Testicular Pain
What is Testicular Pain?
Testicular pain is when one, or both of the testicles hurt and it can be classified as acute or chronic depending on the duration of the pain. The term can also include pain within the scrotum.
What are the causes for Testicular Pain?
There are a number of causes of testicular pain, some of which are medical emergencies. The most common cause of testicular pain in children is testicular torsion, whereas in adults it is epididymitis.
What are the symptoms of Testicular Pain?
There are many causes for testicular pain, but two causes are more common than the others. Testicular torsion presents very acutely with widespread testicular pain and tenderness. It is most frequent in teenagers and it is a medical emergency, as it can lead to necrosis (cell death) of the affected testicle. It occurs when the spermatic cord abnormally twists, cutting off the testicle’s blood supply.
Epididymitis refers to inflammation of the epididymis (a tube that connects the testicle to the vas deferens). This presents with a slow onset of pain, with physical changes to the scrotum, which may appear red and swollen. It may also be associated with a burning sensation when urinating, and in the age group of 15-35 it is usually caused by gonorrhoea or chlamydia.
How is Testicular Pain treated?
Treatment varies depending on what the cause for the pain is. If you experience testicular pain you must seek medical help urgently. Testicular torsion is treated by either manually rotating the testicle to re-establish the blood supply, or surgically restoring the blood flow. If the cause is epididymitis then anti-inflammatory drugs are used, and antibiotics are used in conjunction if an infection is suspected. If there is severe pain with a discharge a pus, they epididymis may need to be removed through an epididymectomy.
