Andrologist – Men need a doctor too
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 with typically female complaints can turn to a gynaecologist , many men wonder where to find a male doctor. The technical term for the “doctor for men” is andrologist.
Andrologist or Urologist: What’s the Difference?
The field of urology deals with a fairly broad field. Urologists are experts in the urinary and urinary organs, i.e. the bladder, ureter, urethra or kidneys. In principle, urologists do not specialize purely in men and can also be consulted by women.
The male sex organs , such as the testicles, the vas deferens, the penis or the prostate , also fall within the field of urology. However, since the field of urology is quite comprehensive, there are various specializations, such as oncological urology, which focus on cancer diseases such as prostate cancer .
Another specialization is andrology, which specializes primarily in the area of the male genital organs and reproductive disorders in men.
But an andrologist does not necessarily have to be a urologist. In order to be allowed to use the designation andrologist, an 18-month additional training is required in addition to the specialist for urology, dermatology (dermatologist) or internal medicine (endocrinology) through qualified training and final examination.
Andrology (men’s medicine)
The andrologist is becoming an important partner in family planning not only for men, but also for couples. Whether it’s an unfulfilled desire to have children, hormone and erectile dysfunction or developmental disorders during puberty – the men’s doctor, the andrologist, has established itself as an important contact for male patients in recent years.
Gynecologists and andrologists work together
The specialty of gynaecologists has been recognized for decades. Andrologists are important partners for gynaecologists, for example when couples are having problems fathering children – or when it comes to questions about contraception. Many couples who do not want to have children can be helped under certain circumstances, because in addition to artificial insemination and processing of the sperm, there is the possibility of treating severe male reproductive disorders through assisted insemination using a special sperm injection technique (ICSI).
Surgical methods of obtaining sperm and microsurgical treatment techniques are now well developed. According to the guidelines of the German Medical Association, andrologists must now be part of the reproductive medicine team.
