These comments are made for the purpose of discussion and should NOT be used as recommendations for or against therapies or other treatments. An individual patient is always advised to consult their own physician.
Lump on testicle
Question: I am a 19 year old male and I have a problem . For about 1-2 years now I have had a lump on my left testicle. I didn’t pay much attention to it because I thought that it would go away . Is this one of the first signs of cancer? Could this be serious? Should I get it checked out?
Answer: Lumps on the testicles need to be seen by a health professional. Cancer of the testes is
the most common cause of cancer in men under forty and is very fixable if present. If the
lump is tender it probably is not a problem. If the lump is on the cord that the testicle hangs
on it is probably no problem. If light can be shined through the testicle it probably is no
Problem. However, a persistent lump needs to be seen soon.
Testicular pain
Question: I am a 55 year old male. A few weeks ago, I began to
experience a persistent dull ache in my testicles. It is
not a sharp pain, but a cause of mild discomfort. Alarmed
that it might be cancer, I consulted a doctor. He examined
me physically and drew blood for tests. He said it was not
cancer because there was no “palpable mass” and that
early testicular cancer is painless. Physical examination,
lab results, and the absence of accompanying symptoms caused
him to rule out epididymitis, varicocele, and hernia. He said
my prostate gland was slightly enlarged and is condition not
uncommon for a man of my age. The PSA test gave a result
of 2.7, so he said nothing further need be done. With
nothing to treat, he left me with the impression (though he
didn’t say so) that it was some sort of psychosomatic
reaction. However, the ache continues. Do you think there
could be some cause he overlooked? Should I take new tests?
Answer: There are a couple of possibilities. 1) This is referred pain and not actually in your testicles.
Irritation in the bladder or in the tube as it enters the bladder can be experience in the
testicles and the tip of the penis. This is common with kidney stones as they pass but, can be
due to other irritations. 2) This represents a low grade infection. It is usually effectively
treated with cipro or equivalent for 7-10 days. If it is abolished, that was the cause no matter
what your physician says.
Sensitive Testicles
Question:My testicles are a little bit sensitive during sexual relations. If somebody is playing with them, there is a very light pain. It has been persistent for two years now. What to do?
Answer: The testicles are encased in a very thin layer of muscle. These allow the testicles to be retracted towards the body if stimulated or in cold weather. During sexual excitement, these muscles are stimulated. Also, the body begins to produce sperm and direct them towards the spermatic cord. Prolonged stimulation without ejaculation will produce pain called by many teens and adults-“lovers balls”. These can be quite painful. Chronic ongoing pain needs to be examined to ensure that a low grade infection of the collecting system and cord called epidimitis is not present.
