# So Why is My Right Testicle Hurting? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 5, 2004, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734 "2004-05-05T23:06:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/1 "2004-05-05T23:06:43Z")
Yes, I’ve given myself an exam (no lumps or anything else unusual) and I’m going to see the doctor about this (later on tomorrow), but given that I’m a bit of a hypochondriac I’d like some ideas of what the heck could be causing this (other than the “big C” of course). As for my symptoms, well, yesterday, it started feeling like someone kicked the hell out of it, but I’ve had no blows to the family jewels, and I wasn’t doing any heavy lifting at the time (though I do a _lot_ of heavy lifting on my job). The level of the pain comes and goes (but _doesn’t_ increase when I pick anything up), and touching my nut (or anything else in the general area) doesn’t add to the pain (though raising it up does make me feel better). ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/2 "2004-05-05T23:17:45Z")
I’ll put $5 on “Tuckerfan has a hernia.” ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2004, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/3 "2004-05-05T23:27:39Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > but given that I’m a bit of a hypochondriac I’d like some ideas of what the heck could be causing this (other than the “big C” of course). I’m not a doc but a few things other than the “big C” come to mind. It could be that you’ve contracted mumps, or your testicle might have become twisted inside your scrotum, or it could be epididymitis…an inflammation of the epididymis. Or it could just be a good old case of “blue balls.” (Have you been gettin’ enough lately? 😉 ) And there are more possibilities, but these should be enough to show you that your symptoms can be caused by a lot of fairly benign ailments. Let us know what you find out. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Calliope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Calliope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calliope)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/4 "2004-05-06T00:30:35Z")
It sounds a lot like what my husband experiences when he has bouts of epididymitis. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/5 "2004-05-06T00:33:18Z")
Testicular cancer is relatively rare, and usually painless when first detected. So it’s probably not that. If tylenol and/or ibuprofen don’t relieve it and it lasts overnight, contact your doctor. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/6 "2004-05-06T00:54:22Z")
I’ll vote for a hydrocele. From [this website](http://hernia.tripod.com/vocab2.html): > [@](#): > > A HYDROCELE is simply a collection of fluid, contained within a membrane sac surrounding the testicle. This membrane sac is generally a congenital remnant of the pathway that the testicle passed from within the abdomen where it is initially formed, down into the scrotum during fetal development. Usually, this tract or pathway closes after birth, but may persist in some patients. It is at times connected to a hernia sac (Communicating Hydrocele), while at other times is separated or not at all associated with a hernia (Non-Communicating Hydrocele). In children, the presence of a Hydrocele most frequently is associated with a hernia on the same side. Fluid may develop within this membrane sac spontaneously, or, in the case of a Communicating Hydrocele, drain into the sac along the hernia from inside the abdominal cavity. The size of the Hydrocele may fluctuate, often significantly in Communicating Hydroceles as fluid travels back and forth from within the abdomen to the Hydrocele sac. Hydroceles are successfully managed surgically and should be repaired when associated with a hernia, or when large and symptomatic or growing. I had this problem back in my late teens, with occasional recurring bouts with it. Keeping my abdominal muscles in good shape has prevented any repeat performances for the last couple of decades, thankfully. The fact that elevating the scrotum relieves the symptoms is what leads me to this notion. Then again, I may be full of it. Your doctor will tell you what’s going on. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/7 "2004-05-06T01:09:14Z")
I’ll vote for calling a doctor. It _could_ be a lot of things—when I had that pain it meant kidney stones—but only your doctor could tell you for certain. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/8 "2004-05-06T03:39:33Z")
**Starving** , ain’t gotten any for a long time, but I’m not to the point where a milling machine gets me hot 'n bothered. **Qaddie** , so what you’re saying is to take two aspirins and call you in the morning? Sheesh! I thought that you guys stopped giving out that kind of advice in the 70s when the joke got old. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/9 "2004-05-06T03:49:27Z")
Emergency room. Now. Could be your wiring to the testicles is all twisted up. This means you (may) have lost blood flow. You can loose one or (more commonly) both. You don’t that to happen. Trust me, I know. Go, it is probably nothing, but go. Take a magazine. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/10 "2004-05-06T03:54:24Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > Emergency room. Now. > > Could be your wiring to the testicles is all twisted up. This means you (may) have lost blood flow. You can loose one or (more commonly) both. You don’t that to happen. Trust me, I know. > > Go, it is probably nothing, but go. Take a magazine. Meh. It’s highly likely that I’m already sterile (long story, TMI), so it’s not like I’d be losing a whole heck of a lot, if you know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/11 "2004-05-06T04:04:40Z")
Go see a doctor. My testicles are destroyed (you don’t want to know) and as a result I have a nice intramuscular injection every two weeks, blood tests every six months and a nice bald spot. Go. ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/12 "2004-05-06T05:29:52Z")
Sounds like epididymitis to me (husband had it) but IANAD. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/13 "2004-05-06T08:29:14Z")
Probably no big deal at all, but it could be a strangulated testicle, and that requires a fast trip to the ER. I hope it all works out for him. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/14 "2004-05-06T10:22:36Z")
It could also be a varicose vein in or around the testicle. ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/15 "2004-05-06T11:29:51Z")
Have you been eating nothing but pizza lately? ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/16 "2004-05-06T13:19:35Z")
> [@Abbie Carmichael](#): > > Sounds like epididymitis to me (husband had it) but IANAD. IANACH (I Am Not Abbie Carmichael’s Husband) but I had epididymitis, and let me tell you, that’s the worst pain I’ve ever had. I mean sitting on the edge of the tub near the toilet waiting to puke it hurt so bad. Get thee to a doctor, young man. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/17 "2004-05-06T15:33:29Z")
**ZebraShaSha** , I’ll give you _such a pinch!_ (And allow me to add my voice to the “You’d better be posting from your doctor’s waiting-room” chorus, **Tuckerfan**. Don’t muck about.) ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/18 "2004-05-06T16:36:06Z")
And the winner is: Pulled groin muscle! Thank you, very much. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/19 "2004-05-06T16:43:31Z")
Whew! ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734/20 "2004-05-06T16:47:00Z")
Pulled groin muscle? Damn. That happened to me a few years ago. I was working an active job at the time - small package delivery - so it was a pretty serious problem. I though for sure I’d herniated myself. Warning: You’re going to have to take it easy, or that could take months to heal. Mine dragged on (so to speak) for over a year before it completely subsided and went away. Not fun. Feel better! Winston [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-why-is-my-right-testicle-hurting/243734.md?page=2)