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Understanding a Prostate Examination

Medical procedures can sometimes be overwhelming to the patient. This includes a prostate examination, which is relatively easy to perform and results are given rather quickly. It is up to you as the patient to make sure that you are given a prostate examination at the right time in your life. Most men experience an enlarging of the prostate beginning around age fifty. Avoiding the problem can have detrimental effects including enlarged prostate or even prostate cancer. Many avoid having a prostate examination because of the way the test is performed. It can make some feel embarrassed because the prostate examination is a bit invasive but very necessary.

If you have been having difficulty urinating, feeling the need to hold back or start and stop then you may need to schedule a prostate examination right away. Some may even experience an inability to urinate. Others experience just the opposite and experience a frequency change especially at night. Prostate cancer can be very painful, and can be treated if caught early enough. Without treatment, some may experience trouble ejaculating, blood in their urine, and even continuous bone pain.

How the Test Is Performed

The prostate examination is done through the rectum, and the patient is urged to relax so that the test will be finished sooner. The doctor will use a latex or rubber glove during the prostate examination. Lubricant is applied to one finger of the glove. This is to ease the insertion into the patients’ rectum. The doctor must rotate his finger around until the prostate is located. The patient will experience a little pressure, but at no time is it supposed to be painful. Once the sphincter muscles have relaxed, the prostate examination can proceed. The finger will be inserted in a downward angle in order to complete the prostate examination. Once the test is completed, the physician will be able to give the results rather quickly. Men should also continue to have annual prostate examinations. This is a necessary test that should be a concern for all men, especially seniors.

Treatment for Prostate Cancer

There are several treatments available for treating prostate cancer. Including hormone therapy which is when the patients’ hormone level is attempting to be lowered. The hormones called androgens when lowered will enable the prostate to shrink. Another option would be to have the testicles removed and the testosterone and androgen levels will automatically lower. Also available to patients is radiation therapy. All these options will be explained by your physician after your prostate examination is completed and the results determine you have prostate issues to deal with.