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.