Symptoms of the genitourinary tract

Urologic symptoms are generally
- Pain, discomfort
- Alterations of urination
- Changes in the gross appearance of the urine
- Abnormal appearance or function of external genitalia
Primary urologic diseases can manifest as GI problems
Systemic manifestations
- Fever
  - Acute pyelonephritis, prostatitis, RCC
  - Chronic pyelonephritis does not cause fever
- Weight loss
  - Advanced stages of cancer
Pain
- Can be felt locally at the area of the diseased organ or elsewhere, as referred pain
Renal pain
- Either dull and aching or sharp and colicky (renal colic)
- Dull and aching renal pain
  - Usually felt at the costovertebral angle
  - Pyelonephritis
- Renal colic
  - Severe, unilateral colicky flank pain
  - Paroxysmal
  - The patient has a severe urge to move around
  - Can radiate to groin, perineum, abdomen, etc.
  - Painful on percussion
  - Nausea, vomiting common
  - Due to ureter or kidney stone
Ureteral pain
- Typically caused by acute obstruction and distension of the ureter
- Ureter pain is felt at the area of the kidney, but may radiate to the groin
Bladder pain
- Acute distension -> overdistension -> discomfort in suprapubic area
- Cystitis -> sharp, burning pain in urethra or penis
  - Pain at the end of urination is typical symptom of cystitis
Prostate pain
- Discomfort in perineal or rectal area -> prostatitis
Testicular/scrotal pain
- Usually due to disease of testis or epididymis, but kidney or ureter stone can cause testicular pain
- Sudden, severe pain
  - Trauma
  - Epididymitis
  - Testicular torsion
  - Kidney or ureter stone
- Less severe pain, insidious onset
  - Hydrocele
  - Tumour
Urethral discharge -> STD
- Gonorrhoea or Chlamydia