This is usually done in the day bed area in hospital or in an outpatient area of the hospital so you shouldn’t need to stay overnight. Some people are given a sedative to help them relax whilst the examination is done.
Some ‘jelly’ with an anaesthetic in it is squeezed into the urethra (the tube that takes urine out of the bladder). This helps to reduce any discomfort.
The doctor gently passes a small, flexible tube (called a cystoscope) which has a camera on the end into your urethra up through your penis. This is to examine your bladder and your urethra. As it shows up on a screen you may be able to see inside your bladder if you want to! The whole thing should only take between 5 – 10 minutes.
Then the doctor will gently pull the cystoscope out. Afterwards, you may feel a bit sore or have a burning feeling when you pass urine. You may need to pass urine more often or you may see a little blood in your urine, but this should stop after a few days. If it doesn’t or you find it difficult to pass urine, contact the clinic or your GP.