Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. In both men and women, the urology system is the part of the body that deals with urination. It doesn't take a doctor to know that the urology-related anatomy of men and women look very different, at least from the outside.
However, internally, they are similar—the kidneys of both men and women, for example, look and function the same for both genders. But we also differ in some ways, too—women have much shorter urethras the tube that connects your bladder to the outside world and therefore are at greater risk of bladder infections. The urology system starts with the kidneys. Most people are born with two that are located in the back of the abdominal cavity just above the waist and along the spinal column.
In adults, each kidney is fist-sized and shaped like a bean. Via arteries and veins, the kidneys are connected to the body's vascular blood system. Whatever is not needed is filtered through and eliminated as urine. Urine exits the kidney through a long narrow tube called the ureter. The ureter exits into the bladder.
Urethral polyps are found with a cystoscope. A type of x-ray test called a voiding cystourethrogram VCUG is also used. Paraurethral cysts, also known as Skene's glands, are found in the wall of the vagina near the urethra in females.
A paraurethral cyst appears as a glistening, tense, and bulging yellowish-white mass that narrows the urethral outlet. Urethral caruncles are polypoid "stalk-like" masses hanging from part of the urethral outlet. These are most often spotted during an exam for some other health problem. Urethral caruncles are more common in women who don't use hormone replacement therapy HRT after menopause. The main sign of this problem is a thin, reddish membrane sticking out from the urethral outlet.
Urethral prolapse is a rare problem of the female urethra. It's much more bothersome than other benign lesions. The urethra's membrane and the spongy tissue below poke out of the urethral outlet. This leads to pain and vaginal bleeding. Sometimes it can keep your body from getting rid of urine. Urethral prolapse occurs most often in young girls, but may happen at any age. It's most often found by physical exam. How a benign lesion is treated depends on the type and where it is.
Abscesses, urethral injuries, and infections need to be treated quickly. Your urologist has many meds and methods to deal with these lesions. Abscesses linked to gonococcal urethritis can be treated well with antibiotics. Your urologist may also need to surgically drain the abscess. You may need a catheter in the bladder Foley catheter or a tube in the bladder through the belly suprapubic tube to keep urine out of the urethra until it heals.
After the urethra heals, you should be able to pee as usual. To treat urethral stricture disease, your urologist needs to know where the scars are. This is done with an x-ray test called urethrography. A special dye is infused into the urethra through the tip of the penis. When an x-ray is taken, the dye will show where and how long the scars are.
If these strictures are very dense or if they block the channel, a more detailed voiding study through a small cut above the pubic bone may be needed. Urethral strictures are often treated by making the channel wider. This is done either through stretching dilation or surgery. Dilation is a way to stretch the narrow urethra back to its normal width. A tube slightly wider than the urethra is passed through its outlet into the bladder.
The tube is taken out and slightly larger tubes are used until the opening is stretched to the right width. The procedure is done using anesthetic jelly on the skin. Your urologist may use a urethroscope to look into the urethra. Before reaching the urethral opening, urine passes through the urethral sphincter. The urethra opens into the vestibule, the area between the labia minora. The urethral opening sits just in front of the vaginal opening. The urethra is lined by a layer of cells called the epithelium.
Glands within the urethra produce mucus. This mucus helps protect the epithelium against damage from corrosive urine. The female urethra is significantly shorter than the male urethra.
This means that females often have a higher risk of developing urinary tract infections UTIs. Urethritis refers to inflammation of the urethra.
Urethritis sometimes develops in response to a recent urinary procedure or placement of a catheter. Bacteria can spread from the anus to the urethra, especially if you wipe back to front after going to the bathroom. In addition, sexually transmitted infections STIs can cause urethritis. These include:. If a surgery or catheter placement is causing urethritis, it usually resolves on its own over time. However, urethritis due to an infection requires treatment with antibiotics or antiviral medication.
Sometimes the urethra narrows or becomes blocked. This is known as urethral stricture. Males are more likely to develop urethral stricture because of their longer urethras, but it can affect females as well.
An injury often causes urethral stricture, such as an accident or surgery. Infections, including STIs, can also cause it. Urethral cancer is one of the rarer types of cancer. It can rapidly spread to surrounding tissues in the bladder and vagina.
It may not cause any symptoms in its early stages. However, urethral cancer can eventually result in:. Risk factors include:. Treatment for urethral cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination of all three. Urethral syndrome is a condition that causes symptoms similar to those of a UTI. The main symptom of urethral syndrome is chronic pain in the pelvis and urinary tract. In some cases, the pain is constant. Coli, which resides in the colon and moves to the anal area after bowel movements.
People who use catheters are at an increased risk for UTIs. Catheter-associated UTIs happen when people practice incorrect catheterization techniques. Therefore, consider using a pre-lubricated, non-touch catheter for quick, hygienic catheterization. You can also wash your genitals with soap and water. Be sure to clean the urethral opening in particular.
Chronic incomplete drainage of the bladder can lead to the development of bladder stones and UTIs. After the catheter has reached the bladder, you will notice that urine starts flowing out. To ensure complete drainage, insert 2 inches deeper and wait till all fluid has drained to slowly pull the catheter out by an inch. Wait till all fluid drains and pull out another inch.
Repeat until no fluid remains and you have removed the catheter. If you are using a straight catheter, you can also rotate it a little bit to get complete drainage. On another note, some studies have found that taking cranberry supplements not drinking cranberry juice can lower your chance of getting a UTI.
Cranberry capsules work instead of juice because capsules are highly concentrated whereas juice is not. If the catheter is not sliding in, do not force it! Forcing the catheter can injure your urethra, resulting in hematuria blood in urine , urethral strictures , and the creation of a false passage.
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