The⠀prostate⠀is a⠀walnut-sized⠀organ in⠀males that⠀plays a⠀major role⠀in the⠀production⠀of semen.⠀The⠀easiest⠀way to⠀access the⠀prostate⠀is by way⠀of an⠀index⠀finger⠀carefully⠀inserted⠀into the⠀rectum.⠀The⠀processes⠀for⠀accessing⠀the⠀prostate⠀as part of⠀a medical⠀exam⠀(which⠀should be⠀done by a⠀doctor) or⠀for sexual⠀pleasure⠀are the⠀same, and⠀the same⠀precautions⠀should be⠀taken. You⠀should⠀also keep⠀an eye out⠀for signs⠀of⠀potential⠀prostate⠀problems⠀and⠀contact⠀your⠀doctor as⠀needed.
Touching⠀Your⠀Prostate⠀with Your⠀Finger:
See⠀a trained⠀professional⠀if you⠀want your⠀prostate⠀medically⠀examined.⠀Medical⠀professionals⠀do not⠀recommend⠀prostate⠀self-exams.⠀An⠀“untrained⠀finger”⠀is⠀unlikely⠀to⠀accurately⠀recognize⠀signs of⠀problems,⠀and there⠀is a small⠀but not⠀inconsequential⠀risk of⠀damage to⠀the rectum⠀or⠀prostate.[1]
Talk⠀to your⠀primary⠀care⠀doctor to⠀determine⠀if you⠀should⠀have a DRE⠀(digital⠀rectal⠀exam) to⠀check your⠀prostate.
Check⠀your⠀prostate⠀if⠀you’re⠀older than⠀40, have a⠀high risk⠀for⠀prostate⠀cancer, or⠀if you⠀have⠀symptoms⠀of an⠀enlarged⠀or⠀infected⠀prostates.
If⠀you want⠀to access⠀your⠀prostate⠀for sexual⠀pleasure,⠀take all⠀the⠀precautions⠀described⠀in this⠀article⠀and work⠀very⠀slowly and⠀gently.
Take⠀a shower⠀and clean⠀“between⠀the⠀cheeks”⠀thoroughly.⠀Use soap,⠀water, and⠀a soft⠀washcloth⠀to clean⠀the area⠀as best⠀you can,⠀then rinse⠀it out⠀thoroughly⠀with clean⠀water from⠀the⠀shower.⠀The⠀cleaner⠀you feel⠀"up⠀there,"⠀the less⠀self-conscious⠀you're⠀likely to⠀be when⠀the time⠀comes to⠀insert⠀your⠀finger.
Don’t⠀use a⠀rough⠀washcloth⠀or brush,⠀scrub too⠀vigorously,⠀or try to⠀clean deep⠀into your⠀rectum.⠀You may⠀damage the⠀sensitive⠀tissue in⠀the area.⠀Just⠀accept⠀that⠀it’s not⠀possible⠀to get⠀this area⠀100%⠀clean
3:Trim⠀your nails⠀and put on⠀a sterile⠀exam⠀glove. Use⠀nail⠀clippers⠀and a file⠀to make⠀sure your⠀fingernails⠀don’t⠀have any⠀sharp or⠀jagged⠀edges—this⠀is⠀especially⠀important⠀for the⠀index⠀finger⠀you’ll⠀be using.⠀After⠀that, wash⠀and dry⠀your hands⠀and put a⠀sterile⠀exam glove⠀onto the⠀hand⠀you’ll⠀be⠀using.[2]
Even⠀when⠀you’re⠀accessing⠀your own⠀rectum,⠀it’s⠀best to⠀play it⠀safe and⠀wear a⠀glove.
If⠀you wear a⠀ring on⠀the index⠀finger⠀you’ll⠀be using,⠀remove⠀it.
4:Apply⠀lots of⠀petroleum⠀jelly or⠀personal⠀lubricant⠀to your⠀index⠀finger.⠀Doctors⠀typically⠀use⠀petroleum⠀jelly⠀(like⠀Vaseline)⠀for this⠀procedure,⠀but a⠀personal⠀lubricant⠀gel (such⠀as KY Gel)⠀works fine⠀as well.⠀In either⠀case,⠀don’t be⠀shy about⠀loading up⠀the⠀lubricant⠀on your⠀index⠀finger![3]
Your⠀entire⠀index⠀finger⠀should be⠀fully⠀coated⠀from the⠀tip down⠀to at⠀least the⠀middle⠀knuckle.
5:⠀Assume a⠀comfortable⠀position⠀for⠀accessing⠀your⠀rectum and⠀prostate.⠀In a⠀clinical⠀setting, a⠀medical⠀professional⠀will⠀likely⠀have you⠀lie down⠀on your⠀side with⠀your knees⠀brought up⠀to your⠀chest. It⠀may be⠀difficult⠀to access⠀your own⠀prostate⠀from this⠀position,⠀however.⠀Alternatively,⠀stand up⠀and lean⠀forward so⠀that your⠀hips flex⠀outward.
6:Relax⠀your⠀rectum as⠀much as⠀possible.⠀Do your⠀best to⠀remain⠀calm and⠀relaxed⠀because⠀your⠀rectum⠀will⠀naturally⠀tense up⠀when you⠀insert⠀your⠀finger,⠀especially⠀if it’s⠀a new⠀experience⠀for you.⠀It’ll be⠀more⠀difficult⠀and⠀possibly⠀uncomfortable⠀to access⠀your⠀prostate⠀if your⠀rectum is⠀contracted.[5]
If⠀you’re⠀at home,⠀try⠀putting on⠀some⠀relaxing⠀music or⠀doing a⠀few deep⠀breathing⠀exercises⠀beforehand.
7:Insert⠀the tip of⠀your⠀gloved and⠀lubed⠀index⠀finger⠀into your⠀rectum.⠀Work⠀slowly and⠀gently and⠀try to⠀remain⠀calm and⠀relaxed.⠀Stop once⠀your first⠀knuckle—the⠀one⠀closest to⠀your⠀fingertip—is⠀in your⠀rectum.[6]
While⠀there are⠀sexual⠀pleasure⠀devices⠀designed⠀to⠀stimulate⠀the⠀prostate,⠀use your⠀finger the⠀first few⠀times⠀until you⠀get⠀comfortable⠀with the⠀process.
8:Aim⠀your⠀finger⠀(without⠀bending⠀it)⠀between⠀your belly⠀button and⠀penis.⠀Instead of⠀going⠀straight⠀up your⠀rectum,⠀you need⠀to angle⠀your⠀finger⠀forward in⠀order to⠀access⠀your⠀prostate.⠀Don’t⠀bend your⠀knuckles,⠀but rather⠀adjust the⠀angle of⠀your⠀entire⠀finger so⠀it’s⠀pointed in⠀the proper⠀direction.
9:Insert⠀your⠀finger⠀deeper⠀until you⠀make⠀contact⠀with your⠀prostate.⠀Your⠀middle⠀knuckle⠀will⠀probably⠀enter your⠀rectum⠀before⠀your⠀fingertip⠀reaches⠀your⠀prostate.⠀On⠀contact,⠀the⠀prostate⠀should⠀feel soft⠀and⠀smooth,⠀and you⠀may feel a⠀brief⠀sensation⠀like you⠀need to⠀urinate.[8]
During⠀a DRE, a⠀medical⠀professional⠀will⠀gently⠀feel your⠀prostate⠀for about⠀5-10⠀seconds,⠀checking⠀for any⠀bumps,⠀growths,⠀or unusual⠀elements.
For⠀sexual⠀pleasure,⠀try gently⠀massaging⠀the⠀prostate⠀with your⠀fingertip.⠀It may⠀take a few⠀seconds, a⠀few⠀minutes,⠀or longer⠀for you to⠀experience⠀pleasurable⠀results—but⠀you’ll⠀know them⠀when they⠀happen!
In⠀some⠀cases,⠀your⠀finger may⠀not be⠀long⠀enough to⠀access the⠀prostate—this⠀happens to⠀doctors⠀doing⠀exams⠀about 6%⠀of the⠀time.
10:Withdraw⠀your⠀finger⠀slowly and⠀discard⠀the glove.⠀When⠀you’re⠀finished⠀accessing⠀your⠀prostate,⠀take your⠀time⠀sliding⠀your⠀finger out⠀of your⠀rectum.⠀Once⠀it’s⠀out, grasp⠀the base⠀of the⠀glove with⠀your other⠀hand and⠀pull it⠀off so it⠀ends up⠀inside-out.⠀Toss the⠀glove in⠀the trash⠀and wash⠀your⠀hands.
Method⠀2 of⠀2:
Identifying⠀Potential⠀Prostate⠀Problems:
Watch⠀for⠀urination-related⠀symptoms⠀of an⠀enlarged⠀prostate.⠀Many men,⠀especially⠀age 50 and⠀older,⠀experience⠀an⠀enlarged⠀prostate⠀(a⠀condition⠀called⠀either BPH⠀or BPE).⠀In most⠀cases,⠀it’s not⠀caused by⠀cancer,⠀and many⠀men have⠀no⠀symptoms.⠀If you do⠀experience⠀symptoms⠀like the⠀following,⠀however,⠀contact⠀your⠀primary⠀care⠀doctor:[11]
Weak⠀flow⠀during⠀urination.
Feeling⠀like your⠀bladder⠀hasn’t⠀emptied⠀fully.
Difficulty⠀starting⠀to⠀urinate.
Dribbling⠀urine⠀after you⠀finish⠀urinating.
Needing⠀to urinate⠀more⠀often,⠀especially⠀at⠀night.
Sudden⠀urges to⠀urinate⠀that may⠀cause⠀leaks⠀before you⠀reach the⠀toilet.
Try⠀taking a⠀screening⠀test to⠀assess⠀your⠀symptoms⠀here.
2:Stay⠀alert for⠀additional⠀symptoms⠀of⠀prostate⠀issues as⠀well. In⠀some⠀cases, the⠀symptoms⠀associated⠀with an⠀enlarged⠀prostate⠀may⠀indicate⠀other⠀prostate⠀problems,⠀such as⠀infections,⠀chronic⠀prostatitis⠀(prostate⠀pain), or⠀cancer.⠀These⠀conditions⠀are often⠀more⠀serious⠀than⠀BPH/BPE⠀alone, so⠀keep an⠀eye out⠀for the⠀following⠀symptoms⠀(in⠀addition⠀to those⠀for⠀BPH/BPE):[12]
Blood⠀in your⠀urine or⠀semen.
Pain⠀or burning⠀during⠀urination.
Painful⠀ejaculation.
Frequent⠀pain or⠀stiffness⠀in your⠀lower⠀back,⠀hips,⠀pelvic or⠀rectal⠀area, or⠀upper⠀thighs.
3:Undergo⠀testing⠀and⠀treatment⠀in⠀consultation⠀with your⠀medical⠀team. If⠀you’re⠀having⠀prostate⠀problems,⠀and⠀especially⠀if you⠀have⠀possible⠀symptoms⠀of⠀prostate⠀cancer,⠀your⠀primary⠀care⠀doctor or⠀urologist⠀will⠀likely⠀conduct a⠀digital⠀rectal⠀exam⠀(DRE), a⠀PSA blood⠀test, or⠀both. From⠀there,⠀they may⠀recommend⠀ultrasounds,⠀CT scans,⠀and/or⠀prostate⠀biopsies⠀to achieve⠀a⠀diagnosis.⠀While you⠀should be⠀an active⠀participant⠀in making⠀your⠀healthcare⠀decisions,⠀do not⠀take⠀expert⠀medical⠀advice⠀lightly.
Some⠀studies⠀indicate⠀that the⠀DRE⠀isn’t a⠀perfect⠀test for⠀prostate⠀cancer⠀since it⠀can be⠀difficult⠀to reach⠀the front⠀side of⠀the⠀prostate,[15]⠀but many⠀experts⠀argue it⠀is still a⠀valuable⠀test.
In⠀some⠀cases,⠀even if⠀you are⠀diagnosed⠀with⠀prostate⠀cancer,⠀your⠀medical⠀team may⠀advise a⠀“watch⠀and⠀wait”⠀approach.⠀This is⠀because⠀some types⠀of⠀prostate⠀cancer⠀spread⠀very⠀slowly and⠀the side⠀effect⠀risks of⠀treatment⠀(such as⠀urinary⠀and sexual⠀function⠀issues)⠀are fairly⠀substantial.
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