An enlarged scrotum is not a disease, but a symptom. This clinical manifestation worries most of the strong half of humanity. The increase is inconvenient, but not always accompanied by pain. The absence of physical suffering gives rise to men to assume that the problem is not serious, it is not worth focusing on it. Factors contributing to a change in the size of the testes are very diverse, many require special attention. Whatever the cause of an enlarged testicle in men, illness or injury, a mandatory doctor consultation is necessary. Early diagnosis and therapy will help you quickly forget about the symptom.
Anatomy and functions
The testicles, gonad, testes are important organs of the male reproductive system. Anatomically, they are placed in the scrotum. Testicles are suspended on the spermatic cord, and covered with seven membranes, each of which performs its function. The cord consists of the vas deferens of blood vessels and nerves.
The testicles are located asymmetrically, they have the shape of a flattened ellipse. Each of them weighs about 30 g, has a length within 4-6 cm and a width of 2.5-3.5 cm. Oversizing is usually a consequence of pathology. Depending on the cause of the disease, an enlarged testicle in men may be accompanied by painful sensations.
Testicles perform two main functions:
- Exocrine - the production of germ cells - sperm.
- Intra secretory - the production of sex hormones - mainly testosterone.
Functions are tightly combined and interdependent.
Causes of testicular enlargement in men
Changes in gonad size are a common problem. According to statistics, half of the male population, at least once encountered it. Moreover, the increase can be both in young and in men aged.
The testicles have a very complex structure. Blood supply is provided by the testicular artery, which moves away from the abdominal cavity. Peritoneal diseases can contribute to abnormal blood circulation, which leads to the development of pathologies.
The functions of testicles are correlated with the functions of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands. Malfunctions in the thyroid gland in childhood lead to a delay in puberty, in the future this contributes to the formation of various anthological pathologies.
The cause of the disease in men, an increase in the left testicle or right, is local or general. Also, the factors of the occurrence of pathology are divided into infectious and non-infectious, age-related.
What affects the increase in testis in a child?
At the age of five, gonads are in a dormant phase. Their size is small, and the increase immediately catches the eye.
The most common disease in which one testicle is enlarged is cryptorchidism. In fact, this is not an increase in one testicle, but the absence of another in the scrotum. Undescension is common, so the pediatrician finds him at the initial appointment, he gives direction to a pediatric surgeon. In addition to cryptorchidism, hydrocele occurs in babies, characterized by a change in the size of the entire scrotum.
From 11 to 17 years, puberty begins, characterized by active growth and the formation of testicles. In boys and men, the causes and symptoms of testicular enlargement are slightly different:
- Injury. In the puberty, the gonad begins to intensively synthesize testosterone. Excess hormone affects the activity of the child. Boys are seriously interested in sports. An enlarged testicle may occur as a result of a hit on a sports apparatus, a bicycle.
- Testicular anemia occurs due to compression of the spermatic cord. In the formation phase, you need to select free underwear - squeezing the testicle even for 15-20 minutes leads to dystrophic changes, and subsequently to the destruction of spermatogenic epithelium.
- Dropsy of the testicle is an accumulation of serous fluid between the membranes. The disease is characterized by an increase in scrotum and difficulty in deurination. Every tenth boy suffers from a disease.
- Hemangioma is a benign neoplasm due to proliferation of blood vessels. Occurs due to genetic mutations. The course passes without unpleasant sensations, the child can only complain of discomfort when walking.
Infectious pathologies
The most common cause of testicular enlargement in men is a disease of infectious genesis. Pathogens: mycelium, bacteria, viruses. They provoke the development of such pathologies:
- Orchitis - inflammation of the testicle, appears again due to the spread of infection.
- Tuberculosis is a defeat of the gonad by Koch's wand.
- Mumps is an infectious disease that affects the glands.
- Venereal diseases. An increase in testicles occurs in the late stages of syphilis, gonorrhea.
Modification of the size of the scrotum can be a complication of diseases of the genitourinary system and even respiratory organs.
Non-Infectious Factors Affecting Scrotum Resize
The reason why one man's testicle has increased, but does not hurt, can be many factors. Most pathologies at the developmental stage do not cause any unpleasant sensations, and a change in the scrotum in size is the only clinical manifestation. Noncommunicable causes are of various origins:
- Damage caused by squeezing or bruising. The testicles during injuries are not damaged, but are displaced or pulled up. Due to the accumulation of blood vessels, a hematoma develops rapidly. Often swollen and changes color, not only the testicle, but also the penis.
- Diaper rash is observed in hot weather in overweight men due to poor hygiene. The scrotum rubs against the thigh or clothing causes irritation, the skin increases in size.
- Edema occurs as a result of a disorder in the systems that regulate water metabolism.
- Torsion of the testis is an abnormal condition in which the inversion of the testicle leads to compression of the nerves and blood vessels of the spermatic cord.
- Varicocele is a bunching in the veins of a soft cord located in the inguinal canal. In 92% of cases, the vessels of the left testicle are affected. The disease is more prone to older men.
- Benign tumors. Adenomatoid tumor occurs at the age of 30-50 years, does not develop into cancer. Another non-cancerous formation is atheroma, characterized by redness, swelling of the testicle, and pain.
- Inguinal scrotal hernia.
- Sarcoma is a malignant neoplasm of non-epithelial nature.
- Testicular cancer. The main cause of cancerous tumors is hormonal imbalance.
Clinical manifestations
The reasons for the enlargement of the scrotum in older men and in young people are mostly the same. The only difference is that the younger generation, unlike the older ones, is not shy about going to the doctor, they are trying to solve the problem. With any pathology, timely access to a specialist helps to avoid chronic forms.
Not all diseases are accompanied by pain, but in most cases the symptoms are the same:
- Discomfort when walking, the feeling that "something is interfering between the legs."
- Difficult urination with frequent urge.
- Pain during intercourse, especially with ejaculation.
- In some cases, you can distinguish swollen veins, a change in skin color in the scrotum.
The presence of blood in the urine or sperm is a manifestation of serious diseases, which requires immediate medical attention.
When does it become necessary to visit a urologist?
Swelling of the testicles is a consequence of the developed pathology. Even with the same symptoms of an increase in the testes, the causes can be different. For minor changes, contact a specialist:
- The testicle grows fairly quickly in two days.
- The tumor does not subside even after changing clothes and cooling compresses.
- Discoloration of the skin.
- An increase in local or general temperature is observed.
- Various rashes appeared.
- Painful deurination and ejaculation.
Usually several symptoms appear simultaneously, but are not always accompanied by painful sensations.
Diagnostics
A comprehensive examination will help determine why a man’s testicle enlarges and hurts. Diagnostics and therapy are carried out by a urologist or urologist-andrologist. The establishment and study of signs of testicular pathology consists of several stages.
In the anamnesis, attention is paid to past diseases and injuries, complaints of pain in the inguinal region, their orientation and intensity are specified. Visually assess the shape, size, condition of the skin. On palpation, determine the location of the testicle, consistency, the presence of nodes, seals.
Laboratory tests are carried out: a general analysis of blood and urine, a radioimmunological method for determining the content of testosterone, a spermogram, a smear and a biopsy of the urethra.
Instrumental diagnostics: radiography, ultrasound, diaphanoscopy, CT.
Therapies
After a full examination, the doctor determines and prescribes treatment. There are 3 treatment options: waiting, medication, and surgery. The latter is used in case of inefficiency of the two previous ones or in severe pathologies.
The development of certain diseases is significantly affected by lifestyle. The doctor recommends in such situations to abandon bad habits, follow a diet, prescribe vitamins. The patient is regularly examined.
If an infectious cause of the disease is revealed, an enlarged testicle in men, the treatment is prescribed with antibacterial or antifungal drugs. Additionally, the urologist can prescribe immunomodulators and antihistamines. Therapy is course, lasting from two weeks.
Forecast
Treatment of diseases in which swelling (enlargement) of the testicles occurs should be carried out by a specialist. The prognosis depends on the complexity of the pathology, the correctness of the prescribed therapy.
Timely treatment increases the chances of a favorable outcome. If the cause of the increase in gonad was an infection, then the man should carefully monitor hygiene, maintain immunity through proper nutrition, physical education.
After surgery, the patient must strictly observe all the recommendations of the urologist.
Preventive actions
Whatever the cause of the disease, the enlargement of the testicle in men, simple preventive measures will help to avoid it. The anatomy of the organ is quite complicated, therefore, therapy should not be carried out independently. Even if nothing bothers, you need to visit a urologist every 6 months.
Testicular enlargement is a rather alarming clinical manifestation. The list of probable pathologies is considerable, as a result of which a full examination is necessary. Properly and on time prescribed therapy guarantees a favorable prognosis.