Down at the Doctors December 2025

Posted on January 29th, 2024

Time to Man Up

Let’s talk about something most men would rather avoid — the prostate. It is a small gland that can cause big problems if cancer develops, yet a quick check could make all the difference. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with 1 in 8 men diagnosed in their lifetime. But not every man needs a test straight away — what matters is knowing the symptoms and when to get checked. Possible warning signs include:

• Needing to wee more often, especially at night
• Difficulty starting or stopping urination
• A weak flow or dribbling
• Feeling like your bladder hasn’t emptied properly
• Blood in your urine or semen
• Pain in the lower back, hips, or pelvis

These symptoms don’t always mean cancer, often it is just an enlarged (but harmless) prostate — but it’s always worth checking. If your GP thinks a check is needed, it usually starts with a digital rectal examination (DRE) (yes, the famous “glove and finger” moment!) and a PSA blood test. The DRE takes seconds, the PSA test is a blood sample, and together they can help spot any early warning signs.

Women routinely go through cervical smears and mammograms so us men need to man up! A bit of awkwardness is nothing compared to peace of mind.

If you have symptoms, are over 50, or over 45 with a family history of prostate cancer, talk to one of our GPs here about whether an examination and test might be right for you. A quick chat could save your life — and yes, you can still make jokes about it afterwards!

There will be no article in January, but I will be back with you the following month.

From all the doctors and staff at the Health Centre, we would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a healthy, happy New Year.

Best wishes,

Andrew