home Audience 5 What is the female urethra? Features of the structure and location of the organ. Possible diseases of the female urethra. Women's urethra

What is the female urethra? Features of the structure and location of the organ. Possible diseases of the female urethra. Women's urethra

Urethra is a tube through which urine is released from Bladder. The course of such a tube begins from the bladder, or rather, from its bottom. It consists of muscles, outside the act of urination it is in a collapsed state, i.e. one wall is adjacent to the other. The walls of the urethra can stretch up to 7-8 cm. The structure of the male and female urinary canals has fundamental differences.

Features of the structure of the male urethra

The urethra in men, moving away from the bladder, passes through the head of the prostate, through the pelvic fascia and goes through the shaft of the penis. At the head of the penis, the urethra ends with an opening. The mouth has the shape of a slit and is located vertically. The average size of the urethra is 17 cm. The male urethra has a configuration in the shape of the letter S. It is divided, from a physiological point of view:

urinary canal;
urogenital canal.

Surgeons have the following division of the urethra:

posterior section;
middle section;
anterior section

It distinguishes several anatomical curves, as well as three parts:

prostate part;
membranous part;
spongy part.

But some authors also distinguish the intramural part. The channel for excreting urine begins with the intramural part. It is surrounded by muscles, they partly connect with the prostate, partly with bladder. The muscles are called the internal urethral sphincter. The neck of the bladder and the beginning of the urethra are located 4 cm from the posterior surface of the pubic symphysis. According to studies, the intramural part is capable of changing size depending on the fullness of the bladder.

Prostatic part located as close as possible to the bladder, it is the widest and most distensible part of the urethra. Its length is about two and a half centimeters. Smooth muscles are located around the circumference of this section; they strengthen the sphincter of the bladder. In relation to the urethra, the prostate, in most cases, lies mostly behind. In the initial and terminal parts, the lumen of the prostate is narrow. In the middle third of the prostate, the seminal mound is located along the posterior wall, around which the efferent openings of the prostate ducts open. The urogenital diaphragm extends below the prostate. Behind it begins the membranous urethra. Surrounded by two muscle layers. The membranous part is the smallest, its length is one centimeter. It stretches from the prostate to the penis. On outer surface posteriorly lie the bulbourethral glands. The membranous section is well fixed by the urogenital diaphragm, which is why this section is inactive. It contains the external urethral sphincter.

The spongy part is located over a length of 15 cm. The spongy part is divided into a movable section and a fixed section. The transition from one to the other is located at the location of the ligament that supports the penis. This section is surrounded by the spongy substance of the penis. The course of the spongy section in the penis is slightly slanted; there is an area in the urethra that is not covered with spongy substance; it is the most vulnerable.

In addition to the anatomical division, in urology, according to the course of inflammation in the urethra, they distinguish between the anterior and posterior parts. The line between them is the urethral sphincter. It prevents the infection from spreading from the anterior to the posterior urethra.

At at different ages men vary the size of the urethra; in boys it is narrower and shorter. The bend in the back is more pronounced.

Female urethra

The urethra in women has a number of features. The beginning of the canal is located in the neck of the bladder. Further, the course of the urethra will be parallel to the course of the vagina, the urethra ends in the vestibule of the vagina between the clitoris and the entrance of the vagina. The size of the urethral opening is about half a centimeter, it has round shape. A woman's urethra is completely immobile, unlike a man's. It is also wider and shorter. Back wall fused to the vagina, the anterior one is located next to the pubic symphysis. There is a narrowing in the area of the outer and inner holes. The Skene's gland is located along the wall of the urethra, which is located behind. They secrete a secretion that is similar to the secretion of the prostate. But its function is not fully understood.

In both men and women, the urethra consists of three layers: submucosal, muscular and mucosal

Blood supply

The blood supply to the urethra is very complex. Its different parts feed different vessels. The arterial network of the urethra comes from the internal iliac artery. The prostatic part is fed from the middle branch of the rectal artery and inferior artery bladder, the arteries of the urethra are formed from the branches of the internal iliac artery, the membranous part is from the lower branch of the rectal artery and the perineal artery, and the spongy part is fed from the internal pudendal artery. Venous drainage goes to the veins of the penis and bladder.

Functions performed

The urethra in women and men also differs in the functions it performs. In men, it performs three functions:

keeps urine in its reservoir;
takes her out;
conducts sperm during sex, or more precisely, at the moment of orgasm.

Urinary retention is accomplished through the work of two sphincters, namely: located inside and outside. If the bladder is poorly filled, then the sphincter located inside holds the urine, and when the bladder is full, the sphincter located outside.

The excretion of urine occurs when the bladder is full, then the urge to deurinate is formed, the muscles become relaxed by an effort of will, and under the influence of the muscular corset of the abdominal press and the bladder, urine is excreted.

The release of ejaculate occurs as follows. The sphincter inside is contracted, the prostate muscles are also contracted, the seminal hill swells. Corpora cavernosa the canal walls swell and pull back. Seed mounds contract intermittently, pushing out fluid. Also, the expulsion of ejaculate is facilitated by the contraction of the muscle layer of the ejaculatory duct and prostate, but the bulbospongiosus muscle still plays the main role in ejaculation.

In the fair half, the urethra has two functions:

urine retention;
her conclusion.

Pathology of the urethra

Pathological changes in the urethra can be divided into congenital and acquired. Among congenital ones there are:

lack of channel;
doubling;
diverticulosis;
hypospadias is a splitting of the wall of the posterior urethra, most often observed in males;
epispadias – incomplete fusion of the anterior wall of the urethral canal;
infravesicular obstruction is a disturbance in the flow of urine in the area of the bladder neck or urethra. This may be due to congenital stricture of the cervix, valvular formations of the canal, large sizes spermatic tubercle, complete fusion of the urinary canal.

Clinical picture congenital pathology The urethra is generally similar, regardless of its type (the exceptions are hypospadias and epispadias). The normal act of urination is disrupted, urinary incontinence or complete retention occurs, and the bladder overflows. The more narrowed the urethra, the sooner the clinic will manifest itself. In children, the abdominal press tenses during the act of urination. The stream of urine is sluggish, uneven, and the child urinates for a very long time. The bladder increases in size, urethritis, cystitis, and pyelonephritis often occur. The outcome may be chronic renal failure.

Epispadia manifests itself as discomfort when urinating, curvature of the penis; epispadia occurs very rarely in girls. With hypospadias, the urethra opens behind the head along the posterior surface of the penis with an opening in the form of a slit, and with the scrotal form - along the midline of the scrotum. arise frequent urge to urination, the act itself is accompanied by difficulty.

Schematic illustration of various urethral malformations

Among the acquired pathologies of the urethra, stricture is distinguished, but it is worth noting that it can also be congenital. As a rule, stricture develops in men, which is associated with the structural features of their genitourinary system.

Acquired pathology

Urethritis is an inflammatory process in the urethra. It can develop in both men and women. But it still occurs more often in women, which is associated with easy penetration of infection into the urethra (it is wider and shorter than in men). Urethritis can be caused by viruses, bacteria, chemical substances. It manifests itself as a burning sensation, pain when urinating, and the release of blood and mucus.

In addition, among the acquired pathologies it is worth noting cancer and benign neoplasms. General symptoms there will be difficulty and pain when urinating, urinary retention, frequent urge to urinate, pain during sexual intercourse. The intensity of symptoms directly depends on the size of the tumor.

Skinitis is an inflammation of the paraurethral glands or Skene glands in women. Reveals itself this pathology burning, pain during and after sexual intercourse, difficulty urinating.

Also among acquired pathologies, trauma to the urethra is distinguished. They are closed and open. Injuries without breaking the integrity of the skin are considered closed. The main cause of injury is fracture of the pelvic bones. In addition, medical manipulation may be an etiological factor. In women, trauma to the urethra sometimes occurs during childbirth.

Violation normal operation urethra in women occurs when carrying a child, after childbirth. They have urinary incontinence and dysuric phenomena. In addition, older women also have problems with the urethra.

In men, dysuria is mainly due to the fact that with benign prostate dysplasia or with oncology of this organ, the formation compresses the urethra, disrupting the normal flow of urine.

Conclusion

It is very difficult to analyze the anatomy of the urethra in detail for a person who does not have medical education. However, everyone should know the basics of structure. Knowing your body makes it possible to treat it more carefully and carefully, preventing various diseases. Be healthy.

The urethra (urethra) is an elastic tube responsible for removing urine from the bladder to the outside. In women it is much shorter and wider than in men (3–4 cm long and 1.5 cm wide versus 16–22 cm and 8 mm, respectively). Inner hole The urethra extends from the bladder, and the canal, passing through the urogenital diaphragm, ends in the vestibule of the vagina with the external opening of the urethra. The hole has a round shape. It is surrounded by hard, roll-like edges. The urethra fuses with the anterior wall of the vagina and runs parallel to it. At the external entrance, the opening of the urethra is narrowed, and at the internal entrance it is widened and has a funnel shape.

Around the canal there is connective tissue, the density of which varies (in the lower sections it is the densest). The wall of the urethra itself consists of muscle and mucous membrane. The muscularis propria consists of an outer, circular layer of smooth muscle and elastic fibers. The mucous membrane is covered with epithelium, which has several layers.

The condition of the urethra can be assessed by a gynecologist during an examination.

Diseases of the urethra in women

The most common disease of the urethra in women is urethritis (inflammation of the urethra). It manifests itself as burning, itching, pain and pain in the urethra during urination or without any connection with it.

The disease can affect any woman if she is exposed to a number of hazardous factors. Among them, especially noteworthy are hypothermia, sexual hyperactivity leading to microtrauma of the urethra, poor nutrition (overconsumption spicy, sour, fried foods and alcohol), violations of the vaginal microflora and gynecological diseases, kidney diseases ( urolithiasis disease), weak immunity, mechanical damage at medical procedures(catheterization, smear), pathogenic effect toxic agents and radiation factors.

Female urethritis develops, starting with temporary exacerbations of the disease. Manifestations can vary in strength - from mild discomfort to severe cutting pains. Usually, quite a lot of time passes between exacerbations, and women are in no hurry to see a doctor. But this is a huge mistake, because after a while the pain and burning sensation will come more often, and the effect of antibiotics will become less effective. The most difficult stage female urethritis is constant pain in the urethra.

What causes this unpleasant and dangerous disease? Most often these are some gynecological diseases associated with a violation of the vaginal microflora. This disorder (dysbiosis) can be caused by sexually transmitted infections, among which the most common are chlamydia, trichomoniasis, ureaplasmosis, etc. But, in addition to them, the disease can also develop under the influence of streptococci, staphylococci and other bacteria.

Urethritis can lead to various complications: when inflammation spreads to the bladder, cystitis develops, and if the infection goes further, it can also affect the kidneys, causing pyelonephritis. Chronic urethritis often causes deformation of the urethra, which prevents the normal excretion of urine.

Treatment of the urethra in women

Treatment of inflammation of the urethra in women involves therapy to restore the properties of the urethral wall, normal vaginal microflora and strengthening immune system. For this purpose, antibiotics, immunomodulators and vitamins are used.

Urethritis is quite difficult to treat, but preventive measures, helping to prevent this disease are quite simple. It is necessary to avoid severe hypothermia, dress according to the weather, follow the rules intimate hygiene and use contraceptives. It is also important to eat properly and on time, to prevent constipation in every possible way and to avoid stress.

The urethra (urethra) is an elastic tube responsible for removing urine from the bladder to the outside. In women it is much shorter and wider than in men (3–4 cm long and 1.5 cm wide versus 16–22 cm and 8 mm, respectively). The internal opening of the urethra extends from the bladder, and the canal, passing through the urogenital diaphragm, ends in the vestibule of the vagina with the external opening of the urethra. The hole has a round shape. It is surrounded by hard, roll-like edges. The urethra fuses with the anterior wall of the vagina and runs parallel to it. At the external entrance, the opening of the urethra is narrowed, and at the internal entrance it is widened and has a funnel shape.

The condition of the urethra can be assessed by a gynecologist during an examination.

Diseases of the urethra in women

The most common disease of the urethra in women is urethritis (inflammation of the urethra). It manifests itself as burning, stinging and pain in the urethra during urination or without any connection with it.

The disease can affect any woman if she is exposed to a number of dangerous factors. Among them, one should especially highlight hypothermia, sexual hyperactivity leading to microtrauma of the urethra, unhealthy diet (excessive consumption of spicy, sour, fried foods and alcohol), disorders of the vaginal microflora and gynecological diseases, kidney diseases (urolithiasis), weak immunity, mechanical damage during medical procedures (catheterization, smear), pathogenic effects of toxic agents and radiation factors.

Female urethritis develops, starting with temporary exacerbations of the disease. Manifestations can vary in strength - from mild discomfort to severe cutting pain. Usually, quite a lot of time passes between exacerbations, and women are in no hurry to see a doctor. But this is a huge mistake, because after a while the pain and burning sensation will come more often, and the effect of antibiotics will become less effective. The most severe stage of female urethritis is constant pain in the urethra.

Treatment of the urethra in women

Treatment of inflammation of the urethra in women involves therapy to restore the properties of the urethral wall, normal vaginal microflora and strengthening the immune system. For this purpose, antibiotics, immunomodulators, etc. are used.

Urethritis is quite difficult to treat, but preventive measures to help prevent this disease are quite simple. It is necessary to avoid severe hypothermia, dress according to the weather, observe the rules of intimate hygiene and use contraceptives. It is also important to eat properly and on time, to prevent constipation in every possible way and to avoid stress.

Expert editor: Mochalov Pavel Alexandrovich| Doctor of Medical Sciences general practitioner

Education: Moscow Medical Institute named after. I. M. Sechenov, specialty - "General Medicine" in 1991, in 1993 " Occupational diseases", in 1996 "Therapy".

The urethra, or in professional language - the urethra, is the tube that serves to exit urine from the bladder. The urethra of the female and male halves is very different. Due to the differences in the structure of the urethra, the female part of the population is more susceptible to various diseases than the male part. An important role in normal functioning The microflora present in the urethra in both sexes plays a role. The microorganisms inhabiting the female and male urethra also differ from each other.

Urinary canal in men and women it looks like a soft elastic tube, the walls of which are represented by 3 layers: the outer connective layer, the muscular layer (middle layer) and the mucous membrane. The male urethra performs not only urinary function, but also serves to release male semen.

The average length of the urethra ranges from 18 to 25 cm (depending on individual characteristics each person). The male urethra can be roughly divided into 2 parts: anterior and posterior, which are represented by 3 sections:

Prostatic- has a length of about 3 cm. It includes tubules for the release of sperm and 2 ducts (prostate and for sperm removal).
Membranous- has a length of about 2 cm. It extends through the urogenital diaphragm, which has a muscular sphincter.
Spongy- is considered the longest section of the urethra and has a length of about 20 cm. The ducts of the bulbourethral glands (numerous small canals) enter the spongy section.

The male urethra originates from the urinary sac, then smoothly passes into the prostate gland. The urethra ends at the head of the genital organ, from where urine and ejaculatory fluid (sperm) are released.

You can also watch a video about the male urethra.

Anatomy and functions of the female urethra

The female urethra is designed like this:

The female urethra is much shorter than the male, no more than 5 cm in length and about 1.8 cm in width.
The urethra in women is directed forward, passes next to the elastic wall of the vagina and the pubic bone.
At the end of the urethra, just below the clitoris, is its external opening.
Inside the urethra there is a mucous membrane that looks like folds (longitudinal). Due to these folds, the lumen of the urethra appears smaller.
Thanks to connective tissue, consisting of various vessels, veins and special elastic threads, a blocking pad is formed that is capable of closing the duct of the canal.

The urethra serves a woman only to exit urine from the body. It does not perform any other functions. Due to the short and wide urethra located near the anus and vagina, women are more susceptible to various infections genitourinary organs.

You can see about the genitourinary system in women in this video.

Microflora in the urethra

At the moment of a person's birth on his skin covering various microorganisms enter, which then penetrate the body and settle on internal organs and their mucous membranes.

Microbes attach to the mucous membranes, since they cannot spread further (they are prevented by the body's internal secretions and urine). In addition, the ciliated epithelium provides additional protection against bacteria. Those microbes that remain on the mucous membranes are the innate microflora of the body.

Among women There are many more different microorganisms on the mucous membrane of the urethra than in men:

The urethra of the weaker sex is mainly dominated by lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which secrete acid, thereby forming an acidic environment in the body.
If for some reason these bacteria become insufficient, acidic environment changes to alkaline, resulting in inflammatory processes.
As you grow older female body, the beneficial microflora is replaced by coccal ones.

The male urethra is home to:

Staphylococci and streptococci, corynebacteria.
In men normal microflora remains unchanged throughout life.
The composition of microflora can vary from frequent changes sexual partners, therefore dangerous microorganisms that can cause serious diseases can penetrate into the human body.
The presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the urethra is also considered normal, Staphylococcus aureus, Neisseria.
Ureaplasma, chlamydia, fungi of the genus Candida, and mycoplasma can be found in small quantities.

Diseases in women and men

The process of urine excretion in a healthy person occurs painlessly, without causing any inconvenience. If it penetrates the urethra pathogenic microflora- an inflammatory process develops, and the act of excreting urine begins to be accompanied by pain, burning, itching and other unpleasant symptoms.

Inflammatory processes in the urethra can be:

Specific. These include those diseases that were acquired sexually (chlamydia, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, mycoplasmosis, ureaplasmosis.
Non-specific. The second include those diseases that arose due to the large (pathogenic) proliferation of streptococci, fungi, staphylococci and E. coli.

The most common cause of infection in the genital tract is a decrease in protective functions body, simply put, human immunity. In addition, the following reasons influence the likelihood of the formation of inflammatory processes:

hypothermia;
urolithiasis disease;
injuries in the genitourinary area;
unbalanced diet;
inflammatory processes occurring in chronic forms;
frequent urinary retention;
unsanitary conditions during medical procedures (taking a smear, inserting a catheter).

Urethritis

Inflammation in the urethra is called urethritis. The disease can have several types:

Spicy. It occurs as a result of pathogens such as Trichomonas and gonococcus entering the body. IN in rare cases Acute urethritis can be caused by injury or a chemical irritant that enters the urethra.
Chronic. It is also formed as a result of the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms (gonococcus or trichomonas), and can sometimes occur after birth injuries or if the urethra is damaged during sexual intercourse.
Granular. The most common type of urethritis. Formed as a result of inflammatory processes occurring in the genital organs.
Senile. Most often it affects women menopausal age. The causes of urethritis are hormonal changes, occurring in a woman’s body.
Premenstrual. Occurs before the onset of menstruation and is caused by sharp jump hormones in the body.
Allergic. May bother a person who is prone to allergic reactions to some medicines or food products.

Polyps

Are considered benign education developing on the mucous membrane of the urethra. May occur due to hormonal imbalance, chronic infectious inflammations, intestinal diseases:

Urethral cancer

A rare disease of the urethra, mainly affecting the female population. It forms in any part of the urethra, but most often the cancer affects the external outlet of the urethra, located near the vulva.

Rupture of the urethra

It is observed mainly in men. Occurs due to injury to the penis (fracture, bruise). Urethral rupture can be complete or partial. When a complete rupture occurs, urine cannot pass out on its own. male body, which may result in serious complications.

Signs of disease

Depending on the pathogen and incubation period illness, the first signs may appear after a few days or months. The patient feels pain during urination, severe pain, itching. The pain can spread not only to the lower abdomen and pubis, but also to the back or lower back.

Characteristic symptoms of inflammation of the urethra are:

The infectious process eventually spreads to the entire mucous membrane of the canal and over time can spread to other organs. The symptoms will only become more pronounced. If inflammation is not dealt with, there is a risk of serious health complications: for men it is inflammation of the testicles or prostate gland, for women it is inflammation, etc. Untreated inflammatory processes can cause infertility in both women and men.

Treatment

For successful treatment inflammatory process in the urethra, it is necessary to accurately establish the cause that provoked the disease:

A course of antibiotic therapy may take about a week.
In addition to antibiotics, the patient may need painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, uroantiseptics.
It is recommended to take vitamin-mineral complexes and immunomodulators.
If a polyp is detected in the urethra, treatment can only be surgical.
If the cause of the pathology of the urethra is condylomas, cryotherapy is used and further treatment is carried out. healthy image life.
Cancerous growths in the urethra are treated with radiation and surgical operations. In case of incomplete rupture of the urethra, sometimes it is enough to undergo a course of antibiotic therapy and remain in bed for a certain time.
If the rupture is complete, catheterization may be required to drain urine, as well as surgery.

In order to avoid inflammatory processes in the urethra, you need to follow simple rules:

Since urethral diseases mainly occur due to promiscuity, you need to have a permanent partner who does not have health problems. Otherwise, protection methods such as a condom must be used.
It is important to monitor personal hygiene of the genitals. After sexual intercourse, it is necessary to urinate, as urine helps flush out bacteria from the urethra.
A person should also take care of his health: do not overcool, empty a full bladder on time, eat right, drink a lot of water and herbal teas.

When carrying out any medical manipulations in the urethra (scraping, smear, catheterization), you must observe sanitary standards. Therefore, it is important to trust only experienced specialist, otherwise you may get injured in the urethra. In addition, it is necessary to promptly identify and treat various diseases, which can form inflammatory processes in the urethra.

Urination is an important life process human body, which is carried out using the urethra, otherwise the urethra, which removes urine along with water-soluble products.

The structure of the female urethra

The duct used for urination looks like a straight tube. It is located in lower section pelvic cavity: originates above the pelvic floor, passes the anterior vaginal wall, upper bones pubis. Rear surface The urethra is connected to the vaginal wall. Its external opening is placed between the clitoris and the entrance to the vagina, covered by the labia.

The urethra contains connective tissue outer layer, consisting of fibers, muscular, and then the mucous membrane lining the walls of the duct inside. Throughout the channel there are periurethral glands, producing mucus, the amount of which increases in a state of excitement.

The purpose of the urethra is not only to remove urine, but also to retain urine thanks to the internal and external sphincters that block the canal.

Anatomical features of the urethra – short length from 3 to 5cm, diameter approx. 1.5 cm– predispose to infection, inflammation of the genitourinary organs, weakening of the pelvic floor muscles.

Causes, symptoms of inflammation of the urethra

The source of many diseases is decreased immunity of the walls of the urethra. Infectious agents that penetrate through the blood, from the intestines, and during sexual intercourse always live here. Thanks to immunity healthy man resists them; if it is not there, an inflammatory process develops.

Factors that provoke the occurrence of urinary tract pathology:

Hypothermia.
Damage to the genitals.
Stress.
Urolithiasis disease.
Wrong diet.
The habit of delaying the outflow of urine.
Failure to comply with hygiene standards when taking a smear and catheterization.

Distinctive signs of diseases of the organ in question are first pain, burning during the process of emptying the bladder, then in the lumbar region, lower abdomen, sacral region spine, pain, itching, discharge with pus, sometimes with blood.

Specific and nonspecific diseases

Among inflammations of the urinary tract, those caused by sexually transmitted infection: trichomonas, chlamydia, ureaplasma, gonococcus, mycoplasma. These specific diseases are considered sexually transmitted; in case of infection, both partners are treated:

At urethritis The mucous membrane becomes inflamed, pain appears, regular or only when urinating, discharge from the urethra with purulent contents. Cause of infection – pathogens of urogenital infection that can rise up and cover genitourinary organs. Every case of urethritis requires individual treatment, including antibiotics, drugs that strengthen the immune system, and vitamins.
Chlamydia generated by chlamydia, which has a detrimental effect on urinary tract. The consequences of the disease are infertility.
Gonorrhea– a consequence of casual sexual relations. Gonococci destroy the epithelium of the cervix, urethra, and lower rectum. Indicated for gonorrhea antibacterial therapy under the supervision of a doctor, self-medication is unacceptable.

Pathogens: staphylococci, streptococci, coli, anaerobic infection– become a source of such types of nonspecific urethritis as:

Chronic, resulting from trauma to the urethra during childbirth, sexual intercourse, or masturbation. This disease is characterized by discomfort in the area of the urethra, incessant pain in the back, sacrum, groin, frequent urination, sometimes urinary incontinence.
granular occurs due to inflammation of the genital organs. Methods of therapy: quenching the canal mucosa with a silver solution, electrocoagulation. Relapses are possible, so observation by a urologist is necessary.
Senile occurs during postmenopause Symptoms are similar to manifestations chronic urethritis, but the disease lasts longer, the vaginal mucosa atrophies, on the outer integument – hyperemia.
Premenstrual happens before menstruation. Usually the symptoms do not last long and disappear completely during menstruation.
Allergic triggered by allergens. There is pressure and itching in the urethra. The urinary tract swells, the outflow of urine is disrupted. The method of treatment is bougienage of the urethra, that is, expansion of the narrowed duct to a normal state.

Urolithiasis, prolapse

There are diseases of the urethra associated with the formation of stones and urethral prolapse:

Urolithiasis different people suffer age groups. Stones form in the bladder and urinary duct. When stones come out along with urine, injuring the mucous membrane, a sharp pain. Due to blockage of the duct by stones, the bladder does not empty completely. Choice of treatment - therapy or surgical intervention– determined by the number and size of stones.

Prolapse– loss of all layers of the urethral wall through the opening, complete from the outside: (along the entire length) or incomplete ( Bottom part). The reason for the prolapse of the urethra is the downward displacement of the bladder due to weakening of the ligamentous-muscular apparatus that holds it. Externally, it is a mucous formation at the opening of the urethra. The disease only worries when it is disrupted sex life, pain is felt when walking, urine output is complicated. Prolapse requires surgery.

Neoplasms of the urethra

The urinary organs are susceptible to the formation of polyps, cysts, condylomas, and cancerous tumors.

A small protrusion on the wall of the urethra, polyp, impairs urination, appears bloody issues from the urethra, but not always. Often the disease is asymptomatic. Sometimes a polyp, growing from the edge, prevents the urethra from closing, which leads to enuresis.

Pointed spots sometimes form on the walls of the urethra. condylomas is the only tumor of viral origin that can be transmitted to sexual partners. Sometimes these tumors disappear on their own, but the human papillomavirus remains in the body, and condylomas can reappear. In a neglected state, they rarely degenerate into malignant ones.

In patients with paraurethral cyst the vaginal wall bulges above the canal as the glands located behind the urethral opening fill with fluid. On initial stage painful sensations no, then the cyst can fester and break into the urethra. Then urine excretion becomes difficult and the temperature rises. Paraurethral cyst is treated surgically.

Urethral cancer is rare. The tumor affects any part of the urinary duct, but most often the external urethral outlet, located near the vulva.

Diagnostics

A urologist, examining a patient, may find external signs inflammation of the urethra visually, by palpation.

Set availability infectious disease Laboratory tests help:

General analysis of urine and blood.
Urethral swab.
PCR (diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections)
Bacteriological culture.

Using a smear, the qualitative composition of the microflora is determined, pathogenic microorganisms. It is important to properly prepare for this procedure:

Do not take medications for 7 days.
Avoid alcohol, vaginal products, and douching 24 hours before.
Do not have sexual intercourse for 12 hours.
Do not urinate 1 hour before taking a smear.

It is possible to identify urethral pathology using X-ray methods, urethroscopy, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), and histological examination.

Although an examination by a urologist is painful for women, it is necessary to be examined at the first symptoms of disease. These signals cannot be ignored, because diseases of the urethra reduce the quality of life, cause pain, and give rise to depression. By consulting a doctor on time and following his prescriptions, you can maintain the health of the genitourinary system, in particular the urethra.