Supine position for prostate exam

Has anyone ever had their prostate exam in the supine position? I've only had mine done while bending over and once while lying on my side. I asked if I could have it done while lying down when I was at my annual urology exam last summer, but she told me that it would be on my side--I ended up having it done while bending over. I'm getting a new PA this year, so I'm tempted to ask again if I can have it done while lying on my back.

Just let the doc do it the way they always do.

You want them to do the exam the way they are used to performing it.

There's a very good reason why the best prostate exams are done in the standing position. Gravity helps the examining finger to palpate the prostate. Also the penis and scrotum aren't flopping in the way. Remember it's for your best interest to have a good exam. It's not for your entertainment.

Supine is not preferable because of the necessary angle of the wrist, the position of the examiner and your legs.

Ask yourself - are you looking for health care or a thrill? If you're looking for a thrill, get a play buddy or hire a prostitute.

So what is everyone's favorite position for this exam? Side, lying down, standing? Something else?

Also, i read that women who get a digital rectal exam are often in a supine position--how is that for women?

I've never had it done supine or lying flat on the exam table. I would think it would be very difficult to actually do the exam in that position.

I have had it done in all of the other usual ways. In the past I've had it done lying on my left side, with my right knee pulled up. Hated it. I always feel like I'm going to twist and mess up my lower back in that position. I refuse to have it done like that anymore.

I've had it done standing and bending at the waist over the exam table. Two variations for this position: Either standing on the floor and bending over or standing on the little step that's been pulled out from the bottom of the exam table. The latter is better since it raises me up about a foot or so from the floor and seems to expose things better when I'm bent over.

Finally, my favorite position is on the exam table on my knees and elbows (or even with my head all the way down on the table). This seems to be the most comfortable for me, and I've actually had several doctors/NPs tell me that they can reach my prostate much better in this position. My current doctor used to do it standing and bent over but I suggested we try it on my knees/elbows a few years ago. Now she readily does it this way without any problems or hesitation.

This is an interesting study done in Brazil on this topic. Link to the extract below. Can't say that I fully understand the study, but thought I would share in any case.

RESULTS: The preferred position was modified lithotomy position reported by 63.4% of Urologists, and left lateral position reported by 42.7% of the patients. Total DRE time was lower in the standing-up position. Pain and urinary urgency scores were similar regardless of the position used, and bowel urgency score was higher in patients squatting down. Patients were similar in terms of age and PSA level, but there was a significant difference between the standard deviations of estimated prostate weight in left lateral position. There were no differences in prostate asymmetry, positive DRE, or incomplete palpation of the prostate rates among different examination positions.

http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S1677-55382011000300011&script=sci_arttext

I have had three female urologists, and all did my prostate exam in the supine position. They also examine me supine. Male doctors have always had me stand. One exam by a female PA, standing.

I have had three female urologists, and all did my prostate exam in the supine position. They also examine me supine. Male doctors have always had me stand. One exam by a female PA, standing.

I'm getting a new female PA this year, so I'm not sure what position she'll have me in. Last year, the female PA had me bend over the the table. Knee-chest position would be fine as well, but not sure I'd have enough nerve to ask for that position.

Apparently they do the supine position more so in Europe. When I learned how to do a DRE on a standardized patient, they taught us both ways, but I've only seen bent over for the DRE (unless it's a female, in which case I've only seen supine).

Lying on the side or bending over always works out

In Corps School, I was taught 3 basic positions to do a DRE...Sims, (laying on your left side with the right knee drawn up) Bent over the table (The most common) or with the patient on all fours with their head down and butt up. (not done often with adults) I never heard of having your prostate checked while laying on your back, unless you have your legs in stirrups, and I've only seen that in OR procedures.

I have had it done in the first 2 positions (Wouldn't mind being checked on all fours) but mostly have it done bent over the table.

Actually, there is one other position that was only done to me twice....standing with your legs slightly parted, then you bend over and grab your ankles.

If I had to choose a "favorite," I'd have to go with the classic bent over the table, second to that, grab your ankles.

This topic seems to come up often- position of the DRE. I have always had my DRE in a standing and leaning over the table position. I have at least 5 different doctors perform the procedure and all were done basically the same way. As JDS4mds has commented on several threads, the doctors are focusing on examining the prostate and getting a correct read on the condition of the patient's prostate- that's it from their perspective. The supine position might be really erotic from the patient's perspective but probably doesn't happen very often in a doctor's office.

I've had two primary physicians since my 30s, both females. The one that gave me my first prostate exam had me bring both knees toward my chest. She had a slim digit, but it felt like she was trying to mine silver in China her finger was so far up my butt. That was uncomfortable. The young lady I see now makes me lay in a left-sims like position. She's kind of athletic, and her finger's a little bigger than my first doctor's, but still petite. It never hurts when she checks me, I just causes a sensation like I need to pee real bad.

I thought I was going to get one once when a female examiner had me in the dorsal.recumbent. She did my full genital, including hernia, that way and then.reached.for lube and.told me to stand and bend.

I always got it on left side or bent over table

So far I had 3 prostate exams in my life with 3 different urologists -all male (actually 99.5% of urologists in this country are male) and at different ages. The first 2 were performed with me in my all fours on the exam table and the last one (performed by a doctor in his late 60s) was with me lying on my back with my knees slightly bent. He instructed me to lift my balls sack while he inserted his index finger. I was surprised he did it that way, in fact I didn't know it could be performed that way either.. This Doc is probably from Old School so he preferred doing it like that Anyway, it's quite uncomfortable just the same, it's no difference compared to the regular one., but at least it lowers the embarrassment levels because you don't have to fully expose your butt hole like doing traditional way!

This video shows all ways of performing DRE

m.youtube.com/watch?v=N3u9NL_rcDA&itct=CDcQpDAYACITCJHgmKXrnscCFUk_vgodcCMPdlIQZXhhbWVuIHVyb2xvZ2ljbw%3D%3D&client=mv-google&gl=AR&hl=es-419

I have done a quick rectal exam with the patient supine. This was to check for guiac positive (occult blood) stool. It's not useful for an exam of the prostate as the angle is all wrong.

I would love that,but most of the time I'm asked to bend over the table and spread my legs slightly.

My Dr does it on my back with legs pulled up.

Many exams over the years, and always bent over the table

Was always bent over the table.