Female Urology Care
Women take notice. Know when to visit a urologist!
Regarding urological issues, men have one route to a urologist. A general physician refers them to a urologist. But when it comes to women, an extra specialist comes in the way: the gynecologist.
In this confusion, who should you – as a woman – visit?
A urologist will always be the head of your team of doctors if you have some urological conditions. A gynecologist may work with the urologist to figure out the issue.
But what kind of issues?
For example, pelvic pain could always be treated by a urologist. However, not all pelvic pain is treated by other specialists. That’s because a urologist covers a lot of disorders in the bladder and kidney. As a patient, you may not know what exactly is the problem. In such a case, a visit to a urologist is your best bet.
Bladder conditions treated by a urologist may be issues of urine leakage such as stress urinary incontinence and overactive bladder; kidney stones and much, much more.
Cancer in the kidneys or the bladders may be treated by a joint team of a urologist and an oncologist. So, ladies, my advice is to visit a urologist if unsure of your condition.
What could you expect when you visit a urologist?
A urologist could offer you a very wide range of treatment choices. Depending on the condition you have, you could be recommended behavioral therapy (such as bladder re-training) or maybe you could need surgery. As Dr Aditya Sharma explains, “A patient may work with a urologist as a team to get themselves treated. The patent may select the type of treatment she wants to undergo given the diagnosis and the treatment choices available”
A word of caution from Dr. Aditya’s huge experience
Many issues may seem like they could be treated by any other specialist. Pelvic pain with frequent urination may seem like a urinary tract infection, that could be treated by a GP or a gyne. But it could also be a condition called interstitial cystitis (IC), also known as the painful bladder. The diagnosis may not be feasible for other specialists to give. As a urologist covers a very large variety of disorders, you may straight visit a urologist.
Urology is a profession where a doctor gets to see numerous reports and medical papers even when the patient visits them for the first time. This happens because people usually visit many specialists before ending up in a urologist’s chamber. Some who are quite educated to know they may have a certain issue, and they visit a urologist in the first go. But that happens rarely.
Here is Dr Aditya’s attempt to familiarize women with various kinds of conditions that they may come to a urologist for.
Urinary Incontinence Treatment
Urinary incontinence is defined by the inability to control the urge for urination, resulting ininvoluntary urine leakage. This problem can be because of an overactive bladder or stress urinary continence, in many cases the combination of both the conditions we present in the same patient.
But what are these two conditions?
Stress Urinary Incontinence
When patient leaks urine every time, there is an increase in abdominal pressure in the form of coughing sneezing laughing or lifting heavy weight, is called stress urinary incontinence. It is common after the age of 35 years with a history of multiple pregnancies. Primary treatment may involve exercise, lifestyle changes, weight reduction and
medications. In most cases, the condition is completely curable
Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladder is a condition which can cause urinary incontinence or leakage of urine with the inability to control or delay urination. This condition is common in females of all age groups. Most women avoid social gatherings, and their quality of life is severely compromised directly as a result of this problem.
The condition is mostly curable by medications along with dietary and lifestyle changes, In
In some cases, it may require a surgery
Now let’s have look at other kinds of urological dysfunctions
Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF)
It’s an abnormal opening that develops between the vagina and another organ like the bladder, colon or rectum. Such an opening could develop due to events like the birth of a child, surgery, radiation treatment and traumatic injury. The condition requires medical diagnosis with examination
There is no medication for fistula and in almost all cases it requires a surgical Intervention.
Vaginal Prolapse
Vaginal prolapse, also known as vaginal vault prolapse, is a condition in which the vagina slips out of position as muscles which support it weaken. As a woman ages, muscles weaken, and her vagina begins to sag. It can cause problems, including vaginal dryness. Causes include childbirth, menopause, obesity, and hormonal changes. The best way to find out if you have vaginal prolapse is to visit a urologist..
Adrenal Tumor
Adrenal tumor forms in your adrenal glands, which are located on top of both kidneys and release hormones to regulate metabolism, immune system etc. An adrenal tumor can be malignant (cancer) or benign (not cancerous). The treatment depends on the nature of the tumor. The tumor can be removed with surgery. If the tumor is cancerous, chemotherapy may also be part of the treatment after surgical removal of the tumor.
Blood In Urine (Hematuria)
It is defined as the presence of blood in the urine. If you are unsure, a red blood count (RBC) examination of your urine may be enough to determine the condition. Blood in the urine can result from bleeding in the urinary tract, an injury, stone or an underlying infection. It could indicate several problems, including cancer or tumor of the urinary tract like the kidney, and bladder. It is necessary to see your doctor if you notice blood in your urine.
Urinary Tract Infection
It’s common in women of any age. It’s characterized by frequent visits to the loo and pelvic pain. Usually, antibiotics prescribed by a urologist are enough as a treatment. Middle-aged women and those in the premenopausal phase can also develop UTIs due to hormonal changes. Diabetic conditions and the use of public toilets are also common causes of UTIs among women.
The list is by no means exhaustive. These are some of the conditions women visit a urologist for.
About Dr Aditya Sharma
As a Urologist, Sexologist, and Uro-gynecologist Surgeon with over 17 years of experience, Dr Aditya K Sharma (MBBS, MS – General Surgery, MCh – Urology) has helped thousands of people with urologic health problems to lead a normal life.