You may feel a little embarrassed, embarrassed, or scared when your doctor tells you to have this test. That's normal. Many people are a little afraid of it, and they're a little hesitant to talk about it. But it's actually not as scary as you might think. Simply put, it's a very simple test that can help you find out a lot of important information about your health, and it takes just a few minutes. So today, let's talk about everything there is to know about it, without hiding anything, in a friendly way.
Why would a doctor recommend this DRE test?
You may be wondering, “Why am I being asked to do this test?” There could be several reasons for this. A doctor may recommend this test primarily to find the cause of a certain symptom.
Imagine you go to the doctor and tell him you have blood in your stool . Where is the blood coming from? This test can help determine if it is hemorrhoids or something else internal. It is also important to check for persistent stomach pain, lower abdominal pain, or a change in bowel habits (such as constipation or diarrhea ).
You can understand this more clearly from the table below.
| Main reason for testing | Simply put… |
|---|---|
| To examine the prostate gland in men | As men age, their prostate gland can become enlarged. Sometimes, lumps can also form. This test can help you feel for any changes. |
| To find the cause of symptoms such as rectal bleeding | If there is blood in the stool, pain in the stomach/lower abdomen, or a change in bowel habits, this will help determine the cause. |
| To check for problems with the female reproductive system | Sometimes this test is performed along with a vaginal exam to check for any abnormalities in a woman's uterus or ovaries. |
| To look for hemorrhoids or other lumps | You can check directly for hemorrhoids or other abnormal growths (polyps) in the rectum. |
| To obtain a stool sample | If you want to test for invisible blood in your stool (Fecal Occult Blood Test), this method is used to obtain a small sample. |
Is this DRE test something everyone does?
This is also a problem that many people have. In the past, the DRE test was used as part of a routine examination to detect diseases like cancer early.
But now, new medical studies have shown that this test alone is not a very effective way to detect colon, rectal, or prostate cancer.
Therefore, this is not a mandatory part of a routine annual medical checkup for everyone now.
But, as I told you before, if you have symptoms (e.g. blood in your stool)) If there is, the doctor will definitely do this test. Also, if a person is at risk for prostate cancer (based on factors such as age and family history), this DRE test may be performed along with other tests for that.
Okay, now let's see how to do this test.
The biggest reason for the fear of this test is the lack of knowledge about how it is done. Let's be clear about that. This is something that is done in the doctor's office and only takes a few minutes.
1. Preparation: First, you will be asked to undress from the waist down. But don't worry, you will be covered with paper or cloth to protect your privacy.
2. Posture:
- For a man: Usually, they are asked to stand, bend forward at the waist, and lean against a table. Alternatively, they may be asked to lie down on one side of the bed, with their knees drawn up to their chest.
- For women: This is often done at the same time as a pelvic exam. That is, while you are lying on an examination table with your feet on special stirrups placed on either side.
3. Examination: The doctor will now put on a glove and apply a lubricant to it. This will make the examination easier and less uncomfortable. Then, very slowly and carefully, a finger will be inserted into your rectum. Then, the finger will be rotated inward, and the walls of the rectum and surrounding organs (the prostate gland in men, the back of the uterus in women) will be carefully felt for any unusual lumps, tenderness, or swelling. Sometimes, the doctor may also press on your lower abdomen with the other hand.
Does this hurt?
This is the biggest problem everyone has. To be honest, it doesn't hurt. However, when you insert your finger, you may feel a slight pressure or a squeezing sensation for a few seconds. If you're nervous and tense, this discomfort may be more pronounced. So take a deep breath and try to relax as much as possible . Then this will be much easier than you think.
What will you find out after the test?
Once the test is complete, the doctor will tell you the results. Below are some of the things that can be found in this test.
- Normal condition: Most of the time, no problems can be found. This means that everything is normal.
- Swelling or lumps in the organs: In men, an enlarged prostate gland can be felt. Also, an unusual lump in the rectum, cervix/uterus, ovaries, or bladder can be felt.
- Hemorrhoids, Fissures, or Abscesses: You can identify things like hemorrhoids, anal fissures, or abscesses .
- Polyps: This can help determine if there are small growths (polyps) inside the rectum that could potentially become cancerous in the future.
- Blood in the stool: If the doctor's glove is stained with blood after the examination, it indicates that the bleeding is coming from somewhere inside.
Whatever these findings are, they don't mean you have a serious illness. They just help your doctor understand the cause of your symptoms and decide what to do next (e.g., other tests or treatment).
Take-Home Message
- A Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) is a simple test that a doctor performs with his finger and only takes a few minutes. Don't be unnecessarily afraid or embarrassed about it.
- This is not painful, but you may feel a little uncomfortable. Taking deep breaths and relaxing will help to reduce the discomfort.
- This test is mainly done to find the cause of things like blood in the stool, lower abdominal pain, prostate problems, and hemorrhoids.
- This is not a routine cancer screening test that is done for everyone. However, it should be done when necessary, on the advice of a doctor.
- Don't prejudge the test results, but talk openly with your doctor. Don't be afraid to ask any questions you have.
Digital Rectal Exam, DRE, Rectal examination, Prostate, Hemorrhoids, Blood in stool, Rectal bleeding, Medical tests
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