Prostate massage is the

massage Massage is the manipulation of the body's soft tissues. Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet or a device. The purpose of massage is generally for the treatment of body stress or pain. In E ...

or stimulation of the male

prostate The prostate is both an accessory gland of the male reproductive system and a muscle-driven mechanical switch between urination and ejaculation. It is found only in some mammals. It differs between species anatomically, chemically, and phys ...

gland for

medical Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...

purposes or

sexual stimulation Sexual stimulation is any stimulus (including bodily contact) that leads to, enhances and maintains sexual arousal, and may lead to orgasm. Although sexual arousal may arise without physical stimulation, achieving orgasm usually requires physica ...

. The prostate takes part in the sexual response cycle, and is essential for the production of

semen Semen, also known as seminal fluid, is an organic bodily fluid created to contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads (sexual glands) and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize the female ovum. Sem ...

. 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 The perineum in humans is the space between the anus and scrotum in the male, or between the anus and the vulva in the female. The perineum is the region of the body between the pubic symphysis (pubic arch) and the coccyx (tail bone), includi ...

Medical uses

Digital rectal examination

Prostate massage is part of the digital

rectal examination Digital rectal examination (DRE; la, palpatio per anum, PPA) is an internal examination of the rectum, performed by a healthcare provider. Prior to a 2018 report from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the DRE was a common and "dreaded" co ...

(DRE) routinely given to men by

urologists Urology (from Greek οὖρον ''ouron'' "urine" and ''-logia'' "study of"), also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of the urinary-tract system and the reproductive organ ...

in order 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 Prostatitis is an umbrella term for a variety of medical conditions that incorporate bacterial and non-bacterial origin illnesses in the pelvic region. In contrast with the plain meaning of the word (which means "inflammation of the prostate"), the ...

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 Chronic bacterial prostatitis is a bacterial infection of the prostate gland. It should be distinguished from other forms of prostatitis such as acute bacterial prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). Signs and symptoms Chronic ba ...

with uncertain results. In recent trials, however, prostate massage was not shown to improve outcomes compared to antibiotics alone. As a consequence of these findings, prostate massage is not officially sanctioned in

medicine Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pr ...

for the treatment of any medical disorder today. Prostatic massage should ''never'' be performed on patients with

acute prostatitis Acute prostatitis is a serious bacterial infection of the prostate gland. This infection is a medical emergency. It should be distinguished from other forms of prostatitis such as chronic bacterial prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndro ...

, because the infection can spread elsewhere in the body if massage is performed.

History

Once the most popular therapeutic maneuver used to treat prostatitis, it was abandoned as primary therapy in the 1960s. In the late 1990s the ineffectiveness of drug treatments for chronic prostatitis led to a brief resurgence of interest in prostate massage. In a recent trial, however, prostate massage was not shown to improve outcomes compared to antibiotics alone. The practice is still used in some parts of China.

Risks

Vigorous prostate massage has been documented to have injurious consequences: periprostatic

hemorrhage Bleeding, hemorrhage, haemorrhage or blood loss, is blood escaping from the circulatory system from damaged blood vessels. Bleeding can occur internally, or externally either through a natural opening such as the mouth, nose, ear, urethra, v ...

cellulitis Cellulitis is usually a bacterial infection involving the inner layers of the skin. It specifically affects the dermis and subcutaneous fat. Signs and symptoms include an area of redness which increases in size over a few days. The borders of ...

septicaemia Sepsis, formerly known as septicemia (septicaemia in British English) or blood poisoning, is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. This initial stage is follo ...

, possible disturbance and

metastasis Metastasis is a pathogenic agent's spread from an initial or primary site to a different or secondary site within the host's body; the term is typically used when referring to metastasis by a cancerous tumor. The newly pathological sites, then ...

of prostate cancer to other parts of the body, and

hemorrhoid Hemorrhoids (or haemorrhoids), also known as piles, are vascular structures in the anal canal. In their normal state, they are cushions that help with stool control. They become a disease when swollen or inflamed; the unqualified term ''he ...

al flare-up, and rectal fissures.

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 the purpose of collecting semen samples for testing or breeding. Some devices are used under general anesthesia on humans who have certain types of

anejaculation Anejaculation is the pathological inability to ejaculate despite an erection in males, with (''orgasmic'') or without (''anorgasmic'') orgasm. Causes It can depend on one or more of several causes, including: * Sexual inhibition * Pharmacologic ...

. Electroejaculation may also be used for posthumous sperm retrieval in humans. Electroejaculation is a different procedure from manual prostate massage.

As a sexual practice

General

Prostate massage is also used as an erotic massage for sexual stimulation, often in order to reach

orgasm Orgasm (from Greek , ; "excitement, swelling") or sexual climax is the sudden discharge of accumulated sexual excitement during the sexual response cycle, resulting in rhythmic, involuntary muscular contractions in the pelvic region chara ...

. The prostate is sometimes referred to as the "male

G-spot The G-spot, also called the Gräfenberg spot (for German gynecologist Ernst Gräfenberg), is characterized as an erogenous area of the vagina that, when stimulated, may lead to strong sexual arousal, powerful orgasms and potential female ejacu ...

" or "P-spot". Some men can achieve orgasm through stimulation of the prostate gland, such as prostate massage or receptive anal intercourse, and men who report the sensation of prostate stimulation often give descriptions similar to females' accounts of G-spot stimulation. Prostate stimulation can produce a stronger, more powerful, and "deeper" orgasm than solely penile stimulation, described by some men as more widespread, intense, and enduring, and allowing for greater feelings of ecstasy than orgasm elicited by penile stimulation only. However, all male orgasms, including those by penile stimulation, involve muscular contractions in the prostate gland. It is possible for some men to achieve orgasms through

stimulation alone. Stimulation may be achieved by use of one or more fingers or by using sex toys designed to bring pressure to the anterior wall of the rectum at the location of the gland. Prostate massage may be practiced between sexual partners, either as a discrete activity or during other sexual acts stimulating the penis for example. The increasing availability (online via the Internet) of purpose-designed, safe and hygienic sex toys and devices aimed at prostate stimulation may encourage sexual experimentation and incorporation into sex play. The use of a finger for anal penetration and prostate stimulation can enhance a man's orgasm or vary the sensations experienced during sexual arousal. The finger of the prostate massager is introduced into the rectum through the anus and the prostate gland is gently massaged via the anterior (front) wall of the rectum. In some individuals or for some massagers the correct location of the prostate may be slightly too deep or the finger too short to reach easily. Prostate massage can be performed individually or with the help of a partner. Prostate massage may also be used in long-term orgasm denial play, for the purpose of relieving immediate need for orgasm without impacting general feelings of arousal. For this purpose it is often referred to as milking. There are safety matters relating to prostate stimulation and anal penetration. It is strongly recommended that plenty of lubricant be used with prostate massagers to prevent rectal lining damage. A smaller instrument or finger may be introduced gradually to minimize the discomfort that some may feel. Massagers may be used with or without a condom; however, because of the bacteria found in the rectum, if a condom is not used, it is very important to clean the tool with soap before use in another orifice or by a partner. Receiving anal stimulation may cause feelings of having to defecate. More often than not, this is just a sensation that the stimulation causes and may take some getting used to.

Equipment

A ''prostate massager'' is a device for massaging the prostate gland. The shape of a prostate massager is similar to a finger, since prostate massages are traditionally given digitally (for example, via fingering). They usually have a slightly curved head to effectively massage the prostate. Lubricant is usually necessary before inserting anything into the anus and helps to avoid injury to the rectal mucosa (lining). Caution should be exercised when a prostate massager is used because of the sensitivity of the prostate. Correct use involves a medium to light repetitive

, or circular motion—the device being used to administer the massage should not be used too vigorously or without care, since this may lead to injury. Prostate massage equipment ranges from

dildo A dildo is a sex toy, often explicitly phallic in appearance, intended for sexual penetration or other sexual activity during masturbation or with sex partners. Dildos can be made from a number of materials and shaped like an erect human p ...

s to butt plugs. When used in sexual practice, prostate massagers are commonly referred to as "prostate toys", "prostate

sex toys A sex toy is an object or device that is primarily used to facilitate human sexual pleasure, such as a dildo, artificial vagina or vibrator. Many popular sex toys are designed to resemble human genitals, and may be vibrating or non-vibratin ...

", and "anal toys". These prostate massagers are inserted into the rectum through the anus and are intended to stimulate the prostate by simple massaging or vibrating. They are used during

foreplay Foreplay is a set of emotionally and physically intimate acts between one or more people meant to create sexual arousal and desire for sexual activity. Although foreplay is typically understood as physical sexual activity, nonphysical activiti ...

by many couples. Prostate dildos are similar to vaginal dildos, but they tend to be more curved, slimmer and with a softer texture. Some of the new prostate dildos on the market are driven by batteries and offer vibration at the tip; the speed or intensity of which may be changed depending on the subject's personal preference. Unlike vaginal dildos, the anal prostate massager has a flared end to prevent it from being fully inserted and 'lost' inside the rectum. Some men prefer butt plugs, which are easy to use, can be inserted freely and left in place while the man's hands are free for other sexual activities such as masturbation. Anal plugs also come in various shapes, sizes and designs and are not commonly intended to stimulate the prostate. Newer, more angled models (second generation) of prostate massagers have been developed to provide a more direct and thorough massage of the prostate gland. These new devices feature a more curved shape and are slightly longer than the originals. They commonly have a narrow neck and a flared end to avoid losing them in the rectum. While many massagers rely upon the body's own natural muscular contractions of the anal sphincter and anal wall to stimulate the prostate, some of the newer models come with vibrators built into them to increase sexual pleasure.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prostate Massage Male genital procedures Anal eroticism Massage Sexual acts Erotic massage Men's health Prostatic procedures