Hello and welcome!

Before you read the rest of my article: if you are having acute testicular pain (testicular pain that has developed within a few minutes or over a couple of days time) then you need to seek the attention of a physician because it is possible that you have a testicular torsion and this means that blood flow to the testicle may be compromised and the amount of time you have to preserve your testicle is limited. If that describes your situation, stop reading and go get help from a physician!

Now, if you have been having chronic testicular pain (months of intermittent or constant testicular pain that is significantly bothersome), please keep reading so you can learn more. There is help available to you!

And if you just want the free stuff that is normally at the end go here and request a free tool!

If you are dealing with chronic testicular pain most likely you have been told that there isn’t anything else that can be done. Perhaps you have (and you would not be alone in this) even had your testicle removed in hopes of alleviating the pain…and this may not have even helped. Or maybe you just feel like you’re constantly being nut-tapped. Whatever the case, this is a challenging condition that can negatively affect men’s daily lives. If this is you, I want you to know that you are not alone (about 100,000 men are dealing with this in the United States every year), and there is help. I have helped multiple men dealing with chronic testicular pain through my men’s health physical therapy practice. In this article I will give you a brief overview of symptoms and treatment options, and will aim to explain what could be the source of your pain.

Causes of Chronic Testicular Pain:

Chronic testicular pain can arise from a variety of sources. These include actual injury (like my patient who attempted to push a vehicle and ended up with a “groin strain”), infections that end up in the testicle itself, and nerve irritation (like when my patient’s mid-back nerve was pinched and that nerve fed the front of his testicle, leading to testicular pain). Identifying the precise cause is complex so I would recommend seeking out your nearest Men’s Health physical therapist to get a full and formal assessment. Basically, it will come down to whether or not the tissues that communicate with or are located in the testicle are maintaining good mobility and blood flow. If the tissues leading to the pain are muscular then this will most likely include the adductor muscles on the inside of the thighs and the abdominal muscles (one of which actually runs down into the scrotum). 

Symptoms and Diagnoses:

The symptoms of chronic testicular pain can vary widely, ranging from intermittent mild pain (usually feels like the family jewels won’t quite sit right in your underwear) to persistent and severe discomfort and tenderness, or even swelling (if this is an acute issue for you go see a physician! Don’t risk losing one of your boys.) and changes in testicular size. Some individuals may describe their symptoms as numbness and/or tingling. You may notice that you have back or hip stiffness associated with testicular pain. If that is your case, I would not be surprised because the nerves that feed the testicles come from two places: the mid-back, and the sacrum (your low, low back). When the pathway of these nerves get irritated or stiff this can result in testicular pain. The hips can play a role because myofascially the inside hip muscles run up into muscles that are very near to the scrotum. 

So, how do you fix it? 

Treatment Options for Chronic Testicular Pain:

Managing chronic testicular pain often necessitates a multidisciplinary approach involving various treatment modalities. Depending on the underlying cause, treatment options may include medication, physical therapy, and lifestyle modifications. Things that your physician may choose to order will include antibiotics for bacterial infections, anticonvulsants (gabapentin) to alleviate nerve pain, or anti-inflammatory medications to help alleviate pain associated with inflammation. When you go to see a men’s health physical therapist you’ll receive treatments that will help to loosen up the pertinent tissues and strengthen them to improve tissue health. (“Wait, you’re going to strengthen my balls?” Well, yes and no. Don’t worry, this won’t be like the Kung Fu iron-body part training. In short, if the muscles that are stiff and upset get stronger and their chemistry stays “happy” then they will have a decreased likelihood of getting upset. And you’ll have less severe or no testicular pain.) 

Oftentimes when someone goes to a pelvic health therapist, including a men’s health physical therapist, there’s a big-ol nervous question mark hovering over their head: “What are you going to do to me?” That’s a question that everyone should be asking when they go to see any medical professional, and the answer should always be something along the lines of “Only what you feel educated and comfortable with.” It can be embarrassing to get help with these issues, but I am certain that most men’s health therapists that you contact would be happy to answer your questions prior to your visit. Feel free to reach out to me here if you aren’t sure where to start.

Chronic testicular pain is so frustrating but effective management and treatment strategies are available. By understanding the causes, recognizing the symptoms, and seeking timely medical and therapeutic evaluation, you can take proactive steps toward finding relief and improving your quality of life. As a physical therapist, I encourage anyone experiencing chronic testicular pain to reach out to their local men’s health physical therapist for personalized assessment and treatment. With the right approach and support, managing chronic testicular pain is possible. Chances are quite high that you do not have to walk around feeling like you are being kicked in the balls.

If you are in the Wichita area and would like to get help from Renewal Physical Therapy you can reach out here. We also want you to know that we don’t function like most physical therapy clinics. Our goal is to give you the tools to take care of your body so you can spend less on medical professionals and more on the rest of your life. Make sure to ask for an estimate on how many visits it will take to reconcile your problem. Even if we don’t know for certain, we want to give our patients our best guess. Afterall, no one wants to spend money on something that won’t work. Especially not on an issue you may have had for months or years like chronic testicular pain.