Testicular Self -

Posted on November 15, 2008
Filed Under Disease |

Why self?
The testicles may be very different diseases, some of them slow and gradual evolution, but also other development faster. Some conditions that affect the testicles are serious, but most are not.

Know the feeling, normal appearance and size of the testicles is a good habit, so that changes can be seen quickly if necessary.

Overall
If you detect a lump in the testicle, seek medical attention for further exploration
Signs should call our attention:
* A lump in the testicle
* Pain and / or increased sensitivity to any of the testicles
* Out of pus through the opening of the urethra in the penis (called meatus)
* Blood in the semen
* Collection of fluid inside the scrotum
* Feeling of heaviness in the groin or scrotum
* An increase in the size of a testicle (one of which is normally higher than the other, but the size and shape should remain more or less constant).
* Increased size of the chest or breast, with or without hypersensitivity.

How to examine the testicles
Check the testicles regularly as follows:
* Make self while taking a hot bath or a long shower, as this softens the skin of the scrotum (skin that contains the testes), which makes it easier to feel the testicles inside.
* Examine the scrotum looking for any possible lump on the skin or internal folds.
* Feel around the scrotum and testicles in the palm of your hand and feel the difference between the testicles. One is always greater and remains lower. This is completely normal.
* Examine one testicle, and then compare them with each other. Use both hands to rotate smoothly testicles between your thumb and index finger.
* Check whether there are lumps or bumps, as both testicles should be smooth except at one pole of the testis, where is the tube that drives the sperm, the epididymis, and then continues with the vas deferens (which is linked to vasectomy). It is located on the top and back of the testicle, and usually as there is irregular.

Knowing more
In our ‘Men’s Health’ will find items of interest:
# Testicular torsion
# Hydrocele and Varicocele
# Orchitis and epididymitis
# Most common urological problems

Incidence of testicular cancer
Testicular cancer represents only 1% -2% of all cancers in men. The maximum effect occurs between 15 and 35 years.

Although testicular cancer is rare, it is not finding a lump in the testicles. There are many conditions that can be easily confused with testicular cancer. Most often this is not anything serious. If you have a self-made and found a lump, it is advised to go to the doctor for further exploration.

Check Male Urologic
Prostate cancer
The clinically detectable prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer in men over 50 years of age in United States, and the second leading cause of cancer death in men. Approximately 30% of men older than 50 years have asymptomatic foci of prostate cancer recognizable in the series of autopsies. However, it has been estimated that the risk of a man of 50 years to develop a clinically relevant prostate cancer has been estimated at about 10% while the risk of dying from prostate cancer is approximately 3%.

People on the street
The suitable candidate for a urological checkup is a male between 50 and 70 years of age in good health and a life expectancy of at least 10-15 years.

The implementation of programs for early detection of prostate cancer is a very controversial topic in Spain, the number of males potentially dependent on the program over five million. Several early detection programs, including the American Cancer Society, have shown that between 85% and 93% of cancers detectable with current methods are important clinically, ie, they are likely to progress and cause damage to individual. Moreover, tumors detected from the use of PSA (prostate specific antigen) are more likely to be confined to the organ. When using screening programs, patients with prostate cancer detected at an earlier stage than when they are symptomatic.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia
Moreover, it should be noted that benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common benign tumor in men over 50 years, and the second leading cause of admission for surgery. It is therefore advisable to assess clinically, even in passing, in this age group. In fact, 70% of patients older than 70 years develop BPH, of which between 35 and 40% suffer clinical prostatism due to cervico-urethral process.
# Most common urological problems
# Prostate and older
# Male urinary tract infections

Who recommends a prostate checkup?
The suitable candidate is a male between 50 and 70 years of age in good health and a life expectancy of at least 10-15 years. In cases of family history of prostate cancer is suggested as an option to start the 40 years of age. Although it has been reported that the prevalence of prostate cancer increases with advancing age, from 70 years life expectancy drops to less than ten years and the risk of death from other causes increases. Therefore, although each case must be taken individually is not recommended for routine screening of men older than 70 years that no symptoms, except that the detection or treatment of prostate cancer vary the quality of life of patients.

Of course, the urologist should include an assessment visit in the prostate for any man with urinary symptoms.

What tests are performed in a prostate checkup?
Medical history
It asked for micturition frequency, there are annoyances or difficulties associated with it, hematuria (blood in urine) and so on. You can also deliver the IPSS (International Prostatic Symptoms Score), a scale of urinary symptoms and quality of life validated by the WHO, which allows us to have an impression of the clinical condition of the man quickly.

Physical
The application of digital rectal examination as part of routine scanning is well established. However, the aversion that some patients feel the examination and lack of sensitivity and specificity of the test are two limitations. Used in isolation, has not been successful in detecting prostate cancer at an early stage, potentially curable, but in combination with the PSA value is unquestionable.

Analysis
* Analysis of urinary sediment: can distinguish infections that can cause urinary tract irritative symptoms similar to those of the prostate patients and identifying hematuria (presence of blood in the urine).
* Determination of plasma creatinine (to assess kidney function) so that the earlier determination as part of routine health checkups, so it is common for patients to make at the time of consulting the urologist.
* The PSA is a protein produced by epithelial cells of the prostate and, among other circumstances, their level in blood increases with the presence of prostate tumor cells. The routine use of PSA in male patients older than 50 years has been recommended by the American Cancer Society, the American Urological Association, among others, and the FDA also has approved it as a tool for early detection of prostate cancer. Although the standard reference values are between 0 and 4 ng / ml (Tandem E assay), have also been proposed for specific age levels, although they have not enjoyed wide acceptance. The problem is that in any case there is an overlap between PSA values in cancer patients and patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Ie that it is not uncommon for patients with high levels (generally moderate, between 4 and 10 ng / ml) of this index will make the appropriate diagnostic tests and are not cancer cells, and conversely, not what are that other men are figures within the normal range and suffering from prostate cancer. Therefore, it has been suggested using other determinations (free PSA, PSA density, PSA velocity, etc.) to avoid this uncertainty, but this exceeds the purpose of a urological check and must be determined in subsequent visits if required.

Urologic ultrasound (bladder-prostate-reno)
It is not a required test, but it is certainly a useful tool where there are significant discomfort voiding clinics or other circumstances so warrant. The measurement of waste (volume of urine remaining in the bladder after urination) may be sufficient in the context of a urological checkup. Although transrectal ultrasound is useful in the diagnosis of prostate cancer is not recommended as part of a routine survey by the lack of specificity and relative discomfort.

Flowmetry
It is easy to perform a test, no hassles and reproducible. Aims to obtain objective and quantifiable data on the dynamics of voiding patient, because there is not always a correlation between symptoms and degree of obstruction. Is to make urination in a flowmeter, measuring device the volume of urine emitted per unit of time and transforms it into a signal that can be digitized and sent to a polygraph.

In general, agencies that promote urological checkups recommended a combined assessment is more often based on physical examination and PSA, although as we have seen, other tests may be included depending on the clinical findings.

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