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    Swollen testicles

    [Information on further testicle problems will be added to this section shortly]

    "One of my balls is swollen - I think it must be cancer"

    It is a good idea to examine your testicles regularly, so that you become familiar with your own anatomy. Then you will be able to notice if anything unusual develops.

    • The testicles make sperm. They are oval in shape, and are usually about 4-5 cm long, 3 cm wide and 2 cm thick. One is often slightly larger than the other.
    • The epididymis is a sausage-shaped lump stuck onto the back and top of each testicle. It is actually a coil of tiny tubes, which carry and store the sperm. If uncoiled, they would be about 6 metres long.
    • The spermatic cords lead upwards from behind the epididymis. They carry the sperm towards the penis, and also contain blood vessels.
    • The scrotum is the skin sac that contains the testicles and the epididymis.

    Cancer is a possibility with any lump in the scrotum, and it is important to detect it early because the cure rate is now over 90%. However, most swellings in the scrotum turn out to be non-cancerous. For example, it is common to have small lumps and cysts in the epididymis and in the spermatic cord. Another common occurrence is for the veins in the cord to become lumpy and twisted, and feel like a 'bag of worms'.

    It is important that all lumps in the scrotum are examined by a doctor, so even if you think the swelling is not cancerous have it checked anyway. If your doctor is not sure, he will arrange for you to have an ultrasound scan, which is painless.

    How to examine your testicles
    • The best time is after a warm bath or shower, when the skin of the scrotum is relaxed.
    • Support the scrotum and testicles in the palm of your hand, to feel their weight. One testicle may be slightly larger than the other, but they should be about the same weight.
    • Hold a testicle between the thumb and fingers, with your thumb on top and first and second fingers underneath. Roll the testicle gently, feeling for any hard lumps. A normal testicle is oval in shape; it feels firm but not hard and is smooth with no lumps. Cancerous lumps are usually hard, on the front or side of a testicle, or may be a swelling of the testicle itself.
    • Feel the epididymis, a sausage-shaped lump at the top and back of each testicle. It will feel soft and perhaps slightly tender.
    • Feel the spermatic cords which lead upwards from the epididymis and behind the testicles. They are firm, smooth tubes.
    • Do the same with the other testicle. It would be very unusual to develop cancer in both testicles at the same time, so if you are not sure whether what you are feeling is normal, check it against the other side.



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    Comments on this article:

    Posted by luke at 22/06/2009 23:37:00

    I went to the doctors last sep because I had a lump and I had it checked out I had a scan and they found nothing 9 months later im still having shooting pains in my right testicle and my cord in bigger at 1 end what do you think it is

    Posted by j at 20/05/2009 05:54:00

    Hi i have a lump on my left sac , it is small and it is on the top of my sac i dont no what it is and it dont hurt or anything, also my insurance dont kick it till next week anyone have any ideas with it might be, tumor , or a cancer lump i ono what it is but it is scaring me please answer back.

    Posted by larry at 04/05/2009 04:14:00

    2 Comments: All you fellows with the lumps on your sacs that are growing from within, these are probably sebacious cysts. These are caused by oil in a pore--much like an acne zit-- and they will sometimes not pop and sometimes you can force the pus out of them by squeezing darn hard. If you are able to pop them, they MAY fill up again as there is a sac under the skin holding that pus. A Dr. can remove the whole thing and no regrowth. I had them starting at 15 and didn't have anything removed until 18, but I still had more later in life, If you have them removed, say no to stitches. This can cause more fluid build up and the spot needs to drain. Put a sanitary pad on it and you'll be fine. For the fellows with the swollen balls, I am dealing with that now. I have something called a hydrocele on my right nut and I am having it removed mid July. It is a sac that has formed around the ball and is filling with fluid--the sac, not the ball. When the sack is removed my balls will look normal. Right now my R one is the size of XL egg or a golf ball. I'm not likin' the look. Good luck. See a Dr. you young guys. They can help and don't really care if you are a jo artist!

    Posted by James at 28/04/2009 04:57:00

    I have have one testicle which has swollen to about 4 times the size of the other one. So far,it is not painful, but I am concernd

    Posted by duffy at 04/04/2009 23:45:00

    i am getting aching pains in my testicals and am a bit imbarrassed to go to the docter

    Posted by dave at 28/03/2009 10:47:00

    I have one a lot bigger than the other, what should I do?

    Posted by Daniel at 09/03/2009 16:38:00

    My testicles are ok, but I have this yellow lump small but hurts, and it has little bit of blood at the top of it. What could it be? What should I do?

    Posted by Juan at 08/03/2009 08:57:00

    My testicles look like the have gotten bigger. Much bigger than usual. Could it be because I started smoking again.

    Posted by Anonymous at 07/03/2009 00:01:00

    My husband recently had reversal vasectomy operation but is very concerned as 5 days after the operation his left testicle swelled to 3 times its normal size and is very hard and painful is this normal as he is concerned that something may have went wrong with his left testicle. He did go to see our GP but was told that they think it is just swelling.

    Posted by Anki at 04/03/2009 12:02:00

    thank you it was good knoweledge

    Posted by Anonymous at 02/03/2009 14:56:00

    Mine were swollen as well, the whole sack looked like a giant blob, I ended up having no blood flow to my right one and it had to be removed.
    I'm only 16...

    Posted by helpmeplease at 01/03/2009 17:35:00

    I woke up this morning and my testicles were hurting and it's very painful. It hurts to sit down or walk. To start with i though i'd just slept weird and sort of hurt myself in my sleep. but i went into a room and noticed that my left testicle was larger than my right one. not just a little bit bigger, but a LOT bigger. I causally asked somebody if cancer hurt. and they said that if it was a lump and you felt it, if it hurt, its not cancer, well i touched my testicle to feel for lumps and it hurt when i touched it. Will somebody help me please?

    Posted by Anonymous at 21/02/2009 02:51:00

    My scrotum hangs quite a bit (about 3.5-4 inches) is this normal?

    Posted by andy at 20/02/2009 19:39:00

    i have a lump on my testical, it looks like a yellow spot and is 7.5mm in diametre, i thought it was an ingrowing hair or soap worm as i have had both of these before, howerver, it is solid, under the skin of my testical sack not on my scrotum, and will not puss, or squeeze out, i to am worried about it being cancer please help?

    Posted by Anonymous at 02/02/2009 16:36:00

    both of my balls are swollen up and it just looks like one massive blob of fat. its about as big as a Minni football ind i like can walk easily. im only 13 and i hav had no sexual intercourse. plzzz help!!!!

    Posted by meat at 02/02/2009 04:13:00

    i masterbate frequently and i have noticed one of my testicals feels like a bag of worms is dis bad because im scared man dude like can somebody tell me wuz up

    Posted by Norm at 25/01/2009 16:39:00

    Every few months my scrotum swells and becomes uncomfortable with discomfort in my lower abdomen. On taking a bath or shower blood will ooze from my scrotal pores and will ease the problem. This has been going on for about 2 years. I had a vasectomy about 8/9 years ago. Should I be concerned?

    Posted by jack sarrd at 11/01/2009 20:46:00

    i have a lump on my testicle and i am very worried do you have any suggestions why this may be? many thanks

    Posted by james at 23/12/2008 23:14:00

    i examaned my testicals and found a large soft bobbely lump not attached to the actual testical, it is atached to the corde leading from the testical up to the penis, is this just lots of cord all looped and tangled together or could it be a threat

    Posted by Debayan Banerjee at 20/12/2008 06:20:00

    I hav eone of my testicles swollen...it is about 3 week now...what will i do ?? pls reply..i have not told my family about dis...i am afraid..is dis normal..or is an odd for me only...what can be da causes..i dont have sexual intercourse wid anybody..i 5-7 times a week masterbate..ball sr not paining..but 1 is swollen..pls tell me what can it be ???

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