Pain in the scrotum

Not only mature men, but also teenagers face such a problem as pain in the scrotum. Annoying pain may indicate serious diseases that lead to impotence and infertility. Often, the cause of the problem can be found and eliminated immediately, but the fact that in 25% of cases it remains unknown still leads to the conclusion - pain of this nature should not be tolerated under any circumstances!

[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ]

Causes scrotal pain

The scrotum is a skin and muscle formation that is divided into two halves; each contains a testicle with an appendage and a spermatic cord. It is thanks to the scrotum, which, depending on external conditions, descends or is pulled up to the body, that the testicles are always at the most comfortable temperature - 34.4 degrees.

Pain in the scrotum indicates problems that can later result in serious consequences, so at the first unpleasant sensations you should not delay a visit to a urologist or andrologist.

Causes of pain in the scrotum may be:

• Testicular torsion.
• Injury.
• Inguinal hernia.
• Hydrocele (fluid accumulation in the scrotum).
• Varicocele (enlarged veins in the scrotum).
• Infectious and inflammatory processes in the testicle or epididymis.
• Prostatitis.
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
• Oncological diseases (cancer).
• Sexual arousal without sexual intercourse.

[ 4 ], [ 5 ], [ 6 ]

Symptoms

Regardless of its nature, pain in the scrotum is a symptom that cannot be ignored. Consultation and help from a professional are required.

See a doctor right away if you:

• You feel pain just from touching your testicles.
• One testicle became noticeably larger, softer, and changed shape.
• The pain in the scrotum has developed suddenly and is getting worse.
• The pain after a scrotal injury does not subside within an hour.
• In addition to pain, your temperature has risen, your general condition has worsened, and you are experiencing nausea and vomiting.
• Involuntary urination and pain in the canal appeared.

Acute pain in the scrotum

Acute pain in the scrotum most often occurs with injuries or testicular torsion. But at the same time, they can appear with advanced diseases.

In case of mechanical damage (in some cases with loss of consciousness), it is necessary to urgently seek medical help to avoid loss of the testicle or infertility.

If acute pain in the scrotum appears suddenly without any obvious effects, then this indicates testicular torsion. The spermatic cord on which it is suspended is twisted by 360 degrees (by the way, the reasons for such a torsion are not reliably known). In this case, the vas deferens is compressed and the blood circulation of the testicle is interrupted. Acute pain cannot be tolerated, since it can lead to the death of the testicle.

In the case where acute pain is accompanied by a protrusion of the peritoneum, you are faced with an inguinal hernia.

Pulling and aching pain in the scrotum

Most often, pain in the scrotum does not occur suddenly, but increases over time and has a pulling or aching character. As much as you would like, it is impossible to make a diagnosis on your own in such a case.

The following diseases can be the causes of pulling and aching pain in the scrotum:

• Epididymitis is an inflammation of the appendage caused by bacteria. Usually only one appendage is inflamed, and the patient suffers from aching pain for about three days. In addition, the temperature may rise, spontaneous urination and burning in the canal may occur.
• Varicocele is an enlargement of the veins of the scrotum. The nagging pain increases and eventually becomes unbearable.
• Orchitis is an inflammation of the testicles that occurs after mumps. The testicle swells and the body temperature "jumps".

In addition, pulling and aching pain in the scrotum may be an echo of other problems - urolithiasis, cysts or kidney tumors.

[ 7 ], [ 8 ], [ 9 ], [ 10 ]

Pain between anus and scrotum

Sharp, cutting, aching pain of any nature between the anus and scrotum is a sign of prostatitis.

It disrupts the rhythm of life and sleep, and occurs regardless of activity.

If the pain in the scrotum is severe and accompanied by chills, fever and frequent urination, then this indicates an advanced disease.

Scrotum pain after sex

Both young and mature men may experience pain in the scrotum after sex. As in all other cases, only a doctor can give an accurate diagnosis to a patient with such a symptom.

However, the most common cause of scrotal pain after sex is unemptied testicles. This occurs when coitus is interrupted or when a man does not reach orgasm and the seminal fluid prepared for release remains inside. Then the scrotum swells and the man feels as if it is bursting.

Also, pain between the scrotum and anus often occurs with prostatitis.

Diagnostics scrotal pain

If you have pain in your scrotum, you should immediately see a doctor, because a home examination will not give any results.

The doctor examines the patient, who is in a standing or lying position, and performs palpation (examination by feeling). If necessary, to clarify the clinical picture of the disease, the urologist-andrologist may prescribe an ultrasound, in more complex cases - to submit semen or urine for analysis.

The main task is to differentiate emergency pathology from other causes. Aortic catastrophes occur in elderly patients (over 50 years). Other emergency conditions can occur at any age. Sharp, acute pain suggests torsion; pain in the scrotum with an incarcerated hernia or appendicitis develops gradually. Pain limited to the upper pole of the testicle suggests torsion of the appendix. Bilateral pain suggests infection or a reflected cause. A mass in the inguinal region suggests a hernia; scrotal masses are nonspecific. The absence of pathological changes in the scrotum suggests referred pain. Relief of pain in the scrotum with lifting the testicle suggests orchiepididymitis.

A general urine analysis is always necessary. The detection of signs of UTI is characteristic of orchiepididymitis. If testicular torsion is suspected, ultrasound Dopplerography or radionuclide examination of the scrotum organs is indicated, although the latter is less sensitive and specific.

[ 11 ], [ 12 ]

Treatment scrotal pain

Before treating scrotal pain, you need to determine the underlying cause. If you have already figured this out, your doctor will prescribe treatment.

Analgesics are indicated for relief of acute scrotal pain; morphine or other opioids may be indicated for pathology requiring surgical treatment. Definitive treatment is directed at the cause.

In case of trauma or testicular torsion, urgent surgical intervention with subsequent hospitalization is necessary. In other cases, drug treatment is prescribed.

• To relieve pain, take Ibuprofen - no more than three tablets (600 mg) per day.
• To eliminate the cause of pain, antibiotics are prescribed. Tetracycline - one tablet of 0.25 mg six times a day.
• To get rid of prostatitis and support men's health, grind half a kilogram of raw peeled pumpkin seeds in a meat grinder and mix them with 200 grams of honey. Form the resulting mass into small balls and store in the refrigerator. Eat such a ball twice a day half an hour before meals.
• effective in preventing and treating scrotal pain are baths with essential oils of lemon balm, juniper, myrtle, rosemary, yarrow, tea tree and savory. For a bath, usually take 5-10 drops.

If you have not yet had time to seek medical attention, try keeping your scrotum in an elevated position (lying on your back, place a pillow under your sacrum) and apply an ice pack to the painful area (for 15 minutes, with a 10-minute break).

Traditional medicine suggests taking a course of acupuncture – a rather unpleasant procedure that will help get rid of blood stagnation.

Prevention

In order for pain in the scrotum not to bother you, it is enough to follow simple and basic rules of men's health:

• Normalize your sex life (both abstinence and hyperactivity are harmful), avoid interruptions during sexual intercourse and determine your normal rhythm.
• Avoid mechanical impact on the genitals.
• Give up bad habits in favor of healthy eating and exercise.

We don’t want to scare you, but pain in the scrotum can result in impotence or infertility, so pay close attention to your male health and be happy!

[ 13 ]