What are testicular infections?

Orchitis is a swelling in one or both testicles, and is usually caused by an infection. Young boys who are less than the age of 6 are most vulnerable to testicular infections. The pain caused by such infections can vary in their severity, ranging from being acute to chronic, dull or sharp, which then causes extreme discomfort to the suffering individual.

Types and Causes of Testicular infections

Testicular Infection is an umbrella term which includes a number of disorders or types of infections. The various types and their causes are:

Epididymitis:In this type of testicular infection, there is an inflammation of the epididymis. The epididymis is a tube through which sperm reaches the vas deferens.
Orchitis: In this particular testicular condition, there is an inflammation of the testicles (one or both). This condition may be a result of a fungal or bacterial infection and is the primary cause for pain in the testicles for teenagers.
Trauma: Any kind of injury to the testicle may result in a testicular infection. Such injuries include pulling the zip over the testicular area by mistake or getting hit by a ball.

Other causes of testicular infections include:

Sexually transmitted diseases
Kidney stones
Mumps
Cancer
Torsion (twisted testicles)
Inguinal hernia

Symptoms of Testicular Infections

Below listed are the symptoms of the condition:

Sudden pain in the testicles without an apparent cause or injury
Scrotum swelling
Tenderness on palpation of the testicles
Chills/Fever
Discharge from the penis
Lump in the testicles
Blood in the semen
Nausea
Episodes of fainting
Pain while urinating
Pain during ejaculation
Pain in the groin area

Testicular Infection - Complications

Many complications arise due to the infection and some of them are listed below:

Permanent damage of the testicles
Loss of a testicle
Infertility
Cosmetic deformity
Abscess formation
Systemic blood infection

Diagnosis of Testicular Infections

Diagnosis of Testicular infections can be done in the following ways:

Laboratory tests: Blood test, urinalysis, swab of the urethra
Imaging tests: Ultrasonography and CT scan

Treatment of Testicular Infections

Treatment depends on the type and severity of the infection. In the case of testicular infections caused by fungus or bacteria, antibiotics and antifungal medications are prescribed by the doctor. In other cases, pain medications can provide relief. For those suffering from a testicular torsion, quick action in the form of surgery is essential to treat the condition.
Prompt diagnosis and condition-specific treatment are effective measures by which a man can get back to his original testicular functioning within no time. In cases where the severity is high and not treated appropriately, this may result in infertility.