Harry's Blog

Well I have something of a delicate and slightly embarrassing story to relate. But I've decided to do so in the spirit of public information for you lads reading this. Before I continue I just want to point out that I'm totally okay and the medical story I relate resolves in me not being particularly unwell, so please don't worry.

Over the last week I've had an ache in one side of my scrotum. Of course this is something that can cause embarrassment, but due to a family history with cancer I bit the bullet and despite the obvious shyness about this issue, went to see my doctor this morning.

The problem I had was an ache behind my right testicle. Examining the area led to me being initially concerned I had a lump or swelling in the area, but after a bit of comparison with the other side, it seemed they were both identical.

So no lump or bump, but why the ache? Well I went to see my GP to find out. I have to say I was nervous about seeing my doctor. I didn't have a particular fear over my health, it was more an issue about getting my tackle out and having it examined by the GP.

However my doctor really put me at ease after I explained the problem and the examination wasn't as awful as I imagined, it was fine in fact.

The problem? Well it seems I have a slight infection of the epididimus, which is the tubes and the like attached to the testicle itself. It's not a major issue, quite common in fact, and I've just been prescribed some antibiotics and paracetamol to tackle the problem. The infection isn't sexually transmitted, nor is it related to any kind of sexual activity, it's just one of those common infections that blokes can often end up with. The testicles and scrotum are just as prone to infection as any other part of the body.

But I wanted to tell my story because these aspects of men's health are often ignored or not talked about. It's a good idea to regularly check the area for any problems. Yo0 may joke that your hands are quite often in the area, but actually examining your testicles is a very different kettle of fish. So it's recommended that you check yourself at least once a month.

You can find a good resource about self examination here. While my story has resulted in only a minor and not particularly painful problem, it has highlighted to me the issues surrounding male genital health and I really would advise seeing your doctor if there are any worries or problems. You may be shy about doing so, but it really is worth getting checked out to ease any worries and get treatment if needed.

Update: It turned out my problem was ultimately much simpler than even an infection. It was caused by back-ache and sitting on a hard dining chair while working because I didn't have my usual office chair available. As soon as I had my comfy chair back the ball-ache went away.