Testicular Pain Causes, Symptoms, Relief & Treatment

Testicular pain definition and facts

Testicular pain or pain in one or both testicles can be mild, intermittent, chronic or sudden. Testicular pain has many causes, and treatment depends on the cause.

Testicular pain refers to pain or discomfort felt in one or both testicles. The pain may be acute or chronic, dull, sharp, or a sensation of soreness or vague discomfort/ache.
The primary role of the testicle is to produce sperm and the hormone testosterone.
Many diseases and other health conditions can cause testicular pain, and some causes are medical emergencies.
Common causes of testicular pain include:
- Epididymitis (caused by sexually transmitted diseases or STD)
- Kidney stones
- Testicular tumor, testicular torsion or trauma
- Inguinal hernia
- Orchitis
- Infections like the mumps
- Cancers
- Twisted testicle(s) – testicular torsion
The signs and symptoms may include testicular:
- Pain in one or both testicles
- Swelling
- Redness
- Tenderness of the testicle and/or scrotum
You also may have nausea, vomiting, and fever.
The different causes of testicular pain can be diagnosed using blood tests, urinalysis, and imaging studies, in addition to a complete physical exam.
The treatment for testicular pain varies depending on the underlying cause, and/or may include pain medication, antibiotics, and surgical intervention.
The complications of the conditions causing testicular pain may include infection, impaired fertility, and permanent damage to the testicle, or loss of the testicle.
Only a few causes of testicular pain are preventable.

What are the testicles? What do they look like (pictures)?

The testicles form part of the male reproductive organs, with a primary function of producing sperm and the male hormone testosterone.

Testicles are contained within an external sac-like structure called the scrotum, which is located between the penis and the anus.
Adult testicles are about the size two large olives.
It is common for one testicle to hang lower than the other within the scrotum.
Located near the back of each testicle lies the epididymis, which is a coiled tubular structure that functions to store and transport sperm.
A tubular structure containing blood vessels, nerves, lymphatic vessels and the vas deferens called the spermatic cord courses from the abdomen and is connected to each testicle. Apart from containing vital structures for each testicle, the spermatic cord also suspends the testicles within the scrotum.

Picture of the male urinary and reproductive structures

What does testicular pain feel like? How severe is the pain?

Testicular pain is pain or discomfort that is felt in one or both testicles. The pain may originate from the testicle itself, or it may be the result of other conditions affecting the scrotum, groin, or abdomen. Though there are numerous medical conditions that can cause testicular pain, it is important to understand that a few of them constitute medical emergencies that require immediate medical attention in order to prevent impairment or loss of testicular function. Testicular pain can be an acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) condition. The testicular pain may be constant or intermittent.

Testicular (Ball) and Scrotum Pain Symptoms

Testicular pain can have a number of different causes, some of which constitute a medical emergency.
Testicle or scrotum pain may be caused by

Trauma
Testicular torsion (a medical emergency)
Inflammation of the testicle or epididymis
Kidney stones
Tumors

What causes testicular pain? What are other symptoms of pain in the testicles?

Many diseases and other health problems can cause pain in one or both testicles. Testicular pain along with other symptoms and signs vary depending on the underlying cause. However, often times the symptoms can be very similar between the various causes, making it difficult to distinguish among the conditions which require urgent medical attention. Therefore, if you experience testicular pain, call your doctor immediately or go to the nearest Urgent Care or Emergency Department.

Testicular torsion causes, symptoms, and signs

Testicular torsion typically occurs because of an anomaly affecting the normal attachment of the testicle within the scrotum, often referred to as the "bell clapper" deformity. This abnormality allows the testicle to be freely suspended and twist spontaneously. Often times, this anomaly is present in both testicles. Trauma to the testicle is a rare cause of testicular torsion.

Testicular torsion is most common in males younger than 30 years of age, with a peak incidence between 12 to 18 years of age. It can also occur more frequently during the neonatal period. Testicular torsion most often affects the left testicle, and it is the most common cause of testicle loss in adolescent males.

Testicular torsion generally comes on suddenly. Severe testicle pain that is only felt in one testicle may also have these signs and symptoms:

Nausea and vomiting
Testicular and/or scrotal tenderness
Testicular and/or scrotal swelling and redness
Abdominal pain
Fever
Elevation of the affected testicle within the scrotum
Horizontal positioning of the affected testicle within the scrotum
Loss of the cremasteric reflex on the affected side (normally, the testicle elevates with light stroking of the upper inner thigh area).

Epididymitis causes, symptoms, and signs

Epididymitis occurs when there is inflammation of the epididymis (a structure within the scrotum). Generally, the condition is result of an infection. Epididymitis primarily affects adult men, and is most common between the ages of 19 to 40 years; however, it can occur in prepubescent boys and elderly men.

Sexually transmitted diseases or STDs that are most commonly caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae are the most common cause of epididymitis in sexually active men. In younger and older males, the infection usually is caused by bacteria such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) that are found in the urinary tract. Infection in these age groups is typically the result of an abnormality within the genitourinary system.

Epididymitis comes on gradually. The testicular pain can be mild, moderate, or severe, and only in one testicle. Epididymitis also may have symptoms and signs including:

Nausea and vomiting
Testicular and/or scrotal tenderness, typically localized to the area of the epididymis, though it can become more generalized and involve the whole testicle as the illness progresses
Testicular and/or scrotal swelling and redness
Abdominal pain
Fever
Urethral discharge
Urinary symptoms, such as burning, urgency, or frequency

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Inguinal hernia causes, symptoms, and signs

An inguinal hernia is a bulge or protrusion of intestine through a defect in the abdominal wall musculature of the groin area. This protrusion can sometimes cause swelling of the scrotum and subsequent testicular pain.

Inguinal hernias are common and they can sometimes cause discomfort in the scrotum and/or testicles. Signs and symptoms of an inguinal hernia may include a:

Bulge in the scrotum or in the inguinal area, that may become more pronounced with coughing or straining; and
Dull ache or burning sensation in the scrotum and/or testicles.

Testicular tumor causes, symptoms, and signs

Generally, testicular tumors don't cause pain; however, occasionally some tumors can cause pain and discomfort of the testicle or scrotum. Signs and symptoms of a tumor in a testicle may include a:

Lump or mass of the testicle
Change in the size or texture of the testicle
Dull ache of the lower abdomen, lower back or groin area
Feeling of heaviness in the scrotum

Orchitis causes, symptoms, and signs

Orchitis is a sign of inflammation of a testicle, usually because of an infection, for example, the mumps, the most common cause of the condition. Usually, mumps orchitis occurs in males who have not reached puberty; however, there has been an increase in cases in boys who have gone through puberty and adolescent males, secondary to the decreased use of the mumps vaccine. Rarely, orchitis can be caused by a bacterial infection that, usually, is the result of progression of epididymitis (epididymo-orchitis).

Because orchitis generally occurs as a consequence of an infection (most often mumps), it is typically also accompanied by other systemic infectious symptoms. Testicular pain may range from mild to severe. Signs and symptoms of orchitis may include:

Testicular and/or scrotal tenderness, swelling or redness
Fever and chills
Headache
Body aches
Nausea
Fatigue
Parotid gland inflammation (parotitis) in cases of mumps

Trauma and injury causes, symptoms, and signs

Trauma or injury of any type to the testicles can cause severe pain and discomfort. Blunt testicular trauma (around 85%) is the most common cause of testicle pain. Examples of causes of injuries to the testicle include sports injuries, a direct kick to the groin or testicle, car accidents, and straddle injuries. Usually, the pain improves with time. Rarely, trauma to the testicles can cause more severe injuries requiring immediate medical attention.

The testicular pain may range from severe to absent at the time the person sees a doctor. Rarely however, the injury may seem minor, but there may be a serious underlying injury to the testicle.

Other symptoms and signs of trauma or injury to a testicle include:

Testicular and/or scrotal tenderness, swelling or bruising
Bruising of the area between the scrotum and the anus (perineum)
Nausea and vomiting

Testicle rupture causes, symptoms, and signs

Testicle rupture is a serious injury that is a result of a disruption to the connective tissue enveloping the testicle (tunica albuginea), which then causes extrusion of testicular tissue. Often, a sign of testicular rupture is a blood collection (hematocele) that surrounds the testicle.

Other types of injuries that cause testicular rupture include penetrating trauma and testicular dislocation. These types of testicular injuries typically require surgery.

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Torsion of a testicular appendage cause, symptoms, and signs

Torsion of a testicular appendage occurs due to twisting (torsion) of the testicular or epididymal appendage, which are functionless structures that are remnants of tissue from human development. The testicular appendage lies between the testicle and the epididymis, while the epididymal appendage typically projects from the epididymis. As with testicular torsion, twisting of these structures leads to a decrease in blood flow and subsequent testicular pain. This is a common condition in younger boys, with most cases occurring between 7 to 14 years of age. Though this condition is benign and self-limiting, it must be distinguished from the more serious testicular torsion.

With torsion of a testicular appendage, the onset of testicle pain may be sudden or gradual, and the severity of pain may range from mild to severe. Generally, a person has no symptoms or signs like nausea, vomiting, and fever.

The testicle and/or scrotum generally appear normal, without swelling and redness; however, other symptoms and signs may include:

Testicular tenderness, typically only localized to the top of the right or left testicle.
Sometimes, a small blue-dot is visualized near the top of the affected testicle (blue-dot sign).

Preservation of the normal vertical positioning of the affected testicle within the scrotum, and preservation of the cremasteric reflex is generally maintained.

Can kidney stones cause testicular pain and other symptoms and signs?

Occasionally, the pain associated with kidney stones can radiate into the groin area and cause testicular pain. However, the testicles appear normal with no swelling or redness. Other signs and symptoms of kidney stones may include:

Back (flank) pain and tenderness
Abdominal pain
Nausea and vomiting
Urinary symptoms, such as blood in the urine, discomfort with urination and urinary frequency

How are the causes of testicular pain diagnosed?

In order to diagnose the underlying condition causing testicular pain, a health care professional will perform a complete history and physical exam. Laboratory testing and imaging studies may also be ordered depending on the health care professional's initial impression and evaluation.

Laboratory testing may include:

Blood work
Urinalysis
A swab of the urethra (if the patient has penile discharge suggestive of a sexually transmitted disease)

Imaging studies may be ordered by your health care professional to further delineate the underlying cause of the testicular pain. In certain patients with testicular pain whose symptoms are strongly suggestive of testicular torsion, immediate urologic consultation prior to testing should be obtained in order to prevent potential delays in definitive surgical management.

Imaging tests

Ultrasonography

A color Doppler testicular ultrasound is a noninvasive imaging study that can evaluate the blood flow to the testicles, as well as the presence of testicular tumors, fluid collections, testicular rupture, and hernias. A kidney ultrasound can be helpful in the evaluation of kidney stones.

Radionuclide imaging

This is an imaging study requiring the intravenous administration of a radionuclide, useful for the evaluation of testicular torsion, as well as other causes of testicular pain. It is used much less commonly than ultrasound.

CT scan or a kidney/ureter/bladder (KUB) X-ray

These particular imaging studies are sometimes ordered if there is a suspicion that the testicular pain is being caused by kidney stones or other conditions in the abdomen or pelvis.

What is the treatment for testicular pain?

The treatment for testicular pain varies depending on the underlying cause. As already noted, some conditions causing testicular pain are medical emergencies requiring immediate surgical intervention.

Testicular torsion treatment

Definitive management of testicular torsion requires surgery by a urologist. During surgery, the affected testicle is untwisted, and if it is viable, the testicle is secured to the scrotal wall (orchiopexy). The unaffected testicle may also be secured to prevent testicular torsion from occurring, as some males will have the bell clapper abnormality on both sides.
Sometimes, the affected testicle can be manually untwisted by a doctor without necessitating emergent surgery, though this is a temporizing measure that ultimately still requires definitive surgical repair. Likewise, some cases of testicular torsion can occur and then resolve spontaneously, and the health care professional must maintain a high index of suspicion in order for this condition to be diagnosed and ultimately surgically repaired.
The more rapidly the testicle is untwisted and blood flow is restored, the better the chances for salvaging the affected testicle. If treated within 6 hours of symptom onset, the salvage rate nears 100%, while after 24 hours the salvage rate is between 0% and 10%.

Epididymitis treatment

The treatment of uncomplicated epididymitis can generally be managed as an outpatient, and consists of the following treatment measures:

Antibiotics (which may vary depending on the patient's age and sexual history), pain medication and anti-inflammatory agents
Rest
Scrotal support and elevation
Ice packs

In general, acute epididymitis that is properly treated resolves without complications. However, in some cases of epididymitis, such as those associated with serious systemic symptoms or in those accompanied by various complications, hospitalization may be necessary. A urologist will be consulted in these more serious cases.

Torsion of a testicular appendage treatment

The treatment for torsion of the testicular or epididymal appendage is directed toward relief of symptoms, and consists of the following measures:

Pain medication and anti-inflammatory agents
Rest
Scrotal support and elevation
Ice packs

Most patients improve with these treatment measures within 1 week, though symptoms may last longer. In cases of testicular pain refractory to conservative management, surgical excision of the affected tissue is considered.

Kidney stone treatment

The treatment for kidney stones generally depends on the location of the kidney stone, the size of the kidney stone, and any associated complications, such as infection. An uncomplicated kidney stone can typically be treated with the following measures:

Adequate fluid intake
Pain medication
Anti- nausea medication
In some instances medications such as tamsulosin (Flomax), which may facilitate the passage of kidney stones

Several different measures exist for treating kidney stones that do not pass spontaneously, such as lithotripsy (the use of shock waves to break up the kidney stone) and other more invasive surgical procedures.

Certain patients with intractable pain, intractable vomiting or those with signs of infection require hospitalization. In those with urinary tract infection and an obstruction in the genitourinary system, antibiotics and emergent urologic intervention are necessary.

Testicular tumor treatment

The treatment for a testicular tumor depends on various factors. A testicular mass is considered cancer until proven otherwise. If testicular cancer is diagnosed, patients are referred to an oncologist who will discuss the different treatment options available.

Trauma treatment

The treatment and management of testicular trauma depends on the severity of injury. Minor cases of testicular trauma without suspected serious underlying testicular injury can be managed as an outpatient with the following measures:

Pain medication and anti-inflammatory agents
Rest
Scrotal support and elevation
Ice packs

With testicular rupture, immediate surgical repair is necessary to preserve testicular function and viability. Other situations requiring surgical management include certain blunt trauma injuries with associated blood collections (hematoceles), penetrating trauma, and certain cases of testicular dislocation.

Inguinal hernia treatment

The definitive treatment of inguinal hernias requires surgical repair, sometimes electively as an outpatient, while others require intervention on a more emergent basis. Occasionally, inguinal hernias may not be repaired even electively because a patient is too high-risk to undergo surgery.
Prompt surgical intervention is necessary in cases of inguinal hernias that are not reducible (unable to be pushed back into the abdomen) and in those cases of strangulation (disruption to the blood supply of the intestine).

Orchitis treatment

The treatment of orchitis depends on the infectious organism responsible for causing the testicular inflammation. Both viral and bacterial orchitis can be treated with the following measures:

Pain medication and anti-inflammatory agents
Rest
Scrotal support and elevation
Ice packs

Bacterial orchitis and epididymo-orchitis require antibiotics. Those cases caused by viruses do not require antibiotics.

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What are the complications of causes of testicular pain?

The complications associated with the different causes of testicular pain are varied. Some individuals may suffer from chronic testicular pain, even after the acute cause of the testicular pain has been treated. Other potential complications may include:

Testicular torsion complications

Permanent damage to the testicle
Loss of testicle
Infertility
Infection
Cosmetic deformity
Epididymitis complications
Epididymo-orchitis
Abscess (a collection of pus) formation
Impaired fertility
Systemic blood infection (sepsis)

Torsion of a testicular appendage complications

There are no significant complications for torsion of a testicular appendage.

Testicular trauma complications

Permanent damage to the testicle
Atrophy (decrease in size) of the testicle
Loss of testicle
Infertility
Abscess formation
Cosmetic deformity
Testicular torsion

Inguinal hernia complications

Incarceration (hernia unable to be pushed back in)
Strangulation (disruption to the blood supply of the intestine protruding through the abdominal wall defect)

Orchitis complications

Atrophy of the testicle
Impaired fertility
Abscess formation

Kidney stone complications

Permanent kidney damage
Urosepsis (systemic blood infection arising from infected urine)

Testicular tumor complications

The complications of a testicular tumor vary depending on the underlying type of tumor and the extent of disease.

How can testicular pain be prevented?

There are a few measures that you can take to prevent certain causes of testicular pain. However, many of the causes are not entirely preventable.

For epididymitis or bacterial orchitis caused by sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), condom use can reduce the risk of transmission of STDs.
The use of appropriate protective gear during sporting activities can help prevent testicular trauma.
Mumps immunization can decrease the incidence of viral orchitis.

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