Exam With Just A Genital/Hernia Check

Has anyone else had an exam for school or otherwise where only your genitals were examined or you were examined for a hernia? This question is for both guys and girls. It seems like there is no medical reason to examine just the genitals. It almost seems like a humiliation ritual or a rite of passage.

At the urologist, they reviewed meds and history, but only were concerned about urinary, prostate or occasionally in hernia problems. For regular physicals it was only part of the exam.

@sensei1980 Yes it happened, but I was consulting physicians precisely for a hernia.

Yes, when I was 7/8 I had a school medical where the doctor did a top to toe exam, including retracting my foreskin. She was of the opinion that my foreskin was tight and I might need circumcising. My mother took me to our GP for a second opinion and he examined me, just my penis, and did not agree that I needed circumcising. The following year I was examined at school by the same Dr, and she repeated her suggestion. My mother took me back to our GP and he re-examined my penis and this time recommended my mother retracted my foreskin at bath time, so yes!

You’re totally correct, I know I’ve commented on this before. To have school boys who are subjugated to nothing else like eye, ear or a general examination of their HEENT or even respiration but were expected to drop their trousers. I went on in my day but was abruptly stopped. I think it was more about humiliation and nothing at all to do with the general good care for pupils. There’s a lot written on patient modesty.org from paediatricians stating that there is no value to embarrassing intimate physical examinations of male or female pupils in schools. It’s more of a money grab. Unless a child has a history or has complaints due to a condition I feel the school systems anywhere have no business examining kids without their consent and parental consent. Schools aren’t concentration camps, their job is to educate not hand over kids to overzealous Drs and Nurses, you know the types, like Larry Nasser there for the kids to help out.

The only time they went for the genitals/prostate alone is if the exam had to be there. (Epididymitis, suspected prostatitis/BPH)

I am not sure if I am understanding the question, so I am not sure if I am answering it properly. But here goes . . .

First of all, all of my "school" exams were done with my private pediatrician. Same was true for everyone. My high school did not have the cattle call group physicals for sports. If you played sports you had to go to your own doctor for that examination.

ALL of my full physical exams always included and examination of my genitals - penis, testicles, cough-cough hernia exam, and bend over for a look at my anus (no finger). Now, if I went to the doctor for something else, sore throat, sprained ankle, etc., for starters, I always stripped down to my briefs or boxer shorts. I never wore anything else in there. And after checking out whatever it was that I went in for the doctor would tell me to take off my briefs or boxer shorts and he would do an examination of my testicles, always with the cautionary tale that testicular cancer was the most common cancer in teenage boys (which, by the way, is true).

So I never had JUST my testicles examined, but some might think that having your testicles examined after checking for a sprained ankle is a bit much, but it never bothered me. I think that boys of my generation were less concerned about such things than boys, and actually parents, are today.

To have school boys who are subjugated to nothing else like eye, ear or a general examination of their HEENT or even respiration but were expected to drop their trousers.

@SubMedFetPatient this was the main point of my post. I wanted to see how many other people were subjected to this type of exam, usually in school, but could have happened elsewhere. I meant people of that age group, not adults going to a specialist for a specific health concern. I never understood the value in those types of exams. Nothing else is worth examining except my genitals? I never understood it, but that's why I ended up here.

So I never had JUST my testicles examined, but some might think that having your testicles examined after checking for a sprained ankle is a bit much, but it never bothered me.

@Tighty_Whiteis_Now this wasn't the main point of my post, but definitely something that added to my sexualization of medical exams. Never understood why I needed to have my genitals examined for an unrelated sick visit. It seemed like doctors took every opportunity to examine the genitals, whether it pertained to the visit or not.

Regardless, this is a big part of the reason I am here. Having my genitals in the doctor's hands on every visit and every interaction made me view doctors and exams in a less than clinical manner. I wondered how many other had similar experiences growing up that led them to this place.

I only had that happen once and it was for a summer job in college in 1979 I believe as a mover and obviously involved heavy lifting. I went to the assigned clinic and was taken to a room and the doctor just simply asked if I ever had a hernia? I said no, and she said please drop your pants so I can check. I did as she asked and she felt around and then did the "turn your head and cough" and said ok pull up your pants you're cleared to work.

Sports physicals should concentrate on exams of the heart, muscles and joints. Checking for a hernia is acceptable, especially if paired with counselling regarding testicular cancer, which occurs usually between ages of 15 and 35. A Sports exam of only the genitals would border on malpractice and sexual abuse, in my opinion.

I go to the urologist every six months, for genital, penis, testicle and prostate exams.

Only if the medical problem related to my genitals.

I has a similar experience to @Examined below. When i was seven i had my first full school medical which i have discussed on other threads.

This included a very embarrassing genital exam where the school doctor suggested i was circumcised due to a very tight foreskin. As a result of this, several days later an appointment was made with the family GP to take this forward. As this follow up visit was only related to my phimosis, that was the only thing the doctor checked. I didnt have to get undressed but can remember standing in the doctors office and having to drop my trousers and underwear to the floor while he examined my penis.

Twice, but only when I made appointments directly with general surgeons to evaluate self-diagnosed inguinal hernias (once you’ve had one, you know unequivocally when another one happens). Don’t take vitals: just dropped my drawers to my ankles, stood for the first part of the exam and then hopped onto the table so he could examine me lying down. Only the second surgeon did this; the first hernia was quite large and well into the scrotum so it took little in terms of diagnostics).

Probably most every male who entered the US military during the Vietnam War experienced sort of a genital check only when they reported for induction. Unlike the pre-induction physical exams which could take up much of the day, the induction inspection was brief, and mostly just a quick visual group walk-by conducted by a doctor or two. When inductees for any branch of the service reported to the MEPS, they were usually told to strip down completely and stand nude in some type of formation. They were asked if they experienced any medical changes since their pre-induction exam, and if not they experienced probably their first military "short arm" inspection. Supposedly, it was performed to check for serious VD. The urinalysis and blood labs conducted during the pre-induction exams would have normally detected any VD, but some of these guys could have had that exam nearly a year earlier. For most, this was the first time they would hear the order "skin em back and milk em down". In the midwest MEPS where I did duty the vast majority of men were cut, so the skin em back order made no sense. The milk em down order seemed to cause terror and confusion. It was sort of fun to watch the "deer in the headlights" stares some of the guys presented as I am sure several thought they were being ordered to masturbate. There was medical thought that a serious case of VD would result in pus discharge after the shaft was squeezed down like a tube of toothpaste. Regardless, the MEPS staff was expected to have the whole groups inspected and on their way in about 20 minutes. I remember that in the Kansas City MEPS, inductees were no doubt the center of attraction as their inspection occurred in the center of the big room, while the men reporting for pre-induction exams came in, lined the walls and no doubt enjoyed the show.

No. Never. Every time it involved minimally listening to my heart and lungs and feeling my belly prior to losing my briefs for a genital exam. Prior to that, vitals were taken and I was undressed.

Same as Jacana, only for visits directly related to genitals.

A couple times with surgeons for hernia and vasectomy consultations. No gown or vitals at all, just drop your drawers and let them take a look

A couple times at my PCP for testicular pain. She did have me gown up though.

A couple times at the urologist for epididymis pain. Same deal, didn’t even get on the exam table, just standing in front of him and his intern.

More common than you’d think, but if you’re already seeing the provider regularly there’s no need to do a complete exam.

Yes, a couple times, but those were specifically for STD screens. Genital exam, pee in a cup, get results within a day or two.

Had two hernia exams and they were specific for the issues I was having , not for genital exam. So don't see why this would be a problem for some .

Yes, once... just had to drop my drawers. Had a testicular exam as part of a physical.

Had two hernia exams and they were specific for the issues I was having , not for genital exam. So don't see why this would be a problem for some .

@czracer I was focused more on exams in school not exams for specific health issues. Not sure of the point of having healthy students drop their pants to be examined, yet not examine anything else.

I had an exam with just a hernia check. It was when I was a freshman in high school and I had to carry a heavy amp up some stairs and I stupidly mentioned to my parents I had some groin pain, so they rushed me to the doctor at like 7pm just to be checked out for hernia. I had to strip to my underwear and lay down in the table. The doctor took my underwear off and checked me for a hernia lying down, having me grunt instead of cough. The doctor then palpated my penis, spread the meatus, and felt my balls. My dad was standing in the corner watching everything and I was a bit behind the curve at that age so I was extremely embarrassed. Then I had to stand up, still underwear off and the doctor checked me for a hernia again standing up and this time I had to cough. Then I was allowed to retrieve my briefs from the table and not them back on while he told my father he didn’t think I had a hernia but that we should watch it. Thank god my parents forgot about it quickly thereafter. This was a core medfet experience for me.

No they’ve always done a full physical.

Yes twice once some years ago when I went to the clinic complaining about some pain in my groin area. I was only giving a quick genital exam and checked for a hernia. And then again a couple of years ago. I made a appointment because I was really sore after a bicycle ride and thought I maybe pulled a muscle. After asking me exactly what the problem was he told me to stand up and drop my pants. He gave me a quick hernia check and told me if it didn't better to come. That was all that was done no further examination of anything else.

I had a double hernia when I was 13, on each side of my groin. I recall having lots of exams, I only recall one dr in hospital actually holding my actual genitals aside as she pressed into my groin and told me to cough. All the other exams were me standing and the doctor pressing their fingers into my groin either side of my testicles.

As a child my family doctor would sometimes examine the head of my penis and nowhere else due to me having infections.

At 14 I had a very quick foreskin check at the pediatrician because it used to be a bit too tight. Luckily the problem resolved itself, so circumcision wasn't needed.