Doctor instructing self exam

I know most of us have seen several versions of the Bates exam videos on youtube. I stumbled across this one that I found very different. The doctor continually talks the patient through the exam, which I find kinda strange. But I think it'd be hot for a doctor to keep talking about my penis in this much detail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYBWlrpvMj8&list=PLIvwPOOZg6W2CV9Z1bkNRI3AoP-D8fQml

My internist has. He is in academics.

My internist has. He is in academics.

Do you mean that he talked about your genitalia while doing the exam? If so, what does he say?

I had an interesting experience a few years ago. While having my annual exam My doc asked if a med student could join in. I had no objection. My doctor knows I'm a medical professional so she thought that I might not mind if the student practiced teaching me testicular self exam.

The student was a nervous young woman who took a seat on a stool in front of me while I held my gown up. I'm not sure whether she was more nervous about remembering what she was suppose to say or about touching me. I'm also sure she felt a bit intimidated because the doctor was watching everything she was doing.

She reached over with her gloved hands and took my penis in one hand to move it out of the way while she examined one of my testicles with the other. She actually did a great job. She began by asking if I regularly performed a testicular self exam. Then she explained the importance of doing so while she continued to examine me. She showed me how to do it and what changes to be on the look out for.

She switched hands and did the other testicle while holding my penis in the other hand. She even asked me to reach down and she showed me what the epididymis felt like and explained that it was suppose to be there and if I felt that it was normal.

All the while she was doing such a good job I could tell she was really nervous, but she did very well and was completely professional. She was so serious during the exam and when she was finished the doctor congratulated her on doing a good job and the biggest smile came over her face. I'm sure she was happy she did well and also happy that it was over with.

I will take a look at that video.

I just watched the video. Growing up I never had any doctor advise me to do a self exam. I think maybe it was assumed you would go to a doctor if something was not right or you had any type of pain in the genital area.

I just watched the video, I'd not come across that one before. I see the original poster of the video on YouTube has posted many other of the videos from the series.

This only happened to me once when I went to a new doctor for a physical. I remained fully dressed, until he asked if a doctor ever told me about testicular cancer and of course I said no! He asked me stand in front of him, then to drop my pants and underwear. The interesting part is I could watch the whole thing unfold on a mirror by the door. He examined my testicles and kept describing how to check myself. The whole experience was really interesting especially because I could see me standing naked in the mirror.

I recently had a complete physical after switching to a new family med doctor. My doctor was sitting in front of me gloving up when he began the genital exam by asking me if I did regular testicular self exams. I replied, "not really." So while he was examining my penis and testicles, he said, "Just like women have to do self breast exams, men need to examine their testicles every month or so." He then starts telling me what to feel for and how to do it, all while feeling me up. By the time he was finished instructing and examining me it was time to move on to the turn your head and cough exam.

I've gotten slightly different medical advice on this.

This happened at least thirty years ago, I was on the road for business and noticed a lump on one of my testicles. Of course I freaked, went at first opportunity to the nearest doc-in-the-box clinic. During early evening hours after work the female practitioner (NP, PA or Dr I don't recall) confirmed the lump and referred me to a local Urologist who got me in a few days later.

At the Urologist, after a brief consult had a scrotum US which showed a small varicocele. The Urologist said it would take care of itself. He suggested not doing testicle exams because the scrotum contents are soft and fragile and too much examining could result in injury and unnecessary worry.

So, stopped my testicle exams. However, my wife does some kind of regular testicle treatments that have served me well over the years. She knows what she is doing 😃