Urethritis (Urethra Inflammation): Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

  • General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; furthermore:
    • Inspection (viewing).
      • Skin and mucous membranes
    • Auscultation (listening) of the heart
    • Auscultation of the lungs
    • Palpation (palpation) of the abdomen (abdomen) (tenderness?, knocking pain?, coughing pain?, defensive tension?, hernial orifices?, kidney bearing knocking pain?)
    • Digital rectal examination (DRU): examination of the rectum (rectum) and adjacent organs with the finger by palpation: assessment of the prostate in size, shape and consistency [due topossible secondary disease: prostatitis (prostatitis)].
  • Gynecological examinationInspection.
    • Vagina (vaginal) [vaginal fluoride (vaginal discharge)]

    Palpation (bimanual; palpation with both hands) of the internal genital organs:

    • Adnexa (appendages of the uterus, i.e., the ovary (ovary) and uterine tube (fallopian tube)). [due topossible sequelae: ascension/inflammation of the female genitals with adnexitis – ascending infection/inflammation of the fallopian tubes and ovary].
  • Urological examination[due topossible causes:
    • Urethral diverticulum (formation of a blind sac on the urethra).
    • Urethral stricture (urethral narrowing).
    • Diagnostic/therapeutic procedures such as cystoscopy (urinary bladder endoscopy) or bladder catheter placement]

    [due todifferential diagnoses:

    • Abacterial urethritis
    • Allergic urethritis
    • Bacterial urethritis, unspecified
    • Viral urethritis]

    [due topossible sequelae:

    • Man: inspection and palpation of the genitals (penis and scrotum) [cavernitis (inflammation of the corpora cavernosa of the penis); epididymitis (inflammation of the epididymis)]
    • Urethral stricture (urethral narrowing).
    • Periurethritis (inflammation of the tissues surrounding the urethra).
    • Cystitis (inflammation of the urinary bladder)]

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.