How To Do Prostate Exam At Home

Can A Swollen Prostate If Untreated Cause Prostate Cancer

We have no evidence of that. Theyre completely unrelated problems. The area of the prostate that causes urinary symptoms is usually a different part of the prostate than where cancer is likeliest to develop.

Doctors divide the prostate into different zones. The zone that is associated with BPHand the majority of prostate growthis the transition zone. Prostate cancer occurs there much less often than in the peripheral zone, which is the outer area.

The Evaluation Criteria Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Self Prostate Exam

Subjects were able to determine scores from 0 to 5 based on never, less than one-fifth,less than half,about half,more than half, and almost always

7. How many times do you usually get up from bedtime till next morning?

Subjects were able to determine the score from 0 to 5 according to never, once, twice, three times, four times and five times

0 points to 7 points for mild symptoms

8 points to 19 points for moderate symptoms

20 points to 35 points for severe symptoms

Summary

It is generally believed that mild symptoms only need follow-up, and moderate symptoms and severe symptoms were required for drug treatment and surgery. However, if any of the seven questions score more than three points, then even if the total score is not high, patients should also consider adopting the appropriate treatment.

The incidence of benign prostatic hyperplasia often increases with age, the incidence rate of 40 to 79-year-old male is about 50%, while the incidence rate of 80 years of age is as high as 83%.

What Is A Dangerous Psa Level

The higher a persons PSA level, the higher the risk for prostate cancer. While PSA levels may fluctuate in a persons life, a consistent rise in PSA over time can indicate prostate cancer.

If you have a PSA level between 4 and 10, youre considered to be in the borderline range, according to the American Cancer Society. You have a 1 in 4 chance of having prostate cancer.

If the PSA level reaches above 10, theres a 50 percent chance you have prostate cancer.

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First What Is Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is cancer that occurs in the prostate â a small walnut-shaped gland in men. This is the gland that produces the seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men. Thankfully some prostate cancers are slow growing, without causing serious harm. However, others are aggressive, so for both scenarios, identifying the cancer earlier is key.

What Is A Normal Psa By Age Range

Theres no specific level that classifies as abnormal, but levels can be helpful in determining if a biopsy is needed. According to the National Cancer Institute, most doctors used to consider PSA levels of 4.0 ng/mL and lower as normal.

Various factors, like medication and physical activity, can cause PSA levels to rise, so your doctor may look at a variety of factors before deciding to perform additional tests.

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Should You Choose To Be Screened For Prostate Cancer At All

Prostate cancer is a disease that many men die with rather than of that is, despite aggressive prostate cancer killing some men, many more men would peacefully co-exist with their mild prostate cancers if they were left undiscovered.

Detecting prostate cancer might do good if it allows timely treatment to save mens lives, but can do harm via treatment side-effects: impotence, incontinence, the anxiety of false alarms or of discovering cancer, and so on.

Whether prostate screening saves lives at all is still debated. Several trials have found no preventive effect. The best-conducted trial showed that screening could prevent about one in five deaths from prostate cancer. However, this protection doesnt happen very often.

For a useful illustration, see the second page of this information sheet. This shows that over 11 years, about 1,000 men must be screened to save one life. In saving this one life, the trade-offs include:

• scores of men will have to undergo a prostate biopsy
• several will have complications of this biopsy
• about 37 extra men will find out they have prostate cancer
• several will suffer cancer treatment side effects such as impotence or incontinence.

How should we weigh up these pros and cons?

For some men, the small chance of benefit and the larger risk of harm leads them to decide not to proceed with testing. For others, the possibility of averting a cancer death, though small and uncertain, is worth the risks.

Do All Men Who Are Treated For Prostate Cancer Lose Sexual And Urinary Function

Its definitely not true that all men are incontinent and impotent after treatment for prostate cancer. Urinary incontinence is usually temporary.

There can be a sexual impact for guys who have normal function. If the cancer is near their nerve bundle, theyre going to have a decrease in sexual function. If its not, and we can do bilateral nerve sparing surgery, studies show 70 percent can get back their normal sexual function. It all depends on where the cancer is. But the truth is that we cant predict very well who will be the 30 percent who will haveor still haveED some already do have ED because of age, diabetes, hypertension or renal failure.

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Any Final Tips To Remember Or Things To Avoid

Lets do a quick recap, shall we?

• Stimulating the prostatea walnut-size gland inside the male pelviscan feel really, really good thanks to the many nerve endings in the anus and surrounding area.

• Because the anal lining and anus are very sensitive, prostate massages do come with risks like pain and tearing. Its essential to prepare beforehand, first by communicating what you and your partner are and arent comfortable with.

• You also need to prepare physically by doing things like washing your hands, slipping on latex gloves if you want, taking deep breaths, and engaging in some foreplay.

• If youre using your fingers to give a prostate massage, you can try applying firm yet gentle area to the perineum, that bit of skin between the testicles and anus, and experiment from there.

• Lube is a must before any anal penetration occursbut leave the numbing agents out of it.

• Only use sex toys that have a flared base for anal play.

• Enjoy!

Can I Check For Prostate Cancer At Home

It is strongly advised under any circumstances not to self-examine for prostate cancer at home either by yourself or with a partner. Not only does it take a skilled professional to assess how the prostate feels to make an accurate determination of overall prostate health, self-examinations have the potential to cause injury.

âSince the prostate is an internal gland, itâs extremely important that only licensed medical professionals conduct the exam. At-home self-exams should not be administered in order to avoid injury or self-harm. Regular screening is important for prostate cancer, as the disease often does not present symptoms until it is too late. Talk to your doctor about making sure you receive a regular DRE check-up at each visit.â

While actually screening yourself for prostate cancer at home is ill advised, you can still monitor your risk factors for prostate cancer between yearly check-ups, like practicing a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

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There Are Risks To Getting Prostate Cancer Tests And Treatments

If your PSA is not normal, you will probably have a biopsy. The doctor puts a needle through the wall of the rectum and into the prostate to take a few samples. Biopsies can be painful and cause bleeding. Men can get serious infections from biopsies, and they may need hospital care.

Surgery or radiation are the usual treatments for prostate cancer. They can do more harm than good. Treatment can cause serious complications, such as heart attacks, blood clots in the legs or lungs, or even death. In addition, 40 men out of 1,000 will become impotent or incontinent from treatment.

How Do You Find The Prostate

Now for the how-to: You can first access the prostate via the perineum, a spot right in between the testicles and the anus. Communication is important during every step. Even before you begin, consider talking to your partner about what feels right for both of you. You can decide on things like how many fingers might feel best. You can agree on whether a firm touch or a lighter touch is in order. Maybe as you talk things through, youll discover you both feel comfortable enough to explore and see what feels right in the moment. That way, even if prostate massage isnt something you regularly want to incorporate into your sex life, youll have explored it in a way that feels safe and fun for everyone involved.

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What To Expect During The Exam

You can get a prostate exam easily and quickly at your doctors office. Generally, for cancer screenings, your doctor will take a simple blood test.

Your doctor might also choose to perform a DRE. Before performing this exam, your doctor will ask you to change into a gown, removing your clothing from the waist down.

During a DRE, your doctor will ask you to bend over at the waist or lie on the exam table in a fetal position, with your knees to your chest. They will then insert a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum.

Your doctor will feel for anything abnormal, such as bumps or hard or soft areas that might indicate a problem. Your doctor may also be able to feel if your prostate is enlarged.

A digital rectal exam can be uncomfortable, especially if you have hemorrhoids, but isnt overly painful. It will last only a couple of minutes.

A DRE is one of your doctors tools that can help them detect several prostate and rectal problems, including:

• BPH
• prostate cancer
• abnormal masses in your rectum and anus

Your doctor will be able to tell immediately if there are any areas of concern that may warrant further testing.

The results of a DRE exam are either normal or abnormal, but doctors typically rely on several different tests to help them make a prostate cancer diagnosis.

If your doctor feels something abnormal during the DRE, they will probably recommend getting a PSA blood test, if you havent done so already.

• transrectal ultrasound

Special Types Of Psa Tests

The PSA level from a screening test is sometimes referred to as total PSA, because it includes the different forms of PSA . If you decide to get a PSA screening test and the result isnt normal, some doctors might consider using different types of PSA tests to help decide if you need a prostate biopsy, although not all doctors agree on how to use these tests. If your PSA test result isnt normal, ask your doctor to discuss your cancer risk and your need for further tests.

Percent-free PSA: PSA occurs in 2 major forms in the blood. One form is attached to blood proteins, while the other circulates free . The percent-free PSA is the ratio of how much PSA circulates free compared to the total PSA level. The percentage of free PSA is lower in men who have prostate cancer than in men who do not.

If your PSA test result is in the borderline range , the percent-free PSA might be used to help decide if you should have a prostate biopsy. A lower percent-free PSA means that your chance of having prostate cancer is higher and you should probably have a biopsy.

Many doctors recommend a prostate biopsy for men whose percent-free PSA is 10% or less, and advise that men consider a biopsy if it is between 10% and 25%. Using these cutoffs detects most cancers and helps some men avoid unnecessary biopsies. This test is widely used, but not all doctors agree that 25% is the best cutoff point to decide on a biopsy, and the cutoff may change depending on the overall PSA level.

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Should You Get A Psa Test

Most people with penises will get a PSA test in their lifetime. Depending on the persons age and risk factors, your doctor may encourage one.

Organizations, like the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force , have laid out recommendations for those considering a screening.

The USPSTF recommends the following for those who have an average or increased risk of prostate cancer, do not have symptoms of prostate cancer, and have never been diagnosed:

• If youre 55 to 69 years old, you should make an individual decision whether you want to take a PSA test.
• Before making a decision, you should talk with your doctor about the including the benefits and harm of other tests and treatment.
• If youre 70 and older, you shouldnt be screened for prostate cancer routinely.

The suggests people also consider the following with their doctor prior to screening:

• if you have a family history of prostate cancer
• if youre African American
• if you have other medical conditions that may make it difficult for you to be treated for prostate cancer if its found
• how you value the potential benefits and harms of screening, diagnosis, and treatment

• Type: in-person collection
• Insurance coverage: FSA and HSA accepted

If youre looking for quick results, Health Testing Centers offers one of the quickest solutions available. The online database of testing options provides customers with the ability to purchase lab-certified tests from LabCorp or Quest Diagnostics, and results are provided within 1 to 2 days.

Prostate Massage And Cancer

Men suspected of having prostate cancer should not be treated with prostate massage, as this may cause tumor cells to break off and spread to nearby tissues.

There’s some evidence that prostate massage, prior to certain tests for prostate cancer, may increase the sensitivity of the test, making it more likely the cancer will be detected.

However, a prostate-specific antigen blood test should not be conducted immediately after a prostate massage, as this could lead to false-positive results.

Even if cancer is not an issue, it’s important to avoid injuring the prostate. The thin, pliable membrane covering the prostatethe prostatic plexusis full of nerves that serve the sponge-like corpora cavernosa of the penis.

Massaging the prostate too intensely can damage nerves in the corpora cavernosatwo chambers composed of erectile tissue that run the length of the penis. Damage to the corpora cavernosa can result in pain and erectile dysfunction.

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To Complete Self Prostate Milking You Need To:

1. Pay a visit to the bathroom. You need to have your bowels and gladder emptied before the procedure. Many doctors skip this part. Thats why you need to have this in mind.

2. Check your nails. You do not want to have any edges on it because this will harm the gentle area there.

3. Cleaning is one of essential part of the procedure. You need to take a shower and wash your entire body really well.

In addition, before you start the procedure, wash your hands perfectly with Hibiscrub or Hibitan .

You need to find a latex glove to use. Also, using lubricants is a good idea.

4. The lubricants will let your finger enter your anus gentler. You will not feel any pain, if you do it slowly. If you rush, you risk feeling pain.

5. Once you enter your anus, do not anything at first. Get used to the feeling and your muscles will be relaxed after 1 or 2 minutes.

After that you need to search for your prostate gland. It is located on the surface towards your belly. It is a round bulb. It is important to feel it. Take your time to examine the surface.

6. After you find the gland, you need to start massaging it slowly and gently. Do not rub the gland too fast because you will hurt yourself.

7. After some time of massaging, it is most likely for you to ejaculate. You do not worry because this is the normal result from self prostate milking.

You expect to ejaculate after you complete the procedure. However, not every time this is result is achieved. So you need to be patient.

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How Can I Prepare For An At

One important step for an accurate test is to abstain from sexual activity either masturbation or with a partner for 48 hours. People with penises cannot ejaculate prior to the test, since the semen released can elevate PSA levels and skew the results.

Most at-home PSA kits recommend that you collect blood samples first thing in the morning, but no fasting is required.

While no food or drinks are proven to skew results, imaware notes that some supplements and medications may raise or lower PSA levels.

You should consult with your doctor if youre undergoing chemotherapy or taking any of the following medications or supplements:

• nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
• lycopene
• phytoestrogens

Heavy exercise can also temporarily increase PSA levels, leading to inaccurate results. According to imaware, even seemingly simple activities, like riding a bike, may increase your PSA level. Its best to refrain from exercise for a few days prior to testing.

Urinary tract infections or recent pelvic injuries can also impact your PSA, so its best to consult with your doctor if youre experiencing an infection or taking antibiotics for a UTI.

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