How To Perform A Self Prostate Exam

A self prostate exam is similar to the normal prostate exam procedure except you do it yourself. The steps for a self prostate exam are pretty simple and almost anyone can do it themselves. A self prostate exam should not substitute a doctor exam, but can be used in between physicals to keep an eye on the condition of your prostate. This is most important in men over the age of fifty and should be done on a monthly basis.

Steps To Doing A Self Prostate Exam

It is pretty simple for a man to feel his own prostate gland. It is a walnut sized organ at the base of your bladder. To feel it simply take your finger and insert it into the rectum. The prostate should have a texture similar to that of the meaty part of your thumb. At first the self prostate exam may be difficulty, but with practice you can do it. If when you do the examine you feel anything that is roughly as hard as a knuckle your doctor should be alerted right away. In addition, if you feel extreme discomfort or pain when touching your prostate you should notify your doctor right away,

Doing a self prostate exam is not easy and your really need to have long fingers to do it. Most men will perform the self prostate exam in the shower and use soap as the lubricant. This can be difficult because you need to get the bottom of your finger in contact with the prostate, although you can use your finger for a cursory exam. It is important that you examine the whole prostate and in order for a self prostate exam to be complete this must be done. Some people find it easier to use a latex glove when doing the examination, but this is up to personal preference.

The other thing to be aware of is the size of the prostate. It should be roughly the size of a walnut. If it is bigger then this again bring it to the attention of your doctor. Once you establish the outside border of the prostate, then make sure your finger touches as much of the in-between tissue as possible. The prostate gland overall is pretty firm and you are feeling for any hardness or inconsistency in texture. If any part of it feels harder bring it to a doctor's attention. If you are not sure or have any other questions mention to your physician that you are doing self-examination and he or she should be able to help you.