Whats The Best Treatment For Prostate Symptoms
Treatments for prostate cancer include surgery to remove the prostate, radiation therapy, and ablation therapies, as well as active surveillance. Some treatments are better for some men and some prostates than others. There are side effects for each, so it really requires an informed discussion to help each man make an educated decision.
One thing we do at Yale is use an MRI of the prostate to evaluate the location of the prostate cancer for surgical planning. Ive found it to be quite helpful. Its not done everywhere.
How Should I Prepare For The Exam
You should tell your doctor if you have hemorrhoids, anal tears, or other problems with your anus. The exam will be easier if you breathe normally and try to relax.
Before having a PSA test, tell your doctor about any medications and supplements you take. Recent ejaculation can also affect your PSA levels. Ask your doctor if you should abstain from sexual activity before the test.
Your blood must be sent to a laboratory for analysis, so your PSA results wont be available immediately. Your doctor will let you know when they have the results.
The lab report will show the level of PSA in your blood as:
In addition to looking at the amount of PSA in your blood, your doctor will assess how quickly this number is changing. Many things can affect PSA, so test results require careful analysis by an expert. Your doctor will take all of your health information into account.
If you have an abnormal PSA test result, it doesnt mean you have prostate cancer. Most men with a high PSA level dont have prostate cancer. About 25 percent of men who have a biopsy due to a high PSA level have prostate cancer.
Its also possible for men with prostate cancer to have normal DRE and PSA test results.
Preparing For A Prostate Exam
Theres nothing special that you need to do to prepare for a prostate exam. Tell your doctor if you have anal fissures or hemorrhoids, as a DRE may aggravate these conditions.
If you decide to get a prostate cancer screening, your doctor will likely order a blood test, so inform the person drawing your blood if youre prone to dizziness.
Your doctor may ask you to sign a consent form before performing a cancer screening.
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What Happens During A Digital Rectal Exam
Your health care provider will insert a gloved finger into the rectum and feel the prostate for hard, lumpy, or abnormal areas. The test takes only a few minutes to complete.
You may feel slight, momentary discomfort during the test. The procedure does not cause significant pain or any damage to the prostate.
How To Prepare For A Prostate Massage
Because this practice isnt widely supported in the medical community, finding a qualified prostate massage therapist may be difficult. Ask your doctor for a list of recommendations.
You can also call your local hospitals outreach office. Many of these offices keep information on certified medical practitioners in the area. They may be able to provide you with a list of names.
Most health insurance companies wont cover the cost of going to a prostate massage therapist. However, if your doctor performs the massage during an office visit, your medical insurance may cover the cost of the service.
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The Best Way To Reduce Prostate Cancer Risk
Unfortunately, there is no treatment, technology or prevention strategy that can completely eliminate your prostate cancer risk. A prostate cancer screening is still the most effective way to detect and treat cancer in its earliest stages.
If you have questions about prostate cancer screenings or about your prostate health, make time to see your health care provider, especially if its been awhile since your last appointment. A provider who knows your health habits and personal and family health history can help you determine whether or not you should be screened.
Main Line Health serves patients at hospitals and health centers throughout the western suburbs of Philadelphia. To schedule an appointment with a specialist at Main Line Health, or use our secure online appointment request form.
What Is A Prostate Cancer Screening Like
A prostate cancer screening can be conducted in one of two ways. The first, a PSA test, is a simple blood draw. The second is a brief rectal exam that takes less than 30 seconds to perform.
“For a screening, if a patient comes and asks for a prostate cancer screening, it begins with a blood test,” said Ehdaie. “It’s a small vial of blood, and then a medical history and physical examination. In the physical examination there will be a digital rectal examination in which the physician’s finger is inserted into the rectum to feel the prostate.”
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How Is Prostate Cancer Diagnosed
Prostate cancer can be diagnosed by following tests, remembering they ought to support the context of the patients signs and symptoms.
Additionally, your doctor may conduct a biomarker test. Biomarkers, found in the blood or urine are substances produced by a cancerous tumour or antibodies produced by the body to combat the tumour. Almost all diagnoses of prostate cancer will require a biopsy at some point.
Reach Out To Us Today
Prostate screenings are crucial to have so that men can catch any signs of prostate cancer early on. Once a man reaches the ages of 40 and above, it is best that he begins to consult with a doctor about this test.
If you have questions about getting a prostate screening and the importance of them, then reach out to our office so that we can help you further. Give us a call or stop by our office today and wed be happy to assist you in any way that we can.
Request an appointment here: or call Center for Adult Medicine and Preventive Care at for an appointment in our Passaic office.
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Are You Seeing Prostate Cancer Becoming More Prevalent In Younger Patients
Its pretty rare. Its less common that men in their 40s have prostate cancer, but, we also are very rarely screening them. The young men who come in to be screened tend to have one of those high-risk features. They most likely had a father who had prostate cancer, so theyre nervous about it. Or theyre African-American, and theyve been flagged by their health care providers.
If youre young, your quality of life is even more important to you right now. We know that, if diagnosed with low-grade prostate cancer, a person will need treatment at some time in life. If we can delay treatmentwhich could negatively impact urinary or sexual functionby several years, then we should do that and obviously discuss that there is a low but possible chance of metastasis developing during that time.
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How Do You Find It
Youll need to head south along the back road to find it in a magical place called the anal region.
Although entering through the anus is the most direct way, you can also stimulate the prostate indirectly through the perineum, or taint.
This is the skin that runs underneath the scrotum to the anus.
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Men: Cancer Screening Exams By Age
These exams are for men at average risk of cancer.
Take this checklist to your next doctors appointment. Your doctor can help you develop a more tailored screening plan if needed.
These exams are for men at average risk of cancer. If you believe you may be more likely to develop cancer because of your personal or family medical history, visit our screening guidelines page to learn about exams for men at increased risk.
Ages 40-49
- Beginning at age 40, you should speak with your doctor about the benefits and limitations of prostate screening.
- If you choose prostate cancer screening, you should get a digital rectal exam and PSA test every year starting at age 45 to check for prostate cancer if you are African American or have a family history of prostate cancer.
Ages 50-75
- If you choose prostate cancer screening, you should get a digital rectal exam and PSA test every year to check for prostate cancer
- Colonoscopy every 10 years or virtual colonoscopy every 5 years to check for colorectal cancer
Age 76 and older
If youre age 76 to 85, your doctor can help you decide if you should continue screening. MD Anderson does not recommend cancer screening for men age 85 and older.
All Ages
Speak with you doctor about cancer screening exams for lung and skin cancers. Exams are available for those at increased risk.
Regardless of your age, practice awareness. This means you should be familiar with your body so youll notice changes and report them to your doctor without delay.
What Is The Prostate
The prostate is a small gland in men that helps make semen. Located just below the bladder in front of the rectum, it wraps around the tube that carries urine and semen out of the body. It tends to grow larger as you get older. If your prostate gets too large, it can cause a number of health issues.
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When To Get Tested
The USPTF and other medical experts recommend taking questions about prostate exams to the doctor. Thats because answers about the benefits and risks of prostate exams and when to get tested are personal they vary based on a persons age, family history and overall health.
The 2017 USPTF guidelines suggest that screening should start at:
- Age 40 for anyone with a family history of prostate cancer
- Age 45 for African Americans
- Age 50 for everyone else
Follow-up tests may not be necessary depending on risk and the outcome of the first test. Because the disease develops slowly, tests usually stop after age 70.
Early Cancer Detection Can Save Lives And Cut Treatment Costs But When Should You Start Having Prostate Exams And Do You Need To Have Them At All
When it comes to screening for prostate cancer, some men may be confused or apprehensive about beginning to get annual exams.
As prostate cancer affects one out of every six men, the American Cancer Society and other leading medical organizations recommend older men discuss having annual prostate cancer screenings with their primary care doctor to help detect the disease early. Early detection of the disease helps cure it in 90 percent of cases.
Generally, it is recommended that men with an average risk of prostate cancer start being screened with a digital rectal exam and PSA blood-level exam when they hit the age of 50. African-American men and men who have a father, brother or son who were diagnosed with prostate cancer when they were younger than 65 are at higher risk and should start screenings at age 40. Men who have had more than one of these close relatives diagnosed before age 65 are at even higher risk.
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Should I Get Screened For Prostate Cancer
This video helps men understand their prostate cancer screening options.
In 2018, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force made the following recommendations about prostate cancer screeningexternal icon
- Men who are 55 to 69 years old should make individual decisions about being screened for prostate cancer with a prostate specific antigen test.
- Before making a decision, men should talk to their doctor about the benefits and harms of screening for prostate cancer, including the benefits and harms of other tests and treatment.
- Men who are 70 years old and older should not be screened for prostate cancer routinely.
This recommendation applies to men who
- Are at average risk for prostate cancer.
- Are at increased risk for prostate cancer.
Other organizations, like the American Urological Association,external icon the American Cancer Society,external icon and the American College of Physiciansexternal icon may have other recommendations.
When Should I Get Tested
Deciding to get tested is a personal decision made after a consultation with your doctor. Some important factors to consider are your age, race, family history, and history of exposure . Visit our Am I at Risk?page to learn more and check out our recommended age and testing guidelines, which are based on the NCCN provided recommendations.
All men are at risk of prostate cancer, so it is important to talk with your doctor to make an informed decision. Detecting prostate cancer early gives you the best chance of living longer. In fact, when it is caught early, the 5-year survival rate is over 99 percent.
Talk to Nathan about Prostate Cancer Screening is an interactive conversation that can help you decide whether to get screened. In partnership with the CDC, Nathan was developed to share information and answer your questions about prostate cancer screening and treatment. He also suggests some questions you might want to ask your doctor. Click the image below to get started!
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Is It Hard To Achieve A Prostate Orgasm
As Lehmiller notes, there is limited research on prostate orgasms, so personal experimentation is important.
That trial and error process can be time-consuming. Some prostate owners achieve the big O on the first go-around, while others have to have a bit of practice before finding what works, Saynt says. It also doesnt help that some prostate owners feel ashamed or less manly when partaking prostate play: The internalized shame and feelings of inadequacy could cause mental blocks which prevent the free release of the natural sex drugs our brains release when we are at our most heightened sense of pleasure,” he says. “This fear is a trauma which many men will never get past, making enjoyable and healthy practices like prostate orgasm impossible.
Thus, its important for partnersespecially vulva-ownersto be supportive. If you’re helping your partner achieve a prostate orgasm for the first time, take it slow dont use toys or fingers until your partner is ready, and have frequent conversations with your partner about what they do and do not like. You can even ask them to demonstrate how they masturbate with their prostate.
How Do You Achieve A Prostate Orgasm
As with any new sexual activity, learning how to have a prostate orgasm takes preparation and practice. Here are some expert-approved tips, techniques, and other important things to know.
Learn where your prostate is.
If youre new to anal play, the first step is finding your prostate. The walnut-sized gland is located underneath the bladder and in front of the rectum, and you can stimulate it by putting fingers or toys about three inches into your butt.
Try it on your own first.
Kenneth Play, sex educator and creator of the Sex Hacker Pro Series, suggests experimenting with yourself before trying with your partner. I recommend masturbation rather than partner play to start this exploration because you have a direct feedback loop,” he says. “Without having to instruct someone else or worry about being comfortable, things are much simpler and more effective.”
Know that there are two ways to achieve a prostate orgasm: through internal and external stimulation.
Now, we know you might be scratching your head in confusion, wondering how there can be an external prostate orgasm when the prostate is located inside your anus. But heres a quick bio lesson: an external prostate orgasm is when you stimulate your prostate externally, by applying pressure between your anus and your testicles, Saynt explains . No insertion required.
Internal orgasms, on the other hand, involve massaging your prostate .
Massage your perineum.
If you’re going up the butt, clean out beforehand.
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Bone Loss And Cancer Treatment
Low testosterone levels in the blood can cause bone loss. The hormone treatments for prostate cancer aim to lower the amount of testosterone or block its action.
Hormone treatments include:
- drug treatments including goserelin , leuprorelin , decapeptyl
- surgery to remove your testicles
Bone loss is a common side effect. But how much bone loss you might have varies from person to person. The spine is most likely to be affected.
Not all hormone treatments cause bone loss, for example the drug bicalutamide doesnt.
Your nurse or doctor will tell you if they think you might be at risk of bone loss and in particular problems with your spine.
Contact them urgently if you have:
- any changes in sensation such as numbness, tingling
- have pain that doesnt go away or gets worse
- have any changes to opening your bowels or passing urine.
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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.
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