Are you smarter than my doctor?
November 16, 2011 3:54 PM Subscribe
What is this confounding pain in my testicles?
Following up on this.
I have been to my GP, who thought I had a hernia. Visited the potential surgeon for that who said I didn't have one. He sent me to urologist who didn't feel anything (no lumps or anything either). He had no idea what it was so he sent me for an ultra sound, which showed nothing.
So while YANMD apparently MD is all out of ideas.
What else could be causing me occasional pain in the testicle area on and on and off basis for 3+ months. I don't remember straining anything, hitting anything, etc. Does not seem to be affected by movement or sitting near as I can tell.
Any ideas?
Following up on this.
I have been to my GP, who thought I had a hernia. Visited the potential surgeon for that who said I didn't have one. He sent me to urologist who didn't feel anything (no lumps or anything either). He had no idea what it was so he sent me for an ultra sound, which showed nothing.
So while YANMD apparently MD is all out of ideas.
What else could be causing me occasional pain in the testicle area on and on and off basis for 3+ months. I don't remember straining anything, hitting anything, etc. Does not seem to be affected by movement or sitting near as I can tell.
Any ideas?
It's possible you have a prostate infection. Those can be quite uncomfortable.
Feel better.
posted by whitebird at 4:00 PM on November 16, 2011
Feel better.
posted by whitebird at 4:00 PM on November 16, 2011
Stupid question, but really tight jeans? I...uh...injured myself that way once, and it hurt really bad for about a week.
posted by infinitywaltz at 4:08 PM on November 16, 2011
posted by infinitywaltz at 4:08 PM on November 16, 2011
Anecdata: my friend (age 24) had intermittent testicular pain for a few months. It turned out to be a very large tumor in his colon. Of course, he eventually had some other nonspecific symptoms, but I think it merits saying that it could be an abdominal thing.
posted by easy, lucky, free at 4:20 PM on November 16, 2011
posted by easy, lucky, free at 4:20 PM on November 16, 2011
If you have had a vasectomy, intermittent testicular pain is a really common thing.
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:34 PM on November 16, 2011
posted by seanmpuckett at 4:34 PM on November 16, 2011
I recently have also had some backpain from staying on the treadmill too long and wonder if its connected.
This sort of thing used to happen to me off and on. I was wearing whitie-tighties while running, but I switched to sport briefs or whatever they're called. I wasn't getting enough support when I ran and my nuts are all janglin' around doing who knows what.
posted by cmoj at 4:41 PM on November 16, 2011
This sort of thing used to happen to me off and on. I was wearing whitie-tighties while running, but I switched to sport briefs or whatever they're called. I wasn't getting enough support when I ran and my nuts are all janglin' around doing who knows what.
posted by cmoj at 4:41 PM on November 16, 2011
In your previous post you don't seem to have answered muddgirl's questions about ejaculation. Does the pain go away within a few hours of ejaculation, and are you ejaculating at a normal frequency (whatever that may be). Occam would say that you might want to look at the simplest explanation first.
posted by alonsoquijano at 4:49 PM on November 16, 2011
posted by alonsoquijano at 4:49 PM on November 16, 2011
Are you sure you haven't had any muscle injuries around your hips and glutes? Any impact trauma to your pelvis? You may have damage to the pubic symphysis, which can cause muscle strain in the hips to translate into testicular pain. I'm dealing with a similar situation. It may be the result of progressive low level muscle damage.
Of course, it could be a groin pull. Are you particularly active?
I am not a doctor. You should see a specialist.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:44 PM on November 16, 2011
Of course, it could be a groin pull. Are you particularly active?
I am not a doctor. You should see a specialist.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:44 PM on November 16, 2011
Did they ever check you for epididymitis?
posted by bottlebrushtree at 5:51 PM on November 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by bottlebrushtree at 5:51 PM on November 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
Did they check for Testicular torsion? Its common for teens but could probably happen at any age. The test, and you should have a doc do this, is when you aren't in pain they'll carefully twist one of them and ask you if the pain is what you've been feeling. The surgery for it is minor and really easy.
posted by jwells at 6:04 PM on November 16, 2011
posted by jwells at 6:04 PM on November 16, 2011
n-thing the testicular torsion idea. I had this, and it sucks. Feels like someone cup-checked you about five minutes ago for hours at a time.
This can be hard to detect on ultrasound or manually. Suggest it to your MD.
posted by valkyryn at 6:10 PM on November 16, 2011
This can be hard to detect on ultrasound or manually. Suggest it to your MD.
posted by valkyryn at 6:10 PM on November 16, 2011
NthIng infection or epididymis. Ultrasound and/or antibiotics, perhaps?
posted by dpx.mfx at 6:59 PM on November 16, 2011
posted by dpx.mfx at 6:59 PM on November 16, 2011
It's not impossible to miss torsion on an ultrasound but it's the best test we have for it, and it didn't find anything. Plus, the pain's been going on for 3 months. Torsion is unlikely - if the testicle was hurting because it was dying (no blood flow), it would've stopped hurting by now because it would be dead already... I suppose intermittent torsion is still possible although I don't even know if that can go on for such a long period of time. Ideas from the other thread (hydrocele, cyst, varicocele) also should be picked up on ultrasound, although there's always the possibility that radiology missed something.
Epididymitis can often get picked up on ultrasound as well, and it usually is a constant pain, it shouldn't go away for days at a time then come back again if there is an infection going on. But I say, if you still have pain, don't give up. If your urologist is out of ideas get a second opinion.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 8:00 PM on November 16, 2011
Epididymitis can often get picked up on ultrasound as well, and it usually is a constant pain, it shouldn't go away for days at a time then come back again if there is an infection going on. But I say, if you still have pain, don't give up. If your urologist is out of ideas get a second opinion.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 8:00 PM on November 16, 2011
An Emergency Doc and I were talking about testicular migraines the other week....
Just kidding! Prostatitis? I saw a couple patients go down that rabbit hole when they came in with symptoms that suggested something like UTI/STD but not quite UTI/STD. The answer, unfortunately, is to go back to the first GP or another GP if you didn't like the first one. It's not unusual for a GP to see a complaint, refer it to a surgeon, have that come up with nothing they can operate on, then get bounced back to the GP for empiric medical therapy.
posted by midmarch snowman at 10:24 PM on November 16, 2011
Just kidding! Prostatitis? I saw a couple patients go down that rabbit hole when they came in with symptoms that suggested something like UTI/STD but not quite UTI/STD. The answer, unfortunately, is to go back to the first GP or another GP if you didn't like the first one. It's not unusual for a GP to see a complaint, refer it to a surgeon, have that come up with nothing they can operate on, then get bounced back to the GP for empiric medical therapy.
posted by midmarch snowman at 10:24 PM on November 16, 2011
Did they ever check you for epididymitis?
posted by bottlebrushtree at 1:51 AM on November 17
This, or possibly a small epididymal cyst. Those things can certainly account for occasional dragging pains and aches, and I speak from personal experience. Note also that while that link says they usually occur in men over 40 I had mine appear when I was a mere lad of 23. Scared the hell out of me, it did.
Sometimes you can feel them yourself if you gently feel the epydidimus (the rather uneven bit behind each testicle). Best done after a hot bath when everything's relaxed. If you do feel a small lump or bump around there do not be alarmed (but obviously do get a doc to check it out), because that's exactly how epididymal cysts feel. They're harmless, but they can cause the sort of discomfort and pain you describe, in varying degrees. It also comes and goes.
Please be aware that this is only one of many possibilities and I mention it simply because I and at least a couple of other guys I know have had it. Get a different doc/urologist to check you out and see what they think about the possibility.
posted by Decani at 11:58 PM on November 16, 2011
posted by bottlebrushtree at 1:51 AM on November 17
This, or possibly a small epididymal cyst. Those things can certainly account for occasional dragging pains and aches, and I speak from personal experience. Note also that while that link says they usually occur in men over 40 I had mine appear when I was a mere lad of 23. Scared the hell out of me, it did.
Sometimes you can feel them yourself if you gently feel the epydidimus (the rather uneven bit behind each testicle). Best done after a hot bath when everything's relaxed. If you do feel a small lump or bump around there do not be alarmed (but obviously do get a doc to check it out), because that's exactly how epididymal cysts feel. They're harmless, but they can cause the sort of discomfort and pain you describe, in varying degrees. It also comes and goes.
Please be aware that this is only one of many possibilities and I mention it simply because I and at least a couple of other guys I know have had it. Get a different doc/urologist to check you out and see what they think about the possibility.
posted by Decani at 11:58 PM on November 16, 2011
Non-bacterial prostatitis caused by stress. It's like a headache in your balls.
posted by ellenaim at 2:51 AM on November 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by ellenaim at 2:51 AM on November 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
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A friend of mine (no, really, as I don't have balls) had a similar problem: got the hernia check, got an ultrasound, everything inconclusive. Then they gave him a shot in his butt and an antibiotic (apparently these are both for STD treatments, even though he was 99.9% sure he didn't have anything) to see if that would help. A couple days later: no more testicle pain. Ask your doctor.
posted by phunniemee at 3:58 PM on November 16, 2011