Dorothy FarrarTesticular inflammation (orchitis)
Testicular inflammation (orchitis) is a very painful inflammation of the testicles, which in most cases occurs as a side effect of mumps disease in adult men. In order to avoid serious complications such as male sterility, a urologist should be consulted if testicular inflammation is suspected in order to initiate effective treatment of testicular inflammation as quickly as possible.
What is testicular inflammation (orchitis)?
Testicular inflammation, which doctors also refer to as orchitis, is an inflammatory disease of the male testicles caused by bacteria or – in the most common cases – by viruses. In most cases, inflammation of the epididymis, a so-called epididymitis, occurs simultaneously in the affected man.
Testicular inflammation can be acute or chronic and affect one or both testicles. Often, severe pain and swelling of the scrotum occur with testicular inflammation. First and foremost, adult men fall ill with this painful inflammation; Boys before puberty age are rarely affected by testicular inflammation.
Causes
Testicular inflammation in adult men occurs in most cases as a complication of a disease of mumps, so it is caused by mumps viruses. However, other bacteria or viruses are also the cause of testicular inflammation.
In bacterial inflammation, pus usually forms in the testicular tissue. Frequently, the bacteria enter the testicles from surrounding organs such as the prostate or ureter. Bacteria that are responsible for sexual diseases such as gonorrhea or gonorrhea can also be considered as pathogens for testicular inflammation.
In very rare cases – mostly in men over 60 years of age – testicular inflammation is caused by autoimmune reactions of the male body. In addition, extreme external violence on the male testicles can trigger testicular inflammation.
When to see a doctor?
If there is pain or a feeling of pressure in the testicle that lasts for several days and shows no change even after ejaculation, a doctor should be consulted. If the symptoms spread or increase in intensity, it is necessary to initiate further medical examinations. Testicular inflammation often leads to a rapid progression of the disease, as the viruses or bacteria multiply and spread in the organism within a few hours or days.
It is therefore advisable to consult a doctor as soon as possible in the event of the first discrepancies. It is irrelevant whether the complaints occur unilaterally or bilaterally. In the case of an unpleasant feeling in the testicle, a feeling of tightness when wearing clothes or an unusual pulling in the testicle, there is cause for concern that should be investigated.
Sudden pain, swelling of the testicle or redness of the skin should be examined and clarified. If even careful touches are perceived as unpleasant, a doctor’s visit should be made. If there are other symptoms such as fever or dizziness, the inflammation has progressed. A doctor should be consulted before permanent impairment of semen production occurs. Since the disease triggers of testicular inflammation are very contagious, care must be taken to ensure that no further people are infected until medical care has been initiated.
Symptoms and course
Possible signs of testicular inflammation:
- Redness and swelling of the testicle
In acute testicular inflammation, affected patients suffer from severe pain of the testicles, which is usually accompanied by fever and a weakened general condition. In addition, the testicles may be severely swollen on one or both sides. Reddening of the skin in the area of the scrotum also occurs frequently. The testicles feel hard, with the pain subsiding due to an elevation and cooling of the testicles.
Many sick men also complain of pain in the bladder or ureter, an increased urge to urinate or burning during urination. If testicular inflammation occurs in connection with mumps, the affected man initially has the symptoms of mumps disease, while the symptoms of testicular inflammation usually appear a few days later.
Since testicular inflammation can spread to surrounding organs, treatment of testicular inflammation should be initiated as soon as possible. In most cases, testicular inflammation is uncomplicated and heals well with the appropriate therapy.
Diagnosis
If there is a suspicion of testicular inflammation, the affected man should definitely consult a urologist as soon as possible. This examines the testicles and at the same time excludes other diseases that can have symptoms similar to testicular inflammation. In order to find out the cause of the patient’s pain, the doctor palpates the testicles and additionally examines them with the help of Ultrasound .
Due to the redness and swelling of the testicles, the doctor can usually diagnose testicular inflammation relatively quickly. A blood test provides information about the pathogen and the severity of the testicular inflammation as well as the inflammation values. In very rare cases, it may be necessary for the testicle to be exposed during an operation to confirm the diagnosis of testicular inflammation.
Complications
In some cases, there is a risk of complications from testicular inflammation. This danger is particularly present if the person concerned suffers from repeated inflammation or is not treated professionally. One of the most common sequelae of orchitis is its spread to the epididymis (testicular epididymitis) and the testicles.
Bacterial testicular inflammation often takes a purulent course. It is possible for the pus to collect inside the testicles, which often results in compression of the testicular tissue. If there is an encapsulation of pus foci in the further course, this can result in an Abscess . The risk of abscess formation is not uncommon after syphilis surgery. In this case, surgical drainage of pus is required.
The inflammatory processes and swelling associated with inflammation of the testicles cause an increase in pressure, which in turn leads to the destruction of testicular tissue. As a result, the germ tissue within the testicle is lost. In medicine, there is then talk of testicular atrophy, during which the testicles shrink. Approximately every sixth man affected suffers from a reduction in his testicle functions. If this complication occurs in both testicles, there is a risk of reduced fertility (sterility). This is a permanent consequence of orchitis. Even with therapy, it is no longer possible to improve sperm production.
Treatment and therapy
Depending on the cause of the inflammation of the testicles, the urologist decides on the treatment of the sick man.
If the inflammation is caused by viruses, the doctor usually advises cooling and elevated positioning of the testicles and bed rest or at least strict physical rest.
The use of drugs that counteract the inflammatory processes can also contribute to faster healing of the testicular inflammation.
If the inflammation of the testicles is due to mumps disease, the sick man is treated with a special drug called interferon. In the case of bacterial testicular inflammation, the urologist will prescribe an antibiotic that counteracts the inflammation.
Since worse complications such as infertility due to damage to the testicular tissue are to be feared with testicular inflammation, a urologist should be consulted immediately at the slightest suspicion of testicular inflammation.
Prevention
The best prevention against testicular inflammation is the vaccination against mumps, which is usually given in childhood. This ensures that a grown man cannot contract mumps. The use of condoms during sexual intercourse also protects against bacterially transmitted sexually transmitted diseases, which can also trigger testicular inflammation.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.