Medical App & Medical Advice with Hello Doctor

What Happens In A Prostate Exam?

Guys, when was the last time you had your prostate checked? Unlike breast and testicular cancer, you can’t check it yourself!

Even if you find a site on the web that claims you can and they give you a step-by-step guide for a self-prostate exam, we’re telling all men starting at 40: pick up the phone and make an appointment with your doctor!

What happens in a prostate exam?

There’re various screening tests that are used to detect prostate cancer, but the most common is the digital rectal exam.

Although it’s used to spot an enlarged prostate, or any other abnormalities that are symptoms of prostate cancer, it can’t be used to detect the cancer itself. If the person has an enlarged prostate, they would then undergo various other tests.

The digital exam, for those who don’t know, is where:

  • A doctor inserts their index finger into the patient’s rectum in order to feel the prostate gland.
  • It’s a small walnut-shaped gland that sits underneath your bladder.

Don’t worry, doctors are required to wear a glove and use lubrication to ease any discomfort.

Another screening test is called:

  • The Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test. In this test, blood is taken and tested in a lab.

Do you have Medical Aid? Check if your policy covers this exam – if not, well, you’re just going to have to bite the bullet on this one, because this is an essential annual test for men after the age of 45.

Remember, knowing is always better than not knowing. If you’re over 40, and have never had your prostate checked, schedule an appointment with your GP, today.

Men: Don’t ignore these 5 symptoms!

Joanne Hart for HelloDoctor.com

If you’re a man, chances are that you use a simple three-level medical system: broken bones or massive wounds mean a trip to the hospital, blood in your urine will get you to the GP, and for the rest: it’ll just go away.

For the most part, this isn’t a bad system, but there are some common symptoms which could indicate something more serious. And if these come up again and again, visit your doctor to make sure there’s no underlying issue.

Heartburn

If this happens once in a while after you’ve over-indulged at the table, okay. But if it happens often, is accompanied by other symptoms (such as shortness of breath, pain in your arm, nausea, vomiting, or sweats), or antacids don’t make much of a difference, it’s time to see the GP.

Bloody stool

This isn’t a glamorous symptom, but if there’s blood in the toilet bowl, or very dark or almost black stool, it can be a symptom of a harmless haemorrhoid, or something far more serious like gastrointestinal bleeding, ulcers, or colon cancer. Make an appointment with your doctor, as early diagnosis is the best way to deal with any of these conditions.

Blood in the semen

While this can be caused by injury, rough sex, or an infection in the prostate, it can also be the first sign of prostate or testicular cancer. Unless you’ve had an injury, it’s best to get this seen too – actually, even if you’ve had an injury, rather be safe than sorry.

Erectile dysfunction

If you have this once in a while, it’s normal. However, if it’s an ongoing battle to get or keep an erection, it’s a warning sign for various conditions such as high cholesterol, diabetes, kidney disease, chronic alcoholism, multiple sclerosis, vascular disease and neurologic disease. It can also be a side-effect of medication or a result of stress or depression. Either way, this is no way to live – see you doctor so that you can get back to normal.

Chronic thirst

This isn’t that need for something cold on a hot day! We’re talking unquenchable thirst, which can be quite a serious symptom of diabetes. Other signs are frequent urination, extreme hunger, tiredness, unexplained weight loss or gain, nausea, blurred vision, or sores that are slow to heal – basically, don’t wait for all of these: see your doctor for a check-up.