Testicular lumps are more common than you would think and can be caused by a variety of things. The majority of these are nothing serious, but they should always be checked out by your doctor. This is because a small number of cases may be cancerous. The good news is the survival rate for testicular cancer is high, especially when caught early and treated. Healthwords advises that anyone with testicles should remember to check them at least once a month. This is different from prostate cancer.

Age is an important factor in fertility for both men and women. As people get older, it usually becomes harder to have a baby. Knowing how fertility changes in your 20s, 30s, and 40s can help you make better choices about starting a family. Other things like your health, lifestyle, and genetics also matter, but age is a big part of the picture.

A prostatectomy is a common procedure used to treat prostate conditions, including prostate cancer. If you or a loved one has been told that a prostatectomy may be needed. Understanding what the surgery involves, why it is done, how to prepare, and what recovery looks like can help you feel more confident and informed. This article explains this procedure in clear, easy-to-understand language and walks through each step of the process.

Premature ejaculation (PE) is a common problem that many men face at some point in their lives. It means that a man ejaculates (releases semen) sooner during sex than he or his partner would like. This can make people feel frustrated, embarrassed, or like they don’t have control. But PE is more common than most people think, and there are ways to manage it and improve sexual satisfaction for both partners.

Cystoscopy is a common medical procedure used to look inside the bladder and urethra. Doctors often recommend it to help find the cause of urinary problems such as pain, infections, blood in the urine, or trouble emptying the bladder. While the idea of the procedure may cause worry, cystoscopy is usually brief, carefully performed, and well tolerated by most people. This article explains what cystoscopy is, why it is done, how to prepare, what happens during the procedure, possible risks, and what recovery and long-term outlook typically look like.

A bone density scan, also called a DEXA scan, is a common and important test used to check the strength of your bones. As people age, bones can become thinner and weaker, which increases the risk of fractures. A DEXA scan helps doctors find bone loss early, before a serious break occurs. If your healthcare provider has recommended a bone density scan, you may have questions about why you need it, how to prepare, and what the results mean. This article explains what a DEXA scan is, why it is ordered, how it differs from a bone scan, how often you may need one, how to prepare, what happens during the test, and how to understand the results.

Tinea cruris (jock itch) is a common fungal skin infection of the groin. Sometimes doctors call it the medical term tinea cruris or ringworm - we should be clear it has nothing to do with worms! This fungal infection usually occurs in warm, moist areas such as the groin or in the armpit area or feet (where it is called tinea pedis or athletes foot). It produces symptoms of a rash that is usually red, sore and itchy and has clear edges that can form a ring-like pattern. It is commonly found in athletes and the elderly but can affect anyone. It is often found in the crease of the groin and can spread a short way down the upper thigh. The majority of cases are mild and can be treated easily with over-the-counter antifungal creams available from your pharmacist. If the medication is for a child, you will be asked to see the doctor first rather than getting an over-the-counter cream. There are a number of different antifungal creams available (you will see names such as terbinafine, clotrimazole, and miconazole) so check the directions that come with each cream as it will tell you how often and how long to use it. Apply the cream to the affected area and to the non-affected skin that is up to 2 inches around the affected area.

Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that lies between the penis and the bladder and produces a fluid that nourishes sperm to create semen. Prostatitis usually occurs in people between the ages of 30 and 50 years. It can be very painful but rest assured, it does get better with time and treatment if needed.

Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is a protein that is produced by the prostate gland, a walnut-sized gland located near the bladder in men. It’s normal to have some PSA in your blood. As you get older your prostate gets bigger and the amount of PSA released – measurable in a blood test – can slowly rise. Prostate cancer can be one cause of a high PSA level, and early detection and treatment of this is beneficial. But it can also occur in other conditions. Therefore, results are interpreted with caution, rather than giving a clear-cut answer. If you have been diagnosed with prostate cancer, it may also be used to monitor your condition over time, and the success of any treatment. Some prostate cancers do not cause a high PSA level, you may get a normal PSA, so it’s not always a good test for cancer or it’s treatment.

The prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood test relates to a man's risk of prostate cancer but unlike other cancers like breast and bowel, there is no routine screening program for prostate cancer in the US. This is because it’s not as straightforward as having a blood test and getting a black-and-white answer: it doesn’t tell you if you have prostate cancer or not. Instead, men over the age of 50 can ask their doctor for a test (or tests every so often) after discussion about how difficult the result is to interpret. A PSA result can be normal and you can still have prostate cancer, or it can be abnormal but you don’t have prostate cancer. A positive test, however, does usually mean you need further investigations, and these can be uncomfortable and carry risks. Let’s talk you through what makes a good screening test, and how this can be applied to PSA screening.

Testosterone is a male sex hormone made in the testicles. Testosterone plays a key role in male sexual development, from puberty to fertility. Some men can experience low testosterone levels, which can lead to a number of symptoms that may be bothersome. Over time, testosterone hormones do generally decline with age.

A low sperm count doesn't cause any symptoms; it's usually found in fertility investigations when a couple finds it difficult to conceive naturally. A semen analysis reveals a low sperm count, which is classed as fewer than 15 million sperm per milliliter of semen. It's found in one in three couples who are struggling to conceive. Depending on any other results from fertility tests, it may guide potential fertility treatments.