Here at the London Pain Clinic, our highly experienced Pain Doctors regularly explain to patients that when it comes to urethral stricture disease, lower urinary tract pain is commonplace. Moreover, this is particularly the case in in younger men. Of note: urethral strictures occur far more in males. This is due to the fact that their urethra is substantially longer than that of a female, thus making it more susceptible to the damage and injury that causes them. Furthermore, lower urinary tract pain is linked to worse quality of life and voiding function. So if you are suffering from pain connected to urethral stricture disease, the sooner that you book an online or in-person appointment with one of our Pain Consultants, the quicker you will be able to get back on track.
Urethral Stricture
Urethral stricture describes a condition in which the urethra becomes blocked, or becomes more narrow (due to the formation of scar tissue within the urethra), thereby rendering it difficult to pass urine in the normal way.
The Urethra
This describes the thin tube which transports urine from the urinary bladder to outside the body. When it comes to urethral strictures, these can block the sufferer’s potential to urinate, and this scenario creates a back up of urine within the urinary tract. Of note, this situation can result in kidney damage, kidney infections and kidney stones.
“An estimated 45%of urethral strictures occur due to urethral manipulation, while 30% are due to unknown causes. Another 20% are due to bacterial infections causing inflammation in the urethra. Some inflammatory conditions can also cause urethral strictures. These include untreated sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as gonorrhoea and chlamydia and a condition called balanitis xerotica obliterans” [1].
When you have an in-person or online consultation with one of our Pain Doctors, once you have an accurate diagnosis (if you do not already have one), they will then devise a Personalised Treatment Plan to ameliorate your pelvic pain so that you can get back to feeling your optimum self as soon as possible. They will also explain your condition in easy to understand layman’s terms, and answer any concerns or questions that you may have.
Types of Male Urethral Strictures
Generally speaking, our Pain Consultants at the London Pain Clinic, class urethral strictures by where they appear in the male urethra.
Posterior Urethra Stricture
- The posterior urethra is approximately 1 to 2 inches in length, and runs from the bladder opening to the portion of the urethra via the prostate and pelvic floor muscles. In most instances, posterior strictures result from injury to the pelvis, (e.g., a pelvic fracture)
Anterior Urethra Stricture
- The anterior urethra refers to the portion downstream from the posterior section, and involves the male urethra’s final 9 to 10 inches. The key causes of anterior urethral strictures comprise: undergoing direct trauma to the penis, experiencing a straddle injury, or suffering a history of urinary catheterization [1]
Urethral Stricture Symptoms to Look Out For
- Lower abdominal pain
- Difficulty urinating
- Leaky urine
- Pain whilst urinating
- Urine or blood in the semen
- Suboptimum bladder control
Urethral Manipulation
This describes is one of the most common reasons for contracting urethral strictures. As your Pain Consultant will explain: rethral manipulation can incorporate:
- Having a history of prostatectomy
- Having a history of taking a form of cancer treatment (prostate brachytherapy),
- Contracting damage from the indwelling of a urethral catheter
- Hypospadias Correction (this refers to a congenital abnormality by which the urethral opening exits via the penis underside as opposed to at the penis tip) [2]
References
[1]. Nall, R. (2019). “Urethral Stricture: Everything You Need to Know.” Medical News Today.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324983
[2]. Lesani, A (2025). “3 Signs of Ureteral Strictures.”
