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digital rectal exam during physical exam?
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An_245376 posted:
I'm 20 years old/female. I had to go to a doctor recently for a full physical exam. After the breast exam, the doctor said he had to check for hemorrhoids. Was that really necessary? After trying to look up what a full physical exam consists of on the internet, it seems it's only routine for men with prostate or women over the age of 40, or possibly done during a pap smear?

It was not comfortable. At the end of it all, he also told me to close my eyes, standing up being exposed, and then he began to spun me around once full circle and said okay; what was the purpose of this?

Am I being overly paranoid or did this doctor do unnecessary things to me?

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3 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:digital rectal exam during physical exam?I'm 20 years old/female. I had to go to a doctor recently for a full physical exam. After the breast exam, the doctor said he had to check for hemorrhoids. Was that really necessary? After trying to look up what a full physical exam consists of on the internet, it seems it's only routine for men with prostate or women over the age of 40, or possibly done during a pap smear? <br /><br />It was not comfortable. At the end of it all, he also told me to close my eyes, standing up being exposed, and then he began to spun me around once full circle and said okay; what was the purpose of this?<br /><br />Am I being overly paranoid or did this doctor do unnecessary things to me?
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Jane Harrison Hohner, RN, RNP responded:
Dear An: I can only speak to one aspect of your experience, the rectal exam. It would be unusual for a rectal to be done to check for hemorrhoids if the patient had no complaints, nor symptoms (eg pain, rectal bleeding). By contrast, if you had a pelvic exam, and it was shared with you that your uterus "tipped back" toward the tailbone (retroverted/retroflexed), a GYN could want to do a rectal. The reason would be that one can feel more about the size and contours of a retro uterus through the thin wall between the rectum and vagina ("recto-vaginal septum). Another valid reason for a rectal would be if the woman was having pelvic pain or there was a suspicion of a mass.

That part about close your eyes and spin around is really kind of odd--unless there was a complaint of neurological/balance issues. Yet even in that case it seems like it should have been done with at least an exam gown on, not nude.

Bottom line, you were not comfortable with his behavior. That says it all. You could choose to leave a report with your state's Board of Medicine (may also be known as Board of Medical Examiners). Here is a link to more information about filing a report. You can also just ask if that MD has had any other complaints made about his exams:

http://www.nbme.org/clinicians/information.html

Thanks for taking the time to write about this difficult topic.

Yours,
Jane
Report This| Share this:digital rectal exam during physical exam?Dear An: I can only speak to one aspect of your experience, the rectal exam. It would be unusual for a rectal to be done to check for hemorrhoids if the patient had no complaints, nor symptoms (eg pain, rectal bleeding). By contrast, if you had a pelvic exam, and it was shared with you that your uterus "tipped back" toward the tailbone (retroverted/retroflexed), a GYN could want to do a rectal. The reason would be that one can feel more about the size and contours of a retro uterus through the thin wall between the rectum and vagina ("recto-vaginal septum). Another valid reason for a rectal would be if the woman was having pelvic pain or there was a suspicion of a mass.<br /><br />That part about close your eyes and spin around is really kind of odd--unless there was a complaint of neurological/balance issues. Yet even in that case it seems like it should have been done with at least an exam gown on, not nude.<br /><br />Bottom line, you were not comfortable with his behavior. That says it all. You could choose to leave a report with your state's Board of Medicine (may also be known as Board of Medical Examiners). Here is a link to more information about filing a report. You can also just ask if that MD has had any other complaints made about his exams:<br /><br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.nbme.org/clinicians/information.html">http://www.nbme.org/clinicians/information.html </a> <br /><br />Thanks for taking the time to write about this difficult topic.<br /><br />Yours,<br />Jane
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Anon_160335 responded:
I would report him!
Report This| Share this:digital rectal exam during physical exam?I would report him!
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bpcookie responded:
I know that this post is three weeks old but I still wanted to reply to it. Was their a nurse in the room with you at the time when he did the breast exam, anal exam and the strange spinning thing? If not, then that Dr. is in a lot of trouble. He may be in trouble as it is.
Report This| Share this:digital rectal exam during physical exam?I know that this post is three weeks old but I still wanted to reply to it. Was their a nurse in the room with you at the time when he did the breast exam, anal exam and the strange spinning thing? If not, then that Dr. is in a lot of trouble. He may be in trouble as it is.
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