Urology

What is a urologist?

Urologists are physicians who are trained in the surgical and medical treatment of diseases of the genitourinary tract, which includes the kidneys, adrenal glands, urinary bladder, ureters (muscles that carry urine from the kidney to bladder) and urethra (tube that empties urine from the bladder out of the body), and male reproductive organs; they also treat male infertility.

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The urinary tract is the system that creates, stores, and removes urine from the body. Urologists can treat any part of this system. This includes the:

• kidneys, which are the organs that filter waste out of the blood to produce urine
• ureters, which are the tubes through which urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder
• bladder, which is the hollow sac that stores urine
• urethra, which is the tube through which urine travels from the bladder out of the body
• adrenal glands, which are the glands located on top of each kidney that release hormones

Urologists also treat all parts of the male reproductive system. This system is made up of the:

• penis, which is the organ that releases urine and carries sperm out of the body
• prostate, which is the gland underneath the bladder that adds fluid to sperm to produce semen
• testicles, which are the two oval organs inside the scrotum that make the hormone testosterone and produce sperm

How do you know when it’s time to see a urologist?

Having any of these symptoms suggests you have a problem in the urinary tract:

• blood in your urine
• a frequent or urgent need to urinate
• pain in your lower back, pelvis, or sides
• pain or burning during urination
• trouble urinating
• urine leakage
• weak urine flow, dribbling

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