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How To Perform Prostate Exam

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When Do You Need A Prostate Exam

How to perform a prostate exam

PSA is continuously present in the bloodstream for most men, and an increase in its number may be attributed to causes other than cancer. However, men who have an increased risk of prostate cancer should undergo a regular prostate exam.

Age, family history, and race are all possible factors that can increase your risk. Likewise, your doctor may also recommend that you undergo testing if you are experiencing discomfort or pain while urinating.

Symptoms which may indicate that you have a prostate issue include the following:

  • Inconsistent flow of urine

How Often Is a Prostate Exam Necessary?

Your frequency of testing may be due to several factors, including your age and present health condition:

What Happens After The Dre

If any abnormalities are found during the DRE, the doctor may order more tests and possibly schedule a prostate biopsy to see if there are any signs of cancer present.

If there are no signs of prostate cancer found during screening, the results of the PSA blood test may help to determine the time between future prostate cancer screenings. PSA levels vary by age and other factors.

Ultimately, you and your doctor will decide how often you should be screened since your diet, health and lifestyle habits are all factors on the timing and frequency of your prostate cancer screenings. Be sure to consult with your doctor if you notice any changes in your health.

What Do The Dre Results Mean

A digital rectal examination is a test used to see if you might have a prostate problem or prostate cancer.

Your prostate may feel:

  • normal a normal size for your age with a smooth surface
  • larger than expected for your age this could be a sign of an enlarged prostate
  • hard or lumpy this could be a sign of prostate cancer.

The DRE is not a completely accurate test. Your doctor or nurse cant feel the whole prostate. And a man with prostate cancer might have a prostate that feels normal.

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Benefits And Risks Of Screenings

The benefit of any cancer screening test is to find cancer early, when it easier to treat. But the value of PSA screening for prostate cancer is debated. No single answer fits all men.

Prostate cancer often grows very slowly. PSA levels can begin to rise years before a cancer causes any symptoms or problems. It is also very common as men age. In many cases, the cancer will not cause any problems or shorten a man’s life span.

For these reasons, it is not clear if the benefits of routine screenings outweigh the risks or side effects of being treated for prostate cancer once it is found.

There are other factors to think about before having a PSA test:

  • Anxiety. Elevated PSA levels does not always mean you have cancer. These results and the need for further testing can cause a lot of fear and anxiety, even if you do not have prostate cancer.
  • Side effects from further testing. If your PSA test is higher than normal, you may need to have a one or more biopsies to find out for sure. A biopsy is safe, but can cause problems such as an infection, pain, fever, or blood in the semen or urine.
  • Overtreatment. Many prostate cancers will not affect your normal life span. But since it is impossible to know for sure, most people want to get treatment. Cancer treatment can have serious side effects, including problems with erections and urinating. These side effects can cause more problems than the untreated cancer.

Any Final Tips To Remember Or Things To Avoid

Giving The Finger To My Prostate Exam

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!

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Does A Dre Always Detect Prostate Abnormalities

A digital rectal examination allows a doctor to feel only the back wall of the prostate gland, so any abnormalities located in the middle or front part of the gland cannot be felt. For this reason, the DRE is performed in conjunction with PSA testing. Although the PSA test can detect many cancers which doctors cannot feel during a DRE, it has also been shown that DREs detect some cancers which are not associated with an elevated level of PSA in the bloodstream.

Another Option: Digital Rectal Exams

Most prostate biopsies are driven by PSA results. Urologists also use the digital rectal exam, or DRE.

“The American Urological Association hasn’t recommended rectal exams because there has yet to be a randomized trial in which some men get the rectal exam and some don’t. Based on who lives and dies, this would show if rectal exams have value,” says Dr. Freedland. “Many people, myself included, think they do have value. It’s part of the evaluation that we use even if it’s not officially in our guidelines.”

The DRE may cause momentary discomfort, but it can also detect prostate cancer for those patients with normal PSA levels. “We use the exam because we think it should work and be helpful, even if it hasn’t been studied,” Dr. Freedland adds. “Most people are screened with PSA and DRE.”

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What Happens After The Prostate Tests

Urodynamic tests and cystoscopy may cause mild discomfort for a few hours after the procedures. Drinking an 8-ounce glass of water every half-hour for 2 hours may help reduce discomfort. The health care provider may recommend taking a warm bath or holding a warm, damp washcloth over the urethral opening to relieve discomfort. A prostate biopsy may produce pain in the area of the rectum and the perineum, which is between the rectum and the scrotum. A prostate biopsy may also produce blood in urine and semen.

An antibiotic may be prescribed for 1 or 2 days to prevent infection.

Patients with signs of infectionincluding pain, chills, or fevershould call their health care provider immediately.

Self Prostate Exam For Prostatic Hyperplasia

How to give a Prostate Exam

Clinically we divided prostatic hyperplasia into three gradients, indicating the severity of benign prostatic hyperplasia disease. So, in our daily lives, how to perform self prostate exam? What are the evaluation criteria?

According to the severity of the disease, each disease can be divided into mild, moderate and severe, benign prostatic hyperplasia is with no exception. So what are the typical symptoms for mild, moderate and severe prostatic hyperplasia? How can we male patients to perform self prostate exam?

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How Soon Will Prostate Test Results Be Available

Results for simple medical tests such as some urodynamic tests, cystoscopy, and abdominal ultrasound are often available soon after the test. The results of other medical tests such as PSA blood test and prostate tissue biopsy may take several days to come back. A health care provider will talk with the patient about the results and possible treatments for the problem.

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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Itll Just Take A Minute

Theres no shying away from the fact that this exam involves inserting a gloved and lubricated digit into the rectum. While that may not sound pleasant, its over very quickly. The whole appointment might take just few minutes and the part youre dreading probably less than 20 seconds.

Youll be granted some privacy to take off your lower clothing before being asked to lie on your side and draw your knees up to your chest. While its natural to tense up in these situations, you be surprised at how easily a lubricated finger slips in. Once its in there it usually takes just a few seconds for the anal sphincter to relax around it.

Youll be aware of some pressing this shouldnt be painful but it may make you feel a brief urge to urinate. If you do experience any pain you should tell the examiner straight away. If the exam is physically intolerable for you but deemed necessary it can be performed under general anaesthetic. Once the surface of the prostate has been inspected, the digit is removed and the area around the anus cleaned of any residual lubricant.

When To Get A Prostate Cancer Screening

Is a prostate self exam something you can do safely and ...

A prostate screening can help your doctor find prostate cancer early, but youll need to decide if the benefits of the exam outweigh the risks. Have a discussion with your doctor about prostate cancer screenings.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends that men ages 55 to 69 decide for themselves whether to undergo a prostate-specific antigen screening test, after talking it over with their doctor.

They recommend against screening for men at or above the age of 70.

The American Cancer Society strongly recommends that no one be screened without discussion of the uncertainties, risks, and potential benefits of prostate cancer screening.

They give these specific recommendations for the date at which these discussions with a healthcare provider should take place:

  • Age 50 for men who are at average risk of prostate cancer and are expected to live at least 10 more years.
  • Age 45 for men at high risk of developing prostate cancer. This includes African Americans and men who have a first-degree relative diagnosed with prostate cancer at an early age .
  • Age 40 for men at even higher risk .

You should also speak with your doctor about a prostate exam if youre experiencing symptoms of a prostate problem, such as frequent or painful urination or blood in your urine.

After this discussion, if you decide to get a prostate cancer screening, the ACS and the American Urologic Association recommend getting a prostate-specific antigen blood test.

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How Do Men Feel About The Rectal Exam

I think most men are willing to do it, but some men are exceptionally opposed to it. They might be happy to hear that there are studies ongoing in the United Kingdom looking at using magnetic resonance imaging as a screening tool to be able to avoid doing a digital rectal exam in the future. There is a large African immigrant population in London with a higher incidence of prostate cancerthey didnt want to have the prostate exam because they had a lot of opposition to it. They were uncomfortable with it.

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How Does A Person Prepare To Receive A Prostate Massage

One quick FYI is that prostate massages can make people feel like they have to pee, so the person having their prostate massaged should probably empty their bladder beforehand. Then you and your partner should take deep breaths. Deep breathing activates the bodys relaxation responsewhich is good for everyone involvedand a relaxed anal sphincter is a happy anal sphincter . Keep in mind that the more relaxed and turned on one is, the more comfort and pleasure theyre likely to experience.

Another thing to remember: The physical position may make receiving a prostate massage feel better or more feasible. Its not a guarantee, but some people find that being on top makes anal penetration easier, SELF previously reported. Your partner can kneel with your hand between their legs, for instance. With that said, it will likely take some experimentation to figure out which position feels best for the person receiving a prostate massage.

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How Often Do I Need A Dre

As part of the annual checkup, the American Cancer Society recommends digital rectal examinations and PSA testing for:

  • Men 50 and older with a life expectancy of at least 10 years.
  • Younger men at increased risk for prostate cancer, including:
  • Men with a close male relative with prostate cancer.
  • African American men.

The Prostate Cancer pages of this website are part of the Comprehensive Prostate Cancer Awareness Program , a major regional effort to reduce the rates of death and illness caused by prostate cancer in southwestern Pennsylvania. Funding for CPCAP is provided by a grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Transrectal Ultrasound With Prostate Biopsy

ã?BackWardsãHow To Perform a Prostate Exam

Transrectal ultrasound is most often used to examine the prostate. In a transrectal ultrasound, the health care provider inserts a transducer slightly larger than a pen into the mans rectum next to the prostate. The ultrasound image shows the size of the prostate and any abnormal-looking areas, such as tumors. Transrectal ultrasound cannot definitively identify prostate cancer.

To determine whether a tumor is cancerous, the health care provider uses the transducer and ultrasound images to guide a needle to the tumor. The needle is then used to remove a few pieces of prostate tissue for examination with a microscope. This process, called biopsy, can reveal whether prostate cancer is present. A transrectal ultrasound with prostate biopsy is usually performed by a doctor in a health care providers office, outpatient center, or hospital with light sedation and local anesthesia. The biopsied prostate tissue is examined in a laboratory by a pathologista doctor who specializes in diagnosing diseases.

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Why Do I Need A Digital Rectal Examination

Most early prostate cancers cause no symptoms and are found only through early detection by a digital rectal examination and a prostate-specific antigen test. Recent studies indicate that the combination of DRE and PSA testing is more effective in the early detection of prostate cancer than either procedure is on its own.

What If My Test Results Are Abnormal

If the results of early detection tests like the PSA test or the digital rectal exam suggest that you might have prostate cancer, your doctor will conduct further testing. The PSA may be repeated, or you may be sent to a specialist for more tests such as a transrectal ultrasound and a prostate biopsy.

In a prostate biopsy, a tissue sample is taken from your prostate. Cancer can only be diagnosed with a tissue sample.

In addition to a PSA test, DRE , and a biopsy, research has yielded additional tests that can detect if cancer is present, and if so, how aggressive that cancer might be:

  • Phi
  • The Prostate Health Index combines three blood tests that give a more accurate Phi Score, which gives accurate information based on a high PSA to better determine the probability of finding cancer during a biopsy.
  • PCA3
  • A urine test that more accurately detects the possibility of prostate cancer by examining the expression of PCA3 a gene specific to prostate cancer. The PCA3 score is used to determine the need for repeated biopsies. Research has continued for years to look into whether PCA3 can replace or serves as a substitute for the PSA test.
  • 4KScore
  • ExoDx Prostate
  • A simple, non-invasive urine test to assess your risk of having clinically significant high-grade prostate cancer. The ExoDx Prostate Test does not require a digital rectal exam and provides an individualized risk score that can help determine to whether to proceed or defer a prostate biopsy.
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    The Evaluation Criteria Of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Self Prostate Exam

  • How often do you have to urinate again within 2 hours?
  • How often do you find yourself stopping and re-starting several times during urination?
  • What is the frequency of incomplete emptying of the bladder after urination in the last month?
  • How often do you find it difficult to delay urination?
  • How often do you feel the urinary incontinence?
  • 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

  • How often do you have to urinate by pressing or pulling?
  • 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%.

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