In a new post, the experts from the “Health and prevention” Blog address an aspect that many people are unaware of: women must also go to the urologist. We explain the reasons.
Photo provided by the Quirónsalud Group.
There are many myths surrounding health care, and just as the gynecologist is thought to be only for women, the urologist is thought to be only for men, when it is not. Women may need the supervision of a urologist for many reasons that we explain in this article, so do not banish the idea of going to this expert if you are a woman.
“Many women frequently suffer from urinary problems, such as urinary infections, just like men, and it is to this professional that you will need to go when this happens”, warns by way of example the doctor Juan José Monserrat, head of the Urology service of the Hospital Quirónsalud Valencia.
There are, he points out, “multiple and very frequent reasons” why a woman can benefit from the help of a urologist, including:
• Recurrent urinary infections in sexually active, postmenopausal women or with any alteration of the urinary system.
• Urinary incontinence in the different types: effort, emergency or mixed.
• Pelvic prolapses.
• Urinary calculi.
• Genitourinary tumorsalthough these tend to be more frequent in men.
“When we talk about urology, we mistakenly think that it is a medical specialty only for men, since women have the gynecologist as their specialist. However, women must also go to the urologist for regular check-ups or when there is a problem, for example, with the kidneys, bladder or urethra”, insists this specialist.
In addition, it draws attention to the need for women to visit the urologist during menopause. He points out that the pathologies and symptoms can occur in women of any age; however, they are more common in women who have reached this stage of life.
Hence the importance of following up with the urology specialist, as a simple assessment can rule out relevant pathologies and help identify problems in the initial stages that can be corrected with hygienic measures, bladder training, exercises of the pelvic floor, etc., without the need to resort to drugs or surgical treatments”, defends Dr. Juan José Monserrat.
Frequent urological pathologies and their symptoms in women
With this, the head of the Urology service at Quirónsalud Valencia points out that the symptoms that can be presented to patients can be different according to sex, although among the most frequent in women he points to urinary infections, urinary incontinence, various traumas, organ prolapse, urinary stones or tumors of the urinary system.
Specifically, it details that lower urinary tract infections that affect the bladder and urethra are usually manifested by an urgent need to urinate, with pain and stiffness.
“Smelly and occasionally bloody urine. You may experience temporary urinary incontinence. There is usually no significant fever. When the infection affects the kidney, intense lower back pain, high fever and breakdown of the general state appear”, he points out.
With regard to stress urinary incontinence, Dr. Monserrat says that the involuntary escape of urine can occur during efforts of different intensity, due to insufficiency of the pelvic floor muscles.
“It is associated with trauma during childbirth, previous surgeries and menopause. In urge urinary incontinence there is an inability to stop the involuntary contractions of the bladder. It is the so-called hyperactive bladder. It is associated with aging, diabetes or neurological diseases, etc. Meanwhile, in mixed incontinence both types coexist”, explains this specialist from Quirónsalud Valencia.
On the other hand, in the prolapse of the pelvic organs, the descent of one or more of these organs occurs, which are the bladder, urethra, uterus and rectum.
“It occurs due to weakness of the pelvic floor muscles and is manifested as a feeling of vaginal occupation or a visible or palpable lump in the most severe cases. The patient may suffer from lower abdominal or perineal pain, more intense at the end of the day, urinary incontinence and discomfort with sexual intercourse”, he points out.
Regarding urinary stones, this urologist maintains that they usually do not cause any symptoms until they descend into the ureter and obstruct the passage of urine, causing nephritic colic: “It is a sudden and very intense pain that requires significant analgesia.”
Lastly, in the case of tumors in the urinary system, it points out that its main symptom is visible blood in the urine, being an isolated symptom that is characteristically not associated with pain or other urinary symptoms, and by itself justifies a urological study to rule out this pathology.
“If you are a woman and you are suffering from some of these symptoms or you think you may have a urological problem, do not hesitate to consult the specialists”, concludes the head of the Urology service at Quirónsalud Valencia.