When scar tissue from swelling, injury, or infection causes a narrowed or blocked urethra, it’s called a urethral stricture. Urethral strictures are fairly rare, and they most often develop in men due to longer urethras.
Since urethral strictures aren’t a widespread issue, you may not be familiar with the symptoms and signs of one. Unfortunately, if you don’t recognize that you have a urethral structure and seek treatment for it, you can develop serious health complications.
Paul Chung, MD, FACS, and our team at our practices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, are passionate about empowering men to take control of their health.
So, in this month’s blog, we discuss what you need to know about urethral strictures, including how to recognize the telltale signs of one and how we can help.
Your urethra is the tube that travels from your bladder to your penis to transport urine out of your body. It also plays an important role in ejaculation.
A urethral stricture develops when scar tissue narrows your urethra, restricting your flow of urine.
This blockage can occur anywhere along the urethra’s path. Urethral strictures that develop around the bladder are called posterior strictures. Strictures that occur in the middle of your urethra and beyond are called anterior strictures.
While anything that triggers scar tissue growth can lead to a urethral stricture, some more common causes include:
In other cases, a urethral stricture can develop from medical treatments and procedures, such as long-term urinary catheter use, improper urinary catheter placement, radiation therapy for prostate cancer, or kidney stone surgery.
While symptoms of a urethral stricture can be immediate, other times they can come on slowly.
No matter the severity or timing of urethral stricture symptoms, you must seek prompt care from Dr. Chung since an untreated stricture can lead to kidney stones and infections.
These are telltale signs and symptoms of a urethral stricture that you should never ignore:
If you aren’t able to pee at all, you may have a complete urinary blockage, called urinary retention. Acute urinary retention is a medical emergency.
Don’t wait for symptoms of a urethral stricture to become severe before seeking care from Dr. Chung and our team. Dr. Chung prioritizes effective care that eliminates urethral strictures for good, reducing your risk for recurring blockages.
Schedule an appointment with Dr. Chung by calling your nearest office location today.
