What does testicular pain in men indicate? The answer to this question interests many representatives of the stronger sex. In fact, this symptom is accompanied by various diseases, including both disorders of the reproductive system and pathologies of other organ systems.
Why does testicular pain occur in men? Causes, treatment, accompanying symptoms - this is important information that is worth studying. When should you see a doctor? Can this violation indicate dangerous diseases?
Testicular pain in men: causes
Unfortunately, many men face this problem from time to time. Why does testicle pain appear in men? The reasons can be very different, but, as a rule, are associated with the influence of the following factors:
- physiological (e.g. discomfort associated with sexual abstinence);
- mechanical (injury, exposure to low or too high temperatures, impact, strong pressure);
- infectious (inflammatory diseasesaccompanied by swelling and pain);
- violation of normal blood circulation in the tissues and organs of the scrotum;
- systemic diseases, in particular, oncological pathologies, disorders of the large intestine and prostate gland.
Of course, only a doctor after a thorough diagnosis can accurately determine the cause of pain in the left testicle in men (or in the right one).
Which symptoms to look out for?
When it comes to some kind of disease, then pain is far from the only symptom. What to look out for?
- Sometimes men notice a feeling of heat in the testicle. The scrotum feels hot to the touch.
- The size of the scrotum or part of it in some diseases greatly increase. It is possible to change the shape of the testicle.
- On palpation, hard nodules or bumps can be found under the skin.
- Some pathologies are accompanied by an increase in the veins of the scrotum - dilated vessels can be seen with the naked eye.
- Sometimes patients complain of nausea, fever, vomiting, a sharp deterioration in general well-being.
- Sometimes the process affects only part of the organs of the scrotum. For example, sometimes there is only pain in the right testicle in men or, conversely, the left one.
- Pain can be sharp or dull, pulling, sharp, cutting. Sometimes it appears suddenly, and sometimes it grows gradually. Unpleasant sensations may increase during palpation or physical activity.
Mechanical impact and injury
Sharp pain in the testicles in men can be the result of an injury. Soreness in this case can be incredibly strong - sometimes the victim loses consciousness. Trauma leads to bleeding, and sometimes to a violation of the integrity of the organ.
Injury may be caused by wearing tight clothing or tight underwear. The pain in this case is not so pronounced, but it appears often.
Pains of abstinence
Dull, drawing pain in the testicle in men can be the result of abstinence. The fact is that sexual arousal triggers a number of processes in the body - blood rushes to the sexual organ, the testicular duct system is activated, the body prepares for ejaculation. If the excitement does not end with ejaculation, then this is fraught with spasm of the ducts - discomfort and pain appear, which can intensify, for example, during walking or physical exertion.
As a rule, such pain in the testicles in men goes away on its own after a few hours. However, there are no other signs of the disease. Antispasmodics help to cope with discomfort, in particular, Papaverine, Spazmalgon, No-shpa. If the pain becomes sharp and does not disappear, then it is better to consult a doctor.
Severe hypothermia
If you are interested in the causes of pain in the right testicle in men (or the left), then you should pay attention to the effects of low temperatures. Hypothermia is always associated with narrowing, and sometimes spasm of blood vessels, which leads to extremely unpleasant sensations and pain. Usually sorenessgoes away on its own after a temperature change. If we are talking about frostbite, then you need to urgently see a doctor.
Twisting testicle
Testicular torsion is a serious problem that requires immediate surgery. Most often, newborn boys and adolescents face a similar problem, although the possibility of its occurrence cannot be ruled out at any age.
For one reason or another, the testicle twists around its axis, as a result of which the vessels passing through the spermatic cord are pinched. In the absence of timely assistance, the structures of the testicles begin to die, which is associated with the cessation of blood circulation, a lack of nutrients and oxygen. That is why a sharp, sharp pain in the scrotum should never be ignored.
Orchitis: features of the clinical picture
If a man is bothered by aching or pulling pains in the scrotum (on one or both sides), then this may indicate orchitis. This disease is characterized by inflammation of the testicle.
By the way, the cause of the onset of the inflammatory process is the activity of pathogenic microflora. The infection can penetrate into the organs of the genitourinary system from the outside, for example, through the urethral canal (orchitis is often the result of a sexually transmitted disease). In addition, pathogenic microorganisms can enter the tissues of the scrotum along with the blood flow from the focus of inflammation in another organ. Risk factors include a decrease in immune defense, which is fraught with the activation of opportunistic microflora.(e.g. yeast, streptococcus, E. coli).
A typical sign of inflammation in this case is a pulling or throbbing pain that gets worse during physical activity. By the way, the pain syndrome with such a pathology is quite easily stopped with the help of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (this group includes Ibuprofen, Nimesulide, Nurofen, Citramon).
Of course, there are other, more characteristic symptoms. The skin in the affected area swells and turns red, becomes hot to the touch. The scrotum increases in size. Palpation is often accompanied by extremely unpleasant sensations. If we are talking about acute inflammation of the testicles, then there are signs of general intoxication, in particular, fever, weakness, constant fatigue, body aches, muscle pain, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite.
Treatment is usually with antibacterial agents. Antibiotics of the penicillin series are considered effective. Sometimes doctors prescribe Ceftriaxone and Clarithromycin. Therapy usually lasts about 10 days. In the future, patients are prescribed additional physiotherapy procedures. During the first month after the end of treatment, sexual intercourse is contraindicated.
Epididymitis and its features
This disease is accompanied by inflammation of the epididymis. Of course, such an ailment is accompanied by pain, because its symptoms include swelling, redness and other unpleasant disorders.
As in the previous case, the cause of the pathology isinfection. By the way, in most cases, these two diseases are paired - the inflammatory process quickly spreads from the testicles to the appendages or vice versa. According to statistics, in young and mature men, the disease develops against the background of sexually transmitted infections. But in children and elderly patients, epididymitis is often associated with diseases of the genitourinary system, for example, cystitis, prostatitis.
Treatment is with antibiotics. The patient is also prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics. With properly conducted, timely therapy, the disease can be cured completely and without complications.
Varicocele and its causes
Causes of pain in the right testicle in men (or left) may be associated with vascular disorders. To date, varicocele (the disease is also called hydrocele) is a very common pathology, which is accompanied by varicose veins of the scrotum.
The disease develops gradually. At first, there are no symptoms, but then discomfort and pain appear. At first, discomfort disturbs a man only during physical exertion or walking, but as the disease progresses, they also appear at rest. The pain in this case is pulling. An erection is also accompanied by discomfort. There is an increase in the size of the scrotum, and most often it is one-sided.
If the disease is diagnosed on time, then it responds well to drug treatment. The patient is prescribed an angioprotector (they are considered effective"Detralex", "Troxerutin", "Tagista"), vitamin complexes, in particular, preparations of nicotinic acid and vitamin E.
In addition, men are advised to adhere to certain rules. Nutrition is of great importance - fresh vegetables, foods rich in fiber and protein should be included in the diet. It is also important to engage in feasible physical activity, do special gymnastic exercises to eliminate congestion in the pelvic organs, and keep body weight within normal limits. It is recommended to give up alcohol, smoking and other bad habits.
Renal colic
Pain in the testicles in men is not always associated with diseases of the reproductive system. This symptom may be accompanied by renal colic. The pathology is associated with blockage of the urinary canal formed in the bladder by a stone, cyst or tumor.
By the way, renal colic can be attributed to the list of causes of pain in the right testicle in men, or rather, one-sided irritation of the nerve ending. Discomfort increases dramatically during urination. Urine, in turn, often changes color, becoming pink or reddish, which is associated with the appearance of blood impurities. A patient in this condition must be urgently taken to the hospital. In most cases, surgery is performed.
Inguinal hernia
If a man's pain in the groin radiates to the testicle, this may indicate an inguinal hernia. This pathology is accompanied by the release of internal organs (for example, the bladder, parts of the intestine,omentum) through the inguinal canal.
With this disease, the pain often spreads to the leg or radiates to the lower back. There is swelling of the scrotum, which increases during physical exertion, and decreases at rest. There may also be fever, weakness, disorders of the digestive tract.
This is a dangerous disease that requires immediate surgical intervention, as there is a high risk of organ infringement.
Tumors and other neoplasms in the groin
The cause of discomfort may be the appearance of benign or malignant structures in the scrotum. As a rule, the pathology affects one testicle, so there is, for example, pain in the right testicle in men.
It is worth noting that malignant processes proceed slowly and gradually, so pain appears at later stages. It is also possible the appearance of nodules under the skin of the scrotum, compaction of the testis, an increase in its size. To make an accurate diagnosis, the patient needs to do ultrasound and x-rays, donate blood for analysis, and undergo computed or magnetic resonance imaging.
Diagnosis and treatment of testicular pain in men
Never ignore these symptoms. Pain in the testicles in men can indicate a mass of dangerous diseases. In order to find out the cause of this disorder, the doctor needs to take an anamnesis and examine the affected part of the body.
In the future, the patient submits the necessaryanalyses. A swab is taken from the urethra, and these samples are then used for bacterial culture. In addition, the man donates blood, urine and semen samples. Diagnosis necessarily includes ultrasound of the pelvic organs.
As for first aid, after an injury, it is recommended to apply a cold compress to the perineal area (you can keep it for no longer than 10 minutes). If the pain is accompanied by fever, then you should take paracetamol or another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. With urolithiasis, a warm heating pad is applied to the lower back, and an antispasmodic is taken. But you need to understand that these are only temporary measures - you cannot do without consulting a doctor. Treatment depends on what exactly caused the pain.
Prevention: how to prevent problems?
As you know, the causes of pain in the right testicle in men (or both) can be very diverse. But if you try to avoid exposure to potentially dangerous factors, then the likelihood of this symptom can be minimized. Doctors recommend:
- avoid injury, wear groin protection when it comes to sports activities;
- give up tight underwear made of synthetic fabrics;
- keep fit, do special he alth exercises (Kegel exercises are effective);
- have a regular sex life (both casual, frequent sexual contacts and prolonged abstinence can negatively affect he alth);
- all infectious and inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organsmust be amenable to adequate and, most importantly, timely therapy.
Pain in the testicles in men can indicate a host of dangerous diseases. This is a serious symptom that should not be ignored. It is better to immediately contact a specialist, because a lot depends on timely assistance.
