organs, ultrasound of the prostate, cystoscopy and other instrumental methods.
How to understand what you need to see a urologist?
There are two types of urinary tract infection:
- Lower urinary tract infections, which include inflammation or irritation of the urethra and bladder.
- Upper urinary tract infections (these include the kidneys and ureters).
An appointment with a urologist is a necessity if the following symptoms of a lower urinary tract infection appear:
- You feel mild abdominal discomfort and urination becomes a problem.
- There was pain or burning during urination.
- Increased urge to urinate, including at night.
- You are unable to control urination.
- Periodically there is a feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder.
- Urine began to smell very strongly.
- The color of the urine changed, became cloudy, blood appeared in it.
- You feel pain in the lower abdomen and inexplicable fatigue.
What can a urologist detect?
- Inflammation of the urethra - urethritis.
- Sexually transmitted infections: ureaplasmosis, candidiasis, mycoplasmosis, gonorrhea, etc.
- Inflammatory processes affecting the foreskin and head of the penis (balanoposthitis), appendages and testicles (orchiepididymitis), seminal vesicles (vesiculitis), prostate gland (prostatitis), bladder (cystitis), kidneys (pyelonephritis).
For the timely diagnosis of diseases of the genitourinary sphere, a man needs to undergo a preventive examination at least twice a year. In the early stages, all urological diseases are quickly and successfully treated and do not give serious complications. If you live an active sex life or you are over forty years old, visiting a urologist is a must. Throw away false modesty and prejudice: taking care of your male health is a really adult act.
Prevention of urological diseases
To avoid urological diseases, doctors recommend following simple rules:
- Underwear should fit you in size, be made of soft natural fabrics, and provide good breathability.
- stick proper nutrition and play sports.
- Avoid casual sex. Use protective equipment.
- Do not sit on cold surfaces. Dress for the weather.
- Maintain personal hygiene.
- Get checked out by a specialist regularly.
How to choose a good specialist?
In order to get an appointment with a urologist, it is enough to make an appointment with him at the clinic's registry. If another specialist recommends that the patient undergo a urological examination, he will prescribe additional tests for you. Many patients take them in paid laboratories in order to get results faster. We'll let you in on a little medical secret. Any doctor, including a urologist, to whom you have to make an appointment, trusts the laboratory of the institution in which he works more. If you need some additional analysis using rare or expensive reagents, the urologist himself will advise you to sign up for tests in a private laboratory of a good, in his opinion, level.
And if you do not live in a metropolis, and you cannot find a urologist in your latitudes? How to make an appointment, and most importantly, where to find a good specialist?
Finding a doctor these days is easy. Addresses of clinics and private medical structures are easy to find on the Internet, you can also sign up without leaving your home. But you want to be examined by a good doctor, and not the one whose phone caught your eye first! Therefore, we dare to give you some tips that guarantee high-quality and competent service.
- Finding a good urologist is easiest in a large clinic with a urology department.
- You can make an appointment with a high-class doctor by insurance agents who carry out individual health insurance. Usually they know doctors well not only personally, but also receive feedback from patients who have already used urological services.
The urologist is included in the list of doctors, the visit to which is quite often postponed by patients under far-fetched pretexts. However, many urological diseases in advanced form entail dangerous consequences, are difficult to treat, so you still have to go to the doctor. To avoid unpleasant moments, it is worth taking some time to choose your “specialist”, at whose reception you will be calm and comfortable.
Also, knowing how the consultation takes place and how to prepare for it will help get rid of the fear of the urological office.
Preparing for an appointment with a urologist
It is possible that at the first visit to the urologist, the patient will have to take tests. The rules for preparing for this process are quite standard and simple.
- About a couple of hours before the examination by the urologist, you should refrain from urinating, as the bladder must remain full.
- For two days it is necessary to abandon sexual contact (ejaculation).
- Conducting a rectal examination requires prior emptying of the intestines. If the patient has a problem such as constipation, it is advisable to use an enema to clean the rectum. This is done on the day of the visit to the doctor, preferably in the morning.
- Intimate hygiene (cleansing the genitals) is mandatory so that the urological examination does not cause embarrassment. It is also recommended to change underwear.
How is a consultation with a urologist
- Conversation with a doctor. Traditionally, any specialist begins with her, the urologist is no exception. The doctor clarifies the patient's complaints, studies him medical card. It is very important to tell the urologist in detail about everything that causes you anxiety. This will greatly simplify the correct diagnosis and determine the correct treatment.
- Urological examination. For patients of both sexes, palpation is performed, during which the kidneys and abdomen are palpated. The position during palpation of the kidneys - standing or lying on the couch. If we are talking about a man, the specialist examines the condition of the internal and external genital organs. These are the scrotum, penis, prostate gland and inguinal lymph nodes.
- Additional research. As a rule, the urologist uses such modern diagnostic tools as ultrasound, laboratory tests, instrumental and endoscopic methods.
Features of the urological examination for women: chair
Sometimes female patients are examined by a urologist on a gynecological chair. No worries pain examination is characterized by absolute painlessness. The purpose of this study is to study the condition of the bladder, ureter. Also, examination on the chair makes it possible to diagnose prolapse of organs, dryness of the vagina. All this may be necessary for a correct diagnosis.
Features of the urological examination for men: prostate
Features of examination of the prostate stem from its location. As you know, the prostate gland is located in the small pelvis of men. On the one hand, it is adjacent to the rectum, on the other - to bladder. The urologist may suggest that the patient, during the examination, lean on the couch, leaning down, or lie down. From the patient in the process of research, only the relaxation of the muscles of the perineum is required so that the examination does not cause discomfort.
Examination of the prostate can be painful only in one case - if the patient has
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