Prostate massage
Massage of the prostate gland via the rectum or perineum
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prostate massage is the massage or stimulation of the male prostate gland for medical purposes or sexual stimulation.
The prostate takes part in the sexual response cycle and is essential for the production of semen. Due to its proximity to the anterior rectal wall, it can be stimulated from the anterior wall of the rectum or externally via the perineum.
Medical uses
Digital rectal examination
Prostate massage is part of the digital rectal examination (DRE) routinely given to males by urologists to look for nodules of prostate cancer and to obtain an expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) specimen for microscopy and microbiological culture to screen for prostatitis.
Therapy for prostatitis
In the late 1990s, a small number of doctors tried prostate massage in conjunction with antibiotics for the treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis with uncertain results.[1][2] In recent trials, however, prostate massage was not shown to improve outcomes compared to antibiotics alone.[3] As a consequence of these findings, prostate massage is not officially sanctioned in medicine for the treatment of any medical disorder. Prostatic massage should never be performed on patients with acute prostatitis, because the infection can spread elsewhere in the body if massage is performed.[4]
History
Once the most popular therapeutic maneuver used to treat prostatitis, it was abandoned as primary therapy in the 1960s.[5]
In the late 1990s, the ineffectiveness of drug treatments for chronic prostatitis led to a brief resurgence of interest in prostate massage.[1][2] In a recent trial, however, prostate massage was not shown to improve outcomes compared to antibiotics alone.[3]
The practice is still used in some parts of China.[6]
Risks
Vigorous prostate massage has been documented to have injurious consequences: periprostatic hemorrhage,[7] cellulitis, septicaemia, possible disturbance and metastasis of prostate cancer to other parts of the body, and hemorrhoidal flare-up, and rectal fissures.[8][9]
Electroejaculation
Electroejaculation is a procedure in which nerves are stimulated via an electric probe, which is inserted into the rectum adjacent to the prostate. The stimulus voltage stimulates nearby nerves, resulting in contraction of the pelvic muscles and ejaculation. It is most commonly encountered in animal husbandry for collecting semen samples for testing or breeding. Some devices are used under general anesthesia on humans who have certain types of anejaculation.[10] Electroejaculation may also be used for posthumous sperm retrieval in humans.[11]
As a sexual practice
General
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Prostate massage is also used as an erotic massage for sexual stimulation, often to reach orgasm. The prostate is sometimes referred to as the "male G-spot"[12] or "P-spot".[13] Some males can achieve orgasm through stimulation of the prostate gland, such as prostate massage or receptive anal intercourse, and males who report the sensation of prostate stimulation often give descriptions similar to females' accounts of G-spot stimulation.[14][15] Prostate stimulation can sometimes produce a strong, powerful orgasm.[14] However, all male orgasms, including those by penile stimulation, involve muscular contractions in the prostate gland.[16] It is possible for some males to achieve orgasms through prostate stimulation alone.[14][17]
There are safety matters relating to prostate stimulation and anal penetration. It is recommended that plenty of lubricant be used with prostate massagers to prevent rectal lining damage. Because of the bacteria found in the rectum, there are also hygiene risks. Receiving anal stimulation may cause feelings of having to defecate; prostate stimulation in particular may cause the feeling of having to urinate.[18][19]
Equipment
A prostate massager, or prostate stimulator, is a device for massaging the prostate gland.[20]