The testicles are a paired organ located in the sac of the skin and isolated from each other. It produces sperm and testosterone. In addition, it produces sperm. Thus, the testicles are the reproductive organ of every human being.
Each egg is covered with a shell and, as a rule, one is smaller than the other. Their slight asymmetry is not a pathology, on the contrary, it is a common occurrence.
They descend into the scrotum shortly before birth. Their shape resembles an ellipse up to 5 cm long and up to 3. 5 wide. The average weight of a testicle is from 15 to 25 g. It has been proven that their volume directly depends on the place of residence and breed. The scrotum protects the testicles from damage and temperature extremes. Her skin is very sensitive, as is the body as a whole. Therefore, even mild pains in the testicles affect the state of the whole organism: mild nausea, nervousness, dizziness, etc.
There are cases when the question arises why a man's testicles hurt, the causes of this symptom can be different. Pain can have a different character: aching, pulling, throbbing, shooting. And most often a man cannot say what the reason was. Unpleasant and painful sensations should not be ignored in any case.
You need to make an appointment urgently. The urologist is engaged in identifying the causes that cause certain types of pain. The doctor will examine and feel the testicles to determine if there is any inflammatory disease: the presence of swelling, seals inside, signs of pain. If necessary, a full examination will be done.
Symptoms that indicate problems in the testicles:
- the presence of seals or a small tumor;
- pain on palpation or change in shape and size;
- the presence of pain that is not caused by any injury;
- pain lasting more than an hour after injury to the testicles;
- the presence of a pulling, intensifying pain;
- elevated temperature.
Next, we will take a closer look at why a man's testicles hurt - the reasons that cause pain.
The injury. When the cause of pain is an injury that was received as a result of mechanical impact. Its duration and strength are in direct proportion to the severity of the impact. A small bruise causes sharp, short-term pain.
Severe pain from a severe injury can cause shock or lead to loss of consciousness. If discomfort appears in the testicles, pay attention to the type of pain. If it does not go away for a long time and intensifies, then we can assume the presence of a chronic injury. Cuts and stab wounds are especially dangerous. In this case, an ambulance is needed, otherwise there is a high probability of losing the testicle.
Twist. It is still not clear why this happens, but the consequences of such a phenomenon are so severe that they can cause the death of the testicle. With twisting, acute pain appears suddenly.
Blood circulation stops and the vas deferens is compressed. In this case, you should consult a doctor immediately, no later than 7 hours later. As a rule, manual debiting is performed first. If this does not help, then they resort to surgical intervention. Most often, this phenomenon appears at a young age.
Inflammation. It can be both in the epididymis (epididymitis) and inside the testicle itself (orchitis). The cause of these diseases are viral and bacterial infections that are transmitted during sexual intercourse.
Epididymitis is characterized by pain on one side, which increases, swelling of the scrotum appears, urination is accompanied by pain and burning, a white fluid is released from the urethra, body temperature rises, blood may be present in the semen.
Causes of the disease: prostatitis and urethritis, infection of the urethra, complication of tuberculosis. It can be acute and chronic. The duration of the initial phase lasts up to one and a half months. The inability to conceive will be the result of complications and untreated.
With a prolonged illness for more than six months, we can talk about chronic epididymitis. It is associated with a deterioration of general well-being, a weakening of the immune system, and inflammation passes into the skin bag. With orchitis there is an increase in the testicles, which causes pain. There is a sharp rise in temperature, pain in the groin and lower back.
The skin sac becomes smooth due to overflowing with blood. Pain increases with walking or exercise. Such a phenomenon can be the result of trauma or contact with a patient (mumps, typhoid, turbidity).
Unsatisfied sexual arousal. It also causes pain. Prolonged erection leads to blood stagnation. Most often it passes by itself and does not require any treatment.
Hernia. The penetration of organs from the peritoneum into the skin bag through the holes formed in it. Visually it looks like a bulge in the groin or scrotum. It causes pain, especially on palpation. When they grow, nausea and vomiting appear. It can be said that there was a violation of the hernia. If surgery is not performed, necrosis with peritonitis may develop.
You can talk about prostatitis if you have the following symptoms:
- during urination, you feel a strong burning sensation;
- increased efforts to urinate at night;
- constant urge and feeling of fullness of urine;
- the presence of pain during ejaculation;
- the tip of the penis is the source of the pain.
Renal colic. When, as a result of urolithiasis, stones move along the urinary tract. The pain is so strong that it radiates to the scrotum. This often results in nausea and vomiting.
Varicocele. With this disease, the veins in the skin bag expand, accompanied by the appearance of lumps around the egg and its size increases. It does not pose a risk to a man's health and does not cause much discomfort during his life. But with complications, it can lead to infertility. It is usually observed on the left (80-98%). This is due to the fact that veins from different sides flow in different ways.
Varicocele on both sides is observed only in 2-12% of cases, and on the right - 3-8%. The cause of this disease is the poor functioning of the valves located in the blood vessels. With hard work or sports, as well as in a standing position, this leads to an increase in the vessel. This is how the veins around the spermatic cord swell. Features of the anatomical location of the renal vein and superior artery can also cause such a disease.
Dropsy. In the shell of the testicles, accumulation of serous fluid occurs.
The result of this can be injuries, heart failure, damage to the lymph nodes in the groin or pelvis.
There is an increase in the skin bag and the appearance of pain. It is diagnosed with a simple probe, in special cases it is necessary to perform an ultrasound. Removed during surgery.
Spermatocele. An empty sac is formed in the testicle, filled with sperm fluid and does not reach a significant size. The skin bag is not deformed, it is not accompanied by pain. It can be emptied during ejaculation.
Tumors. Pain in the testicles can cause malignant tumors. Cryptorchidism can cause such a pathology. This disease appears at birth, when the testicles do not descend into the skin sac, but remain in the abdomen, where the temperature is much higher. As a result, tumors of various etiologies appear.
Factors that cause tumors:
- genetic predisposition;
- injury to the testicles;
- underdevelopment of the testicles;
- Surgical intervention;
- inability to conceive.
If you have been diagnosed with a malignant tumor, do not lose hope. Testicular cancer caught at an early stage can be cured quite effectively. Therefore, it is so important to immediately consult a doctor if you have any pain.
Testicular pain: causes in men, children and diagnostic methods
When the testicles hurt, the causes in men can be caused by various diseases that are typical for adults, but in children, the reasons are often somewhat simpler.
Almost all pain that occurs is caused by either trauma or wearing tight underwear. In addition to pain, there is erosion and irritation of the skin surface and swelling often occurs.
A bruised testicle most often appears during active and very mobile play, or during a childish fight, the child is hit in the scrotum. Bruising also occurs when riding a vehicle such as a bicycle (unsuccessfully sitting on a hard seat). After the impact, pain appears, the inner shell of the testicle is damaged and swelling appears. The scrotum turns purple.
turn around the axis. In a normal healthy state, the testicles are attached to the "outer" side inside the scrotum by so-called threads. In boys, sometimes it happens that the fixation is weak, and therefore twisting occurs. By itself, the twisting of the vessels is produced, therefore the blood flow is first disturbed, and then it can stop completely.
There is a sharp sharp pain, the testicles swell, the tactile touch leads to pain. This condition is accompanied by severe nausea and vomiting, and cannot be done without surgical intervention. In slightly older boys, the vas deferens, which are located on both sides of the testicles, can also be damaged.
The testicle swells, one side of the scrotum, redness appears, pain is felt on palpation. Parotitis, in ordinary people mumps, in the form of a complication gives inflammation of the testicles. After treatment with a variety of hormones, the risk of infertility is significantly reduced. Other diseases - dropsy, hernia in the groin, underdevelopment of the testicles, absence of a testicle in the scrotum. Sometimes new parents think that the child has no testicles.
They're absolutely there, they're just not where they should be, meaning not in the right place, not in the scrotum. During fetal development, the testicles are located near the kidneys. As the fetus grows and develops, they somehow descend and almost before birth, descend into the scrotum. Sometimes it happens that the testicles do not descend. This phenomenon is called cryptorchidism.
The disease does not cause any discomfort or acute condition, but a man already in adulthood due to such a disease can have such a terrible disease as infertility. Therefore, an operation is performed (until the child has reached the age of six) - a testicle is lowered into the scrotum.
When the testicle remains inside the abdominal cavity, a neoplasm is possible there. What should be done to avoid irreversible consequences. How is the problem handled? What are the ways to solve it if the testicles hurt? The causes in men and children have been identified, now we need to understand the treatment. First you need to contact a very specialized doctor and go through a series of procedures for diagnosis.
The doctor examines the patient, interrogates and then sends for laboratory tests:
- Donate blood.
- Urine is given.
- If there is discharge from the glans penis, a urethral tampon is made.
- Mandatory ultrasound examination of the testicles.
Treatment is prescribed by a doctor depending on the cause of the pain.
Treatment of minor injuries, as well as bruises, is done at home under the supervision of a doctor, therapy includes:
- Taking drugs that relieve inflammation, anesthetize.
- The scrotum is raised.
- Ice is applied to the injury site.
- If the scrotum is torn due to a bruise, then blood accumulates inside, and therefore treatment is not possible without timely surgical intervention.
Epididymitis. Most often, outpatient treatment is carried out, but if the situation is particularly neglected and difficult, then hospitalization is necessary.
Treatment:
- Waiting for 14 days of antibacterial drugs.
- Taking drugs that relieve inflammation.
- Taking medications to relieve pain.
- Performing scrotal support.
- In case of complications, there is no way to do without surgery. What complication are we talking about? In particular, in relation to scrotal abscess.
An inguinal hernia is treated exclusively with surgery.
If the patient agrees, then the treatment is completed on an outpatient basis, but at the same time the hernia must be surgically corrected, which suffocates and causes pain in the lower back and lower abdomen.
It does not matter how the cause caused the pain in the testicles, and therefore the treatment is carried out according to the prescription and strictly under medical supervision and supervision. You should not treat yourself, because the consequences can be irreversible and a person will lose his normal sex life due to stupidity, as well as the opportunity to become a parent and continue his race. All diseases can be avoided.
To do this, do not forget about personal hygiene and follow simple rules:
- lead a healthy lifestyle;
- eat properly and balanced, follow the regime;
- be selective in sexual relations and remember to protect yourself;
- Regular sex life is also a prevention of malignant tumors.
Check the testicles themselves more often. You can do this in the bathroom when the skin is relaxed by the warm water. Take the pouch of skin in the palm of your hand, a testicle may be slightly larger but should weigh the same. Roll the testicle in your fingers, feel it. Check them for seals. Healthy testicles are elliptical in shape, not hard, smooth to the touch, without lumps.
Do this with both testicles. Carefully inspect the spermatic cords. They should be smooth and elastic. Also check them in both testicles. Check the appendages at the back of the testicles. The small bumps should be soft and tender. If the disease still caught you, do not despair and do not panic. The main thing is to make the correct diagnosis.