Urologists only treat old men – FALSE
Urologists are surgeons who specialize in the medical and surgical treatment of diseases that affect the kidneys and urinary tract, which includes the ureters, bladder and urethra. There is a common myth that urologists treat only older males. This is not true. Urologists treat all adult men, adult women and children.
- 40% of patients are female with common problems like kidney stones, renal/adrenal/bladder cancer, urinary incontinence, overactive bladder (OAB), urinary tract infections (UTIs), blood in the urine, renal cysts and kidney masses.
- 60% of patients are male with common problems like enlarged prostate, kidney stones, renal/bladder/prostate cancers, urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections (UTIs), erectile dysfunction (ED) and infertility.
Urologists treat more than just pee problems – TRUE
Urologists treat common conditions and rarer illnesses that affect everyone and some that affect only men or only women. These include:
- Cancers of the bladder, kidneys and prostate
- Erectile dysfunction (ED)
- Kidney stones
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Conditions of the male reproductive system, such as BPH, or enlarged prostate
- Congenital urinary tract issues (problems with the urinary tract that you are born with)
Many of these conditions require a urologist with a subspecialty like urogynecology, urologic oncology or pediatric urology. Having a urologist who is an expert in one of these areas helps patients get better, more direct care.
Urologists and nephrologists are the same – FALSE
Urologists and nephrologists are not the same. If you want to see a doctor who specializes only in the kidneys, you would see a nephrologist. Nephrology is indeed a subspecialty, but it is a subspecialty of internal medicine rather than urology. This means that nephrologists are not surgeons. Nephrologists manage conditions that happen elsewhere in the body that cause kidney problems or happen because of kidney problems, like high blood pressure. Urologists, on the other hand, are surgeons.
Check out this Urology Care Podcast to learn more about some urology myths!