Common Causes
What causes pain in the testicles?
- Epididymitis. An infection such as epididymitis can cause testicular pain. ...
- Hernias. Hernias occur when tissue pushes through a weak part of the abdominal muscles. ...
- Kidney stones. Kidney stones can cause pain that radiates to the testicles. ...
- Orchitis. ...
- Testicular torsion. ...
- Testicular tumor. ...
- Trauma. ...
- Varicoceles. ...
- When to see a doctor. ...
- Summary. ...
Related Conditions
What can cause testicle pain?
- Less common cause types. Less common causes of pain in one testicle includes the following. ...
- Rare and unusual pain in one testicle causes. ...
- Epididymitis. ...
- Intermittent testicular torsion. ...
- Testicular torsion. ...
- Groin nerve irritation. ...
- Chronic prostatitis. ...
- Non-serious testicle injury. ...
- Groin hernia. ...
- Urinary tract infection. ...
What causes constant pain in testicles?
With left testicle pain, sometimes it’s the location of the pain that can help determine the cause. A common cause of testicular discomfort is a very treatable condition known as varicocele. It’s estimated that 15% of all men have varicocele, which is a collection of veins similar to varicose veins in the scrotum.
Why do my testicles feel sore?
The pain can reside in either the right or left testicle and be associated with testicular swelling, lower abdomen pain, and burning when urinating. Sharp pain in one testicle can be caused by testicular torsion, an injury to the groin, a bacterial infection, or prostatitis. Read below for more causes and treatment options.
Why does my left testicle hurt?
What does sharp pain in one of my testicles mean?
What can I do to relieve testicular pain?
Use ice to reduce swelling in the scrotum. Take warm baths. Support your testicles while lying down by placing a rolled towel under your scrotum. Use over-the-counter pain medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce pain.
Which antibiotic is best for testicular pain?
Epididymitis caused by bacteria is treated with antibiotics, most often doxycycline (Oracea®, Monodox®), ciprofloxacin (Cipro®), levofloxacin (Levaquin®), or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim®). Antibiotics are usually taken for 1 to 2 weeks. Men who have epididymitis can also relieve their symptoms by: Resting.
What is the best medicine for testicle swelling?
Orchitis. All types of orchitis are usually treated by taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen or naproxen, along with using ice or cold packs, supporting and elevating your scrotum, and resting in order to reduce the swelling and control pain and discomfort.
Can testicle pain go away on its own?
Sometimes, chronic testicular pain goes away on its own, but there is no way to predict if it will go away, or when it may return. Sudden testicular pain can signal an emergency and may be a dangerous condition. For sudden testicular pain, seek medical help immediately.
How does the testis lie?
How does the testis lie? The normal testis rests vertically with the epididymis above the superior pole in a posterolateral position. A torted testis is often high riding with a horizontal lie.
What causes testicular pain?
Primarily, it is most important to distinguish if the presenting complaint is actually acute testicular pain (which is potentially a surgical emergency) or scrotal swelling (which should be relatively painless) The most common cause of acute testicular pain are: Testicular Torsion.
Why does my testicle hurt?
The most common cause of acute testicular pain are: Testicular Torsion. Definition: Twisting of the spermatic cord, cutting of the blood supply to the testicle, leading to ischaemia (5). This requires urgent detorsion and fixation (orchiopexy) before the testicle becomes ischaemic and needs removal (orchidectomy).
What are the challenges of testicular torsion?
Challenges for the emergency physician can include difficulty in confirming or refuting the diagnosis. It is vital the Emergency physician can appropriately recognise testicular torsion as a potential diagnosis and promptly refer to the acute surgical team for further assessment and management.
What are the testicular appendages?
The testicular appendages (the appendix testis and appendix epididymis) are embryological remnants that serve no purpose but may twist and cause pain. This is common in pre-pubescent boys and doesnt require surgical intervention if the diagnosis is certain. Blood Supply to the Testes.
Where do testicular arteries travel?
The testicular arteries travel in the spermatic cord with the cremasteric and differential artery, where they anastomose with the vasa deferentia that branch off the internal iliac artery. Blood from the testes drain into a network of veins within the scrotum called the pampiniform plexus.
Where is the tunica vaginalis located?
The tunica vaginalis is derived from the abdominal peritoneum and separates the testis and epididymis from the scrotal wall. It covers the exterior anterolateral aspect of the testis, fully surrounding the testis and fixing it to the posterior wall. Fluid may accumulate in the tunica vaginalis leading to hydrocele (water), haematocele (blood) or pyocele (pus).
Why does my scrotal area hurt?
The most common causes of acute scrotal pain and/or swelling are torsion of the testicular appendage (appendix testis), epididymitis and testicular torsion. Delays in surgical management of testicular torsion result in higher rates of testicular loss (>40%).
Is testicular torsion an emergency?
Testicular torsion is an emergency. It requires immediate referral to a surgeon. Surgical evaluation should be undertaken in all cases where testicular torsion cannot be confidently excluded. Ultrasound should only be considered in selected cases, after surgical assessment.
When to use nasogastric tube for free drainage?
Consider a nasogastric tube on free drainage if bowel obstruction is suspected
Is a Doppler ultrasound useful in the acute setting?
Blood tests, ultrasound and Doppler ultrasound are not useful in the acute setting
Is bacterial infection more likely in children with structural urinary tract abnormalities, recent instrumentation of urinary tract?
Bacterial infection more likely in child with structural urinary tract abnormalities, recent instrumentation of urinary tract, or STI
What is a spermatic cord block?
A spermatic cord block is a two-minute procedure where we grasp the spermatic cord through the skin and insert a small needle with local anesthesia into it.
How long does it take to block spermatic cord?
A spermatic cord block is a two-minute procedure where we grasp the spermatic cord through the skin and insert a small needle with local anesthesia into it. If the anesthesia makes the testicular pain better, we recommend proceeding with a microscopic denervation of the spermatic cord.
Why is it important to cut the nerve inside the testicle?
For this procedure, we dissect the nerve inside the spermatic cord because it supplies the testicle with nerves. Cutting this nerve can successfully reduce the pain by 50 percent or greater.
What test is done to check for testicular pain?
We may even run a urine test, scrotal ultrasound, or blood test to confirm the cause of your testicular pain.
Why does my brain misinterpret pain?
Since pain can exist in any body part for a long time, your brain may misinterpret any stimulation or feeling in that area as pain. This type of miscommunication is often a result of old trauma, an infection, or neurologic problems like diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage caused by diabetes).
What to expect after anesthesia?
make important decisions because the anesthesia can make it hard to think clearly. Expect bruising, swelling, tenderness, inflammation, and pain after surgery.
Why is it important to make decisions when you have anesthesia?
make important decisions because the anesthesia can make it hard to think clearly.
Why does my scrotal content hurt?
Causes of chronic non-testicular scrotal content pain can include spermatocele, hydrocele, and varicocele. Pain may also be related to epididymitis, including acute bacterial epididymitis as well as non-bacterial infectious epididymitis from viral syndromes, as well as non-infectious epididymitis such as idiopathic traumatic autoimmune or amiodarone-induced epididymitis ( Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 2005; 149:2728-31 ).
What is scrotal pain syndrome?
The European Urological Association (EAU) uses the generic term “scrotal pain syndrome” to include testicular pain syndrome, post-vasectomy pain syndrome, and epididymal pain syndrome ( Eur Urol 2010; 57:35-48 ). EAU guidelines cover the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with these conditions. A multidisciplinary approach including physiotherapy is recommended.
How does scrotal pain affect a man?
Scrotal pain can have a significant impact on quality of life and can result in behavioral changes and modifications, as well as changes in sexual behaviors such as avoid ance of sexual activity that may impact not only the man but his partner. Scrotal pain carries with it a significant burden of medical costs. In a Swiss study, the incidence of scrotal pain was approximately 350 to 450 per hundred thousand men between the ages of 25 and 85 years, representing 6.5 new urology patients per month and equating to approximately 2.5% of all medical care visits ( Eur Urol 2005; 47:812-6 ).
How long does scrotal content pain last?
The duration of the symptoms is generally greater than 3 months and the pain significantly interferes with daily activities ( J Urol 1990; 143:936-9 ).
What causes scrotal content pain?
Treatment of musculoskeletal causes of scrotal content pain is generally best handled by physical therapists with specialized training in the pelvic muscles. Pain that patients perceive in the scrotal area may also be due to referred pain. Men may have chronic pelvic pain syndrome or pelvic floor muscle pain syndrome.
What is the pain of a ureteral calculus?
A ureteral calculus may refer pain to the inguinal region and genitalia, particularly if it is a distal stone. Retroperitoneal masses may cause referred pain to the genitalia. Patients may also suffer from neuropathy due to pudendal pain syndrome or from ilioinguinal nerve entrapment following inguinal hernia repairs.
Which muscle is associated with scrotal content pain?
The insertion points of the adductor muscles and the gracillus muscle are often the region of the reported scrotal content pain. The spermatic cord is intimately connected to the muscles of the internal oblique and transversus abdominus.