The first step is to discuss the condition with a urologist, a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the urinary tract and urogenital system.
Common Tests
Your doctor may perform the following kinds of tests to establish a diagnosis for urethral strictures.
- Urethroscopy—With a narrow instrument that is inserted into the urethra, your physician can visually inspect the urethra, looking for obvious areas of strictures.
- Uroflowmetry—A mechanical measurement of urine output and flow rate.
- Urinalysis—Examines urine for signs of infection, blood, or other abnormalities
- Retrograde Urethrogram—This involves injecting a contrast agent into the urethra so that strictures will show up more distinctly on an X-ray.
A urologist will evaluate treatment frequency to determine the severity of stricture formation and the need for alternative treatments. In the majority of cases, strictures are treatable with a single procedure. However, some strictures do have a tendency to come back repeatedly. This means a single treatment may not be a permanent solution.
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