What kind of doctor should I see? [TMI]

Factual Questions
1

I have a PPO, so I can go see a specialist if I need to.

For a few months now, I’ve been getting sharp pains just above my right testicle. The pain only lasts for a few seconds, and it happens very rarely. Sometimes it happens after I’ve been working out, but other times it happens just as I’m waking up.

The vast majority of the time, though, there is a very slight uncomfortableness in the same spot. I would call it a dull ache, but it doesn’t really hurt, it just feels weird.

So, do I see a urologist or what?

2

I am not a doctor, this is not intended as medical advise, see someone who knows what they are talking about, this is purely based on personal experience and not any actual expertise, etc…

My husband had a similar situation. His turned out to be a hernia. He saw his general practitioner who referred him to a surgeon. The surgery is not that big a deal, but hernia’s have the potential to become very dangerous so its best to get it looked at.

3

See a general practitioner. He will caress your balls and tell you what’s wrong or refer you to someone who can.

Does the area feel any different to the touch? My guess: varicocele, but I am not a doctor. Come back after you see one and tell me if I’m right.

4

Yes, I am going to see a doctor. I don’t have a GP right now, but I can get one, if that’s the appropriate one to see. But I can go see a specialist directly as well. Thanks for the replies.

5

No, I don’t think the area feels any different.

6

You’re guessing this problem falls within the field of a urologist - you don’t actually know that, not being qualified to diagnose. I understand why you came to that conclusion, but it could be something else unrelated to your urological equipment.

For that reason, I’d suggest a GP. Also, they cost less, and there’s that whole issue of not spending more money than you have to, even if it’s your insurance company paying, but mostly it’s because the GP can not only determine if you need to see a urologist or not, he’s also qualified to diagnose quite a bit of stuff on his own, or to refer you to some other specialty if appropriate.

7

See the Urologist

They deal with stuff involving the testicles too. I think there are too many things a general practitioner can miss, and this is something the Urologist does daily. I’ve been to one because of pains like you have and had surgery within a couple weeks after the visit.

8

I suppose that in this circumstance that it’s most important you see a doctor than to quibble about which **sort **of doctor. So please, see a doctor. Of some sort.

9

IANAD, IANAMedicalStudent, IANANurse…but it sounds like it could be an inguinal hernia: a loop of your intestine has pushed through into your scrotum through the inguinal canal, where your vas deferens enters the abdomen.

Go see a doctor. Doesn’t really matter what kind…specialists get generalist educations before they specialize, so they can diagnose things that aren’t necessarily in their specialty.

10

Many years ago I had the same thing happen. Just a ZAP of sharp pain zinging up my left jewel. Would happen once every couple of days. Didn’t matter what I was doing or what I had did, so trying to figure out why it was happening was unsuccessful. Doctor did some test and found absolutely nothing wrong with me.

This started happening about 3 months after I got married, so the only explanation he could think of was over use of equipment. It eventually stopped doing it, though the over use of equipment continued.:D:cool:

And no, I’m not kidding. :rolleyes:

11

I’ve been suffering with the same thing off and on. I turns out to be prostatitis every time.

12

Thanks for the responses. I guess I’ll go see a GP and take it from there.