In our previous blog post, we told you how YourGP’s resident paramedic, Lynn Sutherland, decided to shave her head to raise awareness of men’s health and cancers during Movember.

Today, Lynn explains how to become more aware of testicular issues, and how being proactive can help recognise men’s cancers such as testicular cancer and prostate cancer, the most commonly diagnosed cancer of men in the UK.

Lynn, who is responsible for a range of clinical services at our private health practice in Edinburgh, sees a number of men who are worried about sexual health and other testicular issues.

She explains: “The easiest way to recognise when it’s time to speak up is when you see abnormal urinary symptoms such as frequency or urgency.

“That’s why it’s so important to understand your own urination cycle. A lot of guys come to me because they think they have a sexually transmitted infection (STI), but when I ask them what’s unusual or changed, it becomes clear they don’t know what’s normal for them.

“Essentially, you should look out for anything unusual such as increased frequency, urgency, pain or discomfort.

“For example, there’s no reason, other than a late night drinking session, why you shouldn’t be able to go to bed at night, sleep all night, then go to the toilet in the morning.

“Another thing to keep an eye on is whether you’re emptying your bladder completely, or you’re flushing the toilet and thinking: ‘wait a minute, I’m not finished’.

“If any abnormality continues for 3-5 days, or if there’s any pain, you should contact your practice nurse, GP or Prostate Cancer UK. If there’s blood in your urine, you should go straight to your doctor.”

How do we test for prostate cancer at YourGP?

If you have urinary symptoms or are worried about testicular or prostate problems, you can book an appointment with YourGP in Edinburgh.

When you arrive at our private medical practice in Dean Village, Edinburgh, our clinician will discuss the history of your symptoms and concerns, as well as your immediate family history.

Lynn explains: “Generally, we’ll test your urine in the practice there and then, and that’ll give us a quick indicator of things like blood, nitrates, leukocytes and proteins.

“We may then send your sample away for urine chemistry to help identify any bacteria or yeast in the urine.

“If there are no signs of bacteria but the symptoms persist (or if you have immediate family problems of prostate cancer) we can carry out a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test; a blood test that can detect the early signs of prostate cancer.

“If the PSA test detects any signs of prostate cancer, we will then get you fast-tracked for an appointment with a urologist or you can ask your regular GP to refer you”

To find out more about prostate cancer or other men’s health issues, or to book a consultation, call us on 0131 225 5656 or email reception@your.gp.

If you want to help Lynn raise awareness of prostate cancer and men’s health, you can donate to her Movember page.

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