There are numerous genetic and hormonal differences between men and women. No wonder, then, that men also get different diseases than women. But while a woman can turn to a gynecologist or women’s doctor with typically female complaints, many men wonder where to find an appropriate men’s doctor. The technical term for the “doctor for men” is andrologist.
Andrologist or urologist: what is the difference?
The field of urology deals with a fairly broad field. Urologists are experts in the urine-forming and urine-diverting organs, i.e. the urinary bladder, ureter, urethra or kidneys. In principle, urologists are not specialized purely in men and can also be consulted by women.
The male sex organs, for example the testicles, the vas deferens, the penis or the prostate, also fall within the scope of urology. However, since the field of urology is quite comprehensive, there are various specializations, such as oncological urology, which focuses on cancers such as prostate cancer.
Another specialization is andrology, which focuses primarily on the male reproductive tract and disorders of reproduction in men.
But an andrologist does not necessarily have to be a urologist. To be allowed to use the title of andrologist, 18 months of additional training is required in addition to the specialist in urology, dermatology (dermatologist) or internal medicine (endocrinology) through qualified training and final examination.
Andrology (men’s medicine)
The andrologist is increasingly becoming an important partner not only for men, but also for couples in family planning issues. Whether unfulfilled desire for children, hormonal and erectile dysfunction or disorders in the development during puberty – the men’s doctor, the andrologist, has established itself in recent years as an important contact for male patients.
Gynecologists and andrologists work together
The specialty of gynecologists (women’s health physicians) has been recognized for decades. Andrologists are important partners with gynecologists, for example, when couples have trouble conceiving children – or with contraceptive issues. Many unintentionally childless couples can be helped under certain circumstances, because in addition to artificial insemination and preparation of sperm, there is the possibility of treatment of severe male fertility disorders by assisted fertilization using a special sperm injection technique (ICSI).
Surgical procedures of sperm retrieval and microsurgical treatment techniques are nowadays widely developed. According to the guidelines of the German Medical Association, andrologists must now be part of the reproductive medicine team.
