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Only a doctor can diagnose an enlarged prostate. Here are some who can help:
- Primary care doctors. This may be the first health professional you see. If the doctor feels you need more specialized treatment, he or she may send you to a specialist.
- Urologists are specialists who treat diseases of the urinary tract. Your primary care doctor can recommend one. You can also ask at a hospital or healthcare center in your area. Some urologists require referrals.
Types of tests
Your doctor will diagnose you with an enlarged prostate based on the results of certain tests and exams. These may include:
- Medical history. Your doctor will want to know about your symptoms. You can help by sharing your Symptom Diary and your answers to the Prostate Health Assessment.
- Digital rectal exam (DRE). It’s called “digital” because it’s an exam done with a finger (or digit). Your doctor will put a gloved finger into your rectum to feel your prostate. This exam usually does not hurt. It gives the doctor an idea of the size and health of your prostate.
- Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. This measures the level of PSA, a chemical made by the prostate. The test is used as a prostate cancer screening tool. But a high PSA score may mean that you have an enlarged prostate. You may be at a higher risk of prostate growth.
- Urinalysis. Your urine will be tested. This test is used for many reasons like finding infections.
Sometimes, more tests are needed. These may include urine or bladder tests to:
- See how much you urinate and how quickly the urine flows.
- Check the urine for cancer cells.
- Measure your bladder pressure when you urinate.
- See how much urine is left in your bladder after you finish urinating.
Your doctor may:
- Use X-rays or ultrasound to look at your prostate.
- Look at your urethra and bladder through a small telescope placed into the tip of the penis.
Also of Interest
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