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Do you endure frequent urine leakage? Are you experiencing a persistent feeling of pressure, heaviness, or lower abdominal pain? Do you have erectile dysfunction, difficulty urinating, or blood in urine? Any of these symptoms may mean you have a urological problem and should see a urologist. 

In the Tampa Bay area, you can find top urologists at Advanced Urology Institute, Westchase office.

What is a urologist?

A urologist is a surgical specialist who diagnoses and treats problems of the male reproductive system and the urinary tracts of both males and females. The doctor tackles conditions of the urinary bladder, kidneys, ureter, adrenal glands, urethra, and male reproductive organs—the testes, vas deferens, epididymis, seminal vesicles, prostate, and penis.

You may need to see a urologist when referred by your primary physician, usually after symptoms persist for a long duration or fail to improve. But you can also go directly to a urologist when you have a recurrent need to urinate urgently, difficulty urinating, weak urine flow, dribbling, urinary leakage, and burning pain or sensation during urination.

Pain in your lower back, pelvis, or sides and the presence of blood in the urine are also reasons to see a urologist. If you’re a man, you may need to see a urologist if there is a decrease in sexual desires, a lump in one of your testicles, trouble getting and keeping an erection, or if you want to undergo a vasectomy.

Conditions treated by urologists include:

1. Urinary incontinence
2. Urinary tract infections
3. Enlarged prostate
4. Bladder prolapse, painful bladder, and overactive bladder
5. Kidney or ureteral stones
6. Erectile dysfunction and
7. Male infertility
8. Peyronie’s disease
9. Urethral stricture
10. Undescended testes (cryptorchidism)
11. Interstitial cystitis (painful bladder syndrome)
12. Kidney disease
13. Urologic oncology, such as prostate, kidney, testicular, and bladder cancer
14. Varicoceles (enlarged veins in the scrotum)

What should you expect your urologist to do for you?

Your urologist will examine your medical history and conduct a physical examination. They will order a basic urine test to check for bacteria or other signs of disease. This may be followed by imaging tests, such as MRI scans, ultrasound, or CT scans to locate the problem.

In some cases, the physician will do a cystoscopy—a medical imaging procedure that enables the doctor to examine the inside of your urinary tract. During cystoscopy, the urologist may collect some tissue samples for testing. Urodynamic testing may also be run to indicate how fast urine leaves your body, the amount of urine that is left in your bladder after urinating, and the pressure in your bladder.

After diagnosis, your urologist may opt for different treatment methods depending on the condition. For instance, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics to treat infections, hormone treatment for prostate cancer, chemotherapy drugs for cancer, PDE-5 inhibitors like Tadalafil and Cialis for erectile dysfunction, and other medication to act on the smooth muscles of your bladder to treat urinary incontinence.

When necessary, your urologist may perform surgery to remove a tumor, strictures in the urethra, parts of the kidney, kidney stones, or to relieve stress incontinence. The surgical treatment of choice may be open, laparoscopic, robotic, or laser therapy. Urologists are also responsible for carrying out vasectomy—a surgical procedure for permanent contraception in men.

So how do you find a top urologist in Tampa, Florida?

The easiest way is to speak with your primary care physician to refer you to a good urologist. You can also talk with your family, friends, and coworkers about the best urologists they have seen for treatment. Having recommendations from people you know can help you choose a urologist that suits your needs.

Whether you learn about a urologist from your doctor, acquaintances, or online, you should find out more about the experience and skill level of the doctor before a procedure. A quick indicator of competence is board certification, as it shows the training and expertise of the doctor.

When you are persuaded that a particular urologist may be ideal for you, schedule a visit. It is during the visit that you can ask questions and appreciate the physician’s perspective. It is wise to choose a urologist who speaks openly and candidly with you and who can freely explain to you in detail the procedure you seek and any of its risks and complications.

You should also confirm before the visit that your insurance provider will cover the cost of the services and any treatment you may need.

Notable urologists in Tampa, Florida

One reputable urologist in Tampa is Dr. Yaser Bassel. Based at the Advanced Urology Institute Westchase office, Dr. Bassel is a professional, friendly, board-certified surgeon with years of experience diagnosing and treating urinary incontinence, prostate enlargement, kidney stones, and urologic cancers, among other problems.

His expertise in minimally invasive surgical procedures, including the da Vinci robotic system, makes him one of the most sought-after surgeons by patients with prostate, bladder, and other urologic cancers. 

Dr. Brian D. Hale is another board-certified urologist at the Advanced Urology Institute Westchase office. With his knowledge and experience in laparoscopy and hand-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy, Dr. Hale achieves excellent results treating male and female urinary tract conditions.

He is a specialist in resolving recurrent urinary tract infections, kidney stones, bladder and prostate cancer, and other genitourinary disorders. Being one of the more experienced surgeons in Florida in conducting radical perineal prostatectomy, you can rely on Dr. Hale to speedily and accurately diagnose and treat prostate cancer.

When you want a doctor in Tampa who will listen to you, explain all the options, and answer all your questions before recommending treatment, you can also see Dr. Amar J. Raval at the Advanced Urology Institute Westchase office. A caring and knowledgeable physician, he is highly skilled in tackling urinary conditions and urinary stone removal. He regularly performs minimally invasive robotic surgery, laparoscopy, endoscopy, and open surgery for various urologic disorders.

A culture of excellence

Advanced Urology Institute has a well earned reputation for medical expertise, the most up-to-date equipment, and a culture of excellence. Through innovation and collaboration, AUI continues to be recognized for offering leading-edge, multidisciplinary, and patient-centered care.

At AUI, Westchase office in Tampa, Florida, we offer treatments for bladder cancer, prostate cancer, male and female urinary incontinence, bladder reconstruction, erectile dysfunction, female sexual dysfunction, renal carcinoma, urinary stone management, and robotic laparoscopic surgery, among others. We continually enhance our diagnosis and treatment techniques to guarantee better success rates for our patients.