When it comes to your health, it’s natural to want to be proactive. If you’re concerned about Prostate Cancer, you might wonder what you can do from the comfort of your own home.
Now, let us check how to check for Prostate Cancer at home. The short answer is: you cannot definitively check for prostate cancer at home.
The most important thing you can do at home is to become more aware of your body, understand your personal risk factors, and know the signs that warrant a conversation with your general practitioner. This professional guide will help you navigate what you can do to take control of your prostate health.
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How to check for Prostate Cancer at Home?
The early stages of Prostate cancer often have no symptoms. This is why a professional check-up is so important. However, as the cancer grows, it may cause symptoms, which can also be caused by other, more common conditions like Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) or an enlarged prostate.
If you notice any of the following, it’s better to consult with your General Practitioner:
- Changes in Urination: This includes a weak flow, a feeling of not fully emptying your bladder, or difficulty starting or stopping urination.
- Frequent need to urinate: Especially at night, waking you up multiple times.
- A sudden, urgent need to urinate.
- Blood in your Urine or Semen: While a less common symptom, this should be checked by a doctor immediately.
These symptoms do not automatically mean you have prostate cancer, but they are a clear signal that something is affecting your prostate health and needs to be professionally investigated.
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What are the Personal Risk Factors in Prostate Cancer?
You can assess your risk factors at home and use this information to decide when to talk to your physician about screening. Prostate cancer is more common in men who are:
- Over 50 as the risk increases significantly with age.
- From a Black ethnic background and are more likely to get it at a younger age.
- Having a family history with similar cases.
How to Check Prostate Cancer?
While monitoring for symptoms at home is a good practice, the only way to get a definitive check for prostate cancer is through medical professionals. A doctor will use a combination of tests to get a clear picture of your prostate health.
The two main tests are:
- PSA blood test: The Prostate-Specific Antigen test measures the level of PSA in your blood. A high level can indicate a problem with the prostate, but it’s not a definitive diagnosis of cancer. Other factors, like an infection or an enlarged prostate, can also cause a high PSA reading.
- Digital Rectal Examination (DRE): Your General Practitioner or a specialist will perform a simple, quick examination to feel the prostate gland for any abnormalities in size, shape, or texture.
If these tests indicate a potential issue, you may be referred for further investigation, which could include an MRI scan and a biopsy. A Prostate Biopsy is the only test that can confirm a diagnosis of prostate cancer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, attempting how to check for Prostate Cancer at home can lead to unnecessary anxiety from misinterpreting symptoms or a false sense of security from ignoring signs. While you can’t self-diagnose, you can take control of your health by being vigilant about symptoms and understanding your risk factors.
The most effective action you can take is to have an open conversation with a top General Practitioner and consultant in your location, especially if you fall into a high-risk group or are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above.
FAQs
1. What are 5 common warning signs of prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer in its early stages often has no symptoms. When they do appear, they are usually related to how you pass urine.
• Your stream of urine is slow or weak.
• Having to go to the toilet frequently, especially at night.
• Feeling of urgency
• Struggling to begin passing urine.
• Blood in urine or semen
2. What is the 2 week rule for prostate cancer?
The “two-week rule” is part of the NHS referral system in the UK. It means that if your general practitioner suspects you might have cancer (including prostate cancer), they will refer you to a hospital specialist. The hospital must offer you an appointment within two weeks of the referral date to quickly assess your condition.
3. How to check for prostate cancer yourself?
You cannot accurately check for prostate cancer yourself at home. The only things you can do are:
Monitor your symptoms
Know your risk based on age, family background etc.
Book an appointment with your doctor for professional screening.
4. What are the symptoms of stage 1 prostate cancer?
Stage 1 prostate cancer typically causes no symptoms at all. At this very early stage, the cancer is tiny and contained entirely within the prostate gland, so it does not press on the urethra or cause any noticeable problems. It is usually found during routine screening tests for other reasons.
