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Prostate Tests
Letting
your medical practitioner know you have a problem is first and the
most vital step. Your doctor can test and treat you best if you give
as many details as possible, especially how long it has been
troublesome and how often pain occurs. Common questions asked before
a prostate exam is given include the following:
Recently
have you needed to urinate in less than two hour gaps?
In
the last month how many times have you woken from sleep to go to the
bathroom?
In
the last month how often has your bladder still felt full even after
urinating?
Has
it been difficult and/or painful to pass urine of late?
Answers
to these questions can be vital in determining what tests need to be
conducted.
Digital
Rectal Exam (DRE)
This
is generally the first test to be done. A lot of doctors preform a
DRE as part of a routine physical exam for males over 50. You may be
asked to bend over a table or lie on your side in the foetal
position. The doctor will then slide a gloved, lubricated finger into
the rectum and feel for the part of the prostate gland that lies next
to it. The DRE can be a little uncomfortable but it is a short test.
The DRE tells the doctor if the prostate gland has any bumps or
irregularities that may need extra tests. If checking for prostatitis
(infection of the gland) the prostate may be slightly massaged during
the digital rectal exam to produce fluid for examination under a
microscope.
Urinalysis
This
test is where a urine sample is taken and tested with a dipstick or
examined under a microscope. The dipstick will change colour if
nitrite is present in the urine, which indicates a bacterial
infection. Traces of blood and white blood cells may also be found in
the urine. You may have to pass urine into two or three containers to
help determine where the infection is located. You may be asked to
stop mid-stream for a prostate massage before urinating into the last
container to let out prostate fluid to check for bacterial
prostatitis.
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