Urethral Stricture Facts

January 21, 2026

This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by Humberto Villarreal, M.D., assistant clinical professor, Division of Urology and Urologic Oncology, Department of Surgery, City of Hope^® Cancer Center Duarte.

The urethra is the tube that leads from the bladder to the outside of the body. When someone urinates, urine travels through the urethra and leaves the body. In women, the urethral opening is found next to the vagina. In men, it is located at the end of the head of penis.

A urethral stricture is a narrowing of the urethral tube, most often caused by scar tissue. It can cause symptoms such as blood in the urine or semen, pain when urinating, a weak urinary stream, dribbling of urine or incomplete bladder emptying.

Urethral Stricture in Women and Men

The male urethra is around 8 inches long, while the female urethra is around 1.5 inches long. This means that men are more likely to experience conditions that affect the urethra, including urethral strictures. Because urethral strictures are rare in women and there are few medical guidelines on diagnosing and treating them, the information below focuses on urethral strictures in men.

Urethral Strictures in Men

The urethra passes through the prostate gland and is made up of three sections. Urethral strictures may develop in any of these sections and treatment depends on where the stricture is located, what caused it and whether it has previously been treated.

The first section of the urethra is called the prostatic urethra and transitions to the membranous urethra at the level of the urinary sphincter.

Next is the bulbar urethra, which is the part of the urethra located between the sphincter and the base of the penis. The bulbar urethra is surrounded by a thick layer of spongy tissue called the spongiosum. Outside the spongiosum is the bulbospongiosus muscle.

The third section is called the penile or pendulous urethra. As the name implies, this part of the urethra is on the underside of the visible portion of the penis. Lastly, the urethra widens within the head of the penis (or glans) to form the fossa navicularis, before ending at the meatus.

Nearly half of all male urethral strictures occur in the bulbar urethra and around 30% are found in the penile urethra. The remaining cases occur in the first section of the urethra.

What Causes Urethral Stricture?

Urethral strictures are caused by the development of scar tissue inside the urethra. Scar tissue may form after an injury or infection. When this scar tissue blocks the flow of urine in the urethra, it is called a urethral stricture. Some common causes of urethral strictures include:

• Sexually transmitted infections
• Frequent cases of urethritis, an inflammation of the urethra
• Procedures that involve inserting a catheter, cystoscope or other instrument into the urethra
• Injuries to the pelvic area
• Radiation therapy for pelvic malignancy