Urology Overview
What is urology?
In today’s society, there are several types of medical doctors available to patients, – primary care, pediatric, internal medicine, and specialists – to name a few. When you are referred to Urology Austin, it’s important to thoroughly understand the question, what is urology? In simple terms, urology is the branch of medicine concerned with the urinary system of both males and females. It also covers health conditions related to male genitals and male reproduction.
There are several organs, and their components, that comprise the field of urology. Urologists routinely treat patients for problems with:
- The Bladder
- Kidneys
- Adrenal glands (located on top of each kidney)
- Ureters
- Urethra
- Testes
- Epididymis
- Vas deferens
- Seminal vesicles
- Prostate gland
- Penis
What is a urologist?
A urologist is a medical specialist who undergoes training in diseases of the male and female urinary systems, as well as the male reproductive system. Due to the variety of clinical problems encountered, urologists must have a wide range of knowledge regarding internal medicine, gynecology, pediatrics and other specialties. Urologists are also trained as surgeons, and offer patients surgical options for many urologic health conditions. In order to be certified by the American Board of Urology, urologists must fulfill specified educational and examination requirements.
While they often collaborate on patient care, a urologist is different than a nephrologist. Nephrology is a separate field of medicine that specifically focuses on kidney function and disease. While a urologist treats patients for kidney stones or kidney cancer – offering surgical options, a nephrologist treats patients who have diabetes. Nephrology is a non-surgical field, which mean that nephrologists are not surgeons.
What are the subspecialty areas of urology?
Urology is classified as a surgical subspecialty. The American Urological Association has identified eight subspecialty areas:
- Erectile dysfunction (impotence)
- Female urology
- Male infertility
- Neurourology
- Pediatric urology (Urology Austin does not treat this area.)
- Renal transplantation
- Urinary tract stones
- Urologic oncology
Urology health conditions
The range of health conditions associated with urology is quite large and diverse, from problems with urinary control to cancers. Here is a general list of conditions treated by a urologist:
- Urinary incontinence
- Urinary tract infection
- Kidney stones
- Bladder stones
- Low testosterone
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Penile curvature
- Male infertility
- Prostatitis (inflammation / infection of the prostate)
- Enlarged prostate
- Blood in the urine (hematuria)
- Overactive bladder
- Pelvic Organ Prolapse
- Premature ejaculation
- Prostate cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Kidney cysts
- Testicular cancer
- Penile cancer
- Bladder cancer
- Elevated PSA
- Urgent urination
- Interstitial Cystitis (chronic pelvic pain)
- Ureteral stones
There are many other urologic conditions, associated with these health concerns, that urologists treat.
If you have a urologic health condition that needs to be evaluated, contact Urology Austin to schedule an appointment with one of our highly-trained urologists. At Urology Austin, we have over 40 health care providers at 18 convenient locations.
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