The prostate gland is a part of the reproductive system in males and is composed of a collection of glands in that area. The prostate serves to produce the fluid that eventually becomes a part of the semen. It is shaped in two lobes that are normally about the size of a walnut and have smooth walls. Each lobe is approximately the same size as the other one. The prostate is located next to the bladder and can be felt through the walls of the rectum. Men who are over the age of forty are recommended to get a prostate exam at least once per year so that they can be sure to detect problems in the early stages rather than waiting until more serious issues occur.
Exams
Since the physical part of the prostate exam requires the doctor to use his finger in the rectum to feel through the thin walls for the prostate, there are many men who will not get the test because they do not want to submit to the test. Men that are over fifty also have to get a blood test called the PSA blood test which checks the blood for the enzymes that are produced by the prostate cells. If there are cancer cells present then the levels will be around ten to twenty rather than the zero to four of a normal prostate. These blood tests are even more accurate in most cases to detect abnormalities since the entire prostate cannot be felt during the prostate exam. Usually these tests are paired together so that there is a more comprehensive approach to detecting issues.
Home prostate exams are an option that is now available to men. These home prostate tests are designed to allow the man to test his own blood in the comfort of his home and send it off for the results. In this way, at least the man is getting a partial testing through the home prostate exam, which can help to point him in the right direction if there happens to be an abnormality with the results of the test. One problem with the home prostate exam is that the test is administered by the individual rather than a doctor, so there are more chances for incorrect results. Another problem is that the physical part of the prostate exam is forgone in the home prostate exam, which means that issues that might need to be detected physically are not detected, since the test is only a blood test.
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