Overview
Testicle pain (testicular pain) is pain that occurs in or around one or both testicles. Sometimes testicle pain actually originates from somewhere else in the groin or abdomen, and is felt in one or both testicles (referred pain).
Causes
Testicle pain has a number of possible causes. The testicles are very sensitive, and even a minor injury can cause testicle pain or discomfort. Testicle pain might arise from within the testicle itself or from the coiled tube and supporting tissue behind the testicle (epididymis).
Sometimes, what seems to be testicle pain is caused by a problem that starts in the groin, abdomen or somewhere else — for example, kidney stones and some hernias can cause testicle pain. The cause of testicle pain can’t always be identified.
Causes of testicle pain or pain in the testicle area can include:
- Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage caused by diabetes)
- Drug side effect, such as certain antibiotics and chemotherapy drugs
- Epididymitis (testicle inflammation)
- Gangrene (specifically, a type of gangrene called Fournier’s gangrene)
- Henoch-Schonlein purpura (blood vessel inflammation)
- Hydrocele (fluid buildup that causes swelling of the scrotum)
- Idiopathic testicular pain (unknown cause)
- Inguinal hernia
- Kidney stones
- Mumps
- Orchitis (inflamed testicle)
- Prostatitis
- Scrotal masses
- Spermatocele (fluid buildup in the testicle)
- Testicle injury or blow to the testicles
- Testicular cancer
- Testicular torsion (twisted testicle)
- Undescended testicle (also called cryptorchidism)
- Urinary tract infection (UTI)
- Varicocele (enlarged veins in the scrotum)
- Vasectomy