Men: Protect yourself from testicular trauma

Men: Protect yourself from testicular trauma

Any man reading this article understands full well the excruciating agony of trauma to the testicles. Getting kicked, hit by a baseball, being in a motorcycle or bicycle accident, are just a few ways this area of a man’s body may take a hit.

Because of the location of the testicles hanging outside the body in a pouch of skin called the scrotum, the testicles are particularly vulnerable to any kind of blunt force. The predominate reason the scrotum has few means of protecting a man’s testicles is for the fact there are no muscles or bones surrounding them like other organs of the body has. This is why any type of trauma to this area can result in significant pain and harm.

What exactly are the testicles?

The testicles are two male organs having the job of making sperm and male hormones. They are located inside the scrotum, the sac of skin that hangs below the penis. Each testicle is encased in a tough, fibrous cover that protects them.

Sperm cells are made in the testicles; once made, they travel to the epididymis, a rubbery gland along the back of the testicles. Once in the epididymis, thousands of sperm-making ducts from the testicle join to form a single coiled tube. Sperm stop briefly in the epididymis to mature before mixing with semen and leaving through a tube (the vans deferens) that joins with the urethra. The vas deferens is covered by a thick muscle wall. But the epididymis has a thin, fragile coating, and so is at higher risk for swelling and injury.

What happens during testicular trauma?

The very first sign of trauma to the testicles will be intense and severe pain. This pain is related to either infection or swelling of the epididymis, which only has minimal protection of a very thin wall. Once injured, it is will become red and swollen from the injury. Any boy or man who has a trauma to their testicle(s), needs to be evaluated by a urologist to make sure the blood supply to the testicles has not been blocked.  Is so, this can lead to loss of the testicle.

When some type of force is occurs to the testicles, any part of the contents within, can be damaged. If the trauma happens to the testicle’s tough cover and is torn or shattered, blood can leak from the wound. As the blood pools, it can stretch the scrotum until it’s tense which can lead to infection.

When should men seek care from a urologist after trauma to the testicles? Here are signs to seek medical care:

·      Any penetrating injury to the scrotum

·      Bruising and/or swelling of the scrotum

·      Trouble peeing or blood in the urine

·      Fevers after testicular injury

How a urologist can help with testicular trauma

After trauma to the testicles, a man should see a urologist, who specializes in the male reproductive system. After asking questions about how the injury occurred and general questions about health, they will do a physical exam assessing the extent of damage done. If they find nothing abnormal, they will likely provide pain medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Wearing a jock strap will also be advised to help support the scrotum.

If injury is found or there are questions as to the extent of the injury, a scrotal ultrasound scan may be done. Ultrasound uses sound waves bouncing off organs to make a picture of what’s inside your body. This device can create images of how the testicle, epididymis, and spermatic cord appear and also for checking blood flow.

If the ultrasound image does suggest testicular injury, a usual course of action is surgery. If the testicle is torn, it can be repaired if it has good blood supply and the other testicle has enough of its cover. But, if the injury is bad enough that the testicle cannot be fixed, then the testicle will be removed. As long as a man has the other testicle, he can still father a child.  A single testicle usually will make normal amounts of sperm and testosterone for this to happen.

How can men protect their testicles from injury?

Its everyday a man wakes up and thinks to himself, how will I prevent injury to my testicles?  But when common sense steps and practice are put into place, if and when any kind of potential may occur, at least a man who has followed through taking time to think about this, can help.  Keep in mind that there will be certain situations boys and men should do to protect this area of the body. Any time they will be playing contact sports, driving a car, riding a bike or motorcycle, are opportunities to take measures protecting their testicles.  Here are some steps to lower the risk of testicular trauma:

·      Wear a jockstrap when playing sports. Any activity that could involve a hard strike such as playing baseball, hockey, or martial arts, a boy or man must wear a protective hard cup.

·      Always wear a seatbelt when in a vehicle.

·      Any man working around machinery with exposed chains or belts, should make a point of tucking in clothes and preventing loose belts or other items “catching” on these parts.

·      Use caution when riding motorcycles and bicycles.