How much pain is there with a prostate biopsy?
Prostate biopsy is a cancer detection technique that uses special needles to acquire tissue samples from the prostate gland. Pain from the procedure may be slight or moderate, and can be controlled with an anesthetic injection or gel.SignificancePain is the primary immediate side effect of prostate biopsy. Proper use of pain control can diminish this effect and provide for an improved patient experience.The FactsProstate biopsy needles are hollow, spring-loaded devices that plunge in and out of the prostate with a single action. Tissue samples are held in a needle’s interior. In a typical procedure, eight to 12 individual samples are taken.Biopsy PainPain from prostate biopsy is caused by the plunging action of the biopsy needle. Without anesthetic, some individuals experience relatively minor discomfort, while others experience a more distinct pain sensation.Pain ReliefDoctors typically control the pain of biopsy with a local injection of the anesthetic lidocaine, or with a lidocaine
