Watch This: How to Do a Testicular Self-Exam (NSFW)

(Photo Credits: Screengrab from This Morning YouTube)

Are you one of those who are afraid to see the doctor or maybe you are feeling embarrassed or awkward or nervous about undergoing a physical exam? If your answer is yes, then it’s okay because it means you are just like the rest of us. 

Indeed, it takes balls to go through a medical examination which is why British reality star Chris Hughes underwent a testicular exam on live television at This Morning’s show: to demonstrate to viewers how to properly do a testicular self-exam (TSE) themselves with the help of Dr. Chris Steele. TSE can be done in under five minutes but more importantly, searching for testicular lumps is easy so you can do it all on your own and you won’t have to see the doctor every month for it.

Hughes wanted to help raise awareness for testicular cancer and to encourage men to examine themselves once a month having gone through a testicular health scare himself. What makes the ordeal even more personal is that his battle was also experienced by some men in their family. Hughes underscored the importance of sharing one’s experience as health is not at the forefront of people’s minds, how he himself brushed aside health issues especially when “it doesn’t come with a lot of pain.”

Further, Hughes shared that at first, he noticed a “buildup of veins” when he was around 14 but he only got it checked six years later at 20. He underwent four operations altogether (three operations on his left testicle) and now he wanted to encourage men to make TSE a regular habit because early detection of cancer saves lives. You may read Chris Hughes’s story in full here. For more information on TSE and its importance, click here.

The show’s episode earned a lot of praises online; some were especially directed at Hughes who summoned the courage to share his story and that of his family and for doing the live testicular examination. Take a look at what the netizens are saying below. 

Well done @chrishughes_22 that was brave to do & a great way to turn a difficult experience into something constructive to help other people. Thank you for doing that.

These exams secretly confuse a majority of folk that have  testicles. Not knowing what to look out for is real.

— Jason Domino (@TheJasonDomino) November 29, 2018

I don’t usually use twitter but I feel it’s so important to thank This Morning for thisTwo months ago I was diagnosed with Testicular Cancer. I’ve had an orchiectomy so it’s gone but it looks like it’s spread to my abdomen. So I’m now waiting for Chemotherapy. go to see the DR

— David Jones (@DaveJL111DCJ) November 29, 2018

Well done @chrishughes_22  for sharing your story and and being brave enough to take part in this this morning. It couldn’t have been easy but such an important message to share with young men Who probably wouldn’t check themselves, I’m sure it will save some lives.

— JDS (@JodesiJo) November 28, 2018

According to Mayo Clinic, testicular cancer is “the most common cancer in American males between the ages of 15 and 35” although it can “occur at any age.”