This is a tough one and unfortunately I don't know any real answers. It's quite common to lose faith in doctors as there are many problems they just don't know about. And the ones they do know about they know nothing more than what drug to push. They'll write it off as in your head.

First off, have you considered going to a specialist, perhaps a urologist? They might be of more help.

Second, how about natural medicine, a naturopath or accupuncturist? I don't really know what a naturopath could say as they're very good at leading people to healthier lives, but they're not doctors and can't really diagnose diseases. But you never know what one may have encountered before. When I say accupuncturist, I don't mean go get needles put in your body. I just mention them because they're sort of like the Chinese version of a naturopath, they do more than just work with needles. I'm not sure what these avenues will bring you, but I wouldn't give up until I found an answer or relief. Even if natural doctors don't diagnose you, they may still offer help towards relief. The body is completely connected, so a pain in the leg can actually caused by the heart. By treating the whole body or certain areas, we can actually treat another. Maybe they can help you do this.

Thirdly, you mention a doctor saying it was epididymitis and giving you antibiotics. Was there any specific reason the doctor came to that diagnosis? It's a common diagnosis, but I mean, did he take any urine or blood samples to test for infection? Or any type of examination or test at all that made him come to that conclusion? I'm wondering, because you said it seemed to work (placebo effect perhaps), but then later doses did nothing and another doctor said it was not an infection. Did the doctor who said it was not an infection do any tests to conclude that?

I'm wondering if you have a low level chronic infection. If you think you might, go to the thread "Reoccurant Chlamydia infection." It should be right on the first page now, and if you have trouble finding it let me know. In that thread, I talk about some things that help fight infections, improve immune systems, and then replenish probiotics (good bacteria). I'd suggest you read it either way and replenish your probiotics since you've taken antiobiotics so many times. They kill good bacteria too and now bad bacteria is left unchecked.

Fourthly, I understand you had an ultrasound to check for cancer and I'm sure they would have looked for other problems. Was there no other indications of anything? Not a varicocele, or anything? Perhaps get another. I wouldn't give up on this, no point in living in pain. If you have to go through 30 doctors until you find one that actually cares enough to continue looking for causes than that's what you do.

Fifthly, what is the pain like? Is it similar to being kicked in the balls, but perhaps to a less extent? You mention burning. In the testicle or just on the skin?

Sixthly (<--is that even a word, heh), you find sitting uncomfortable and standing better. Do you find differences in the amount of support you have? Such as, do loose boxers or supportive briefs make a difference? Do you wear tight jeans?

Lastly, although it doesn't seem like a complete answer...you say it hurts more when you sit and the doctor said it's the way you sit. Though not complete, perhaps better circulation would help you. Maybe you could try sitting on padding. You can get pillows that are made from memory foam (you know, the stuff that NASA made, that the infomercial mattress is made of) at any of the big stores, WalMart, Kmart, Target.


Hope you find an answer, and don't give up until you do. There's always a cause, it just might not be where the pain is.

Hi, you have no idea how helpful your questions were.

Why didn't the doctors ask me such questions? I don't understand, they just took my word for it. If they asked me some of the questions you asked me I think they would have had a better understand.

Anyway, to answer your questions.

1. All but the 1st doctor I saw were urologists, the first doctor I saw was a practitioner, he was by far the most helpful actually.

2. Natural medicine, I have thought about myself for days, but didn't know where to start, like who do I talk to? I tried googling some stuff ealier, like "natural pain cures" but of course in this day and age, you usually get stormed with fake sites that just want money.

** If you know anything more on how I can start looking into this, I would appreciate it allot!

3. The doctor said I had epidiymitis because one day I came in, told him what I was feeling then(pain was much worse at this time) he took an STD test, came out negative, but I had a fever, so he said I def. had some infection, gave me some antibiotics. Then I returned, told him, they worked, then stopped, then he gave me some more antibiotics, they didn't work at all this time, then he said, it can't be an infection then.

** It's as if they expected the antibiotics to work 100%. I also read some people's bodies become immune to antibiotics, but I am no doctor so maybe he was right.

4. The ultrasound, from what I know was to check for anything that wasn't suppose to be there, that's what the doctor told me, pretty much in those words. This was my first time with these things, call me stupid but I didn't really ask any questions, I just followed what ever they said. They called me few days later told me the results came out negative, they didnt' find anything unusual.

** I have no idea what a varicocele is, but since you mentioned it, I will look into it asap.
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5. Now that I really think about it, and feel my self out so to say, the pain is not actually in the testicles(the ball), but more on the skin or perhaps the nervers in the scrotum, near the bottom of the scrotum where the testicles usually lay if a man were to stand up straight.

6. I do find some difference in the support, when I wear loose boxers like I am now, usually* the pain/burning is not that bad. I can sit on the computer for a few hours and not really notice it too much. But, if I wear jeans, and I don't wear tight jeans at all, I can't sit anywhere with my jeans on for more than 30-40 minutes without my scrotum heating up it seems.
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Another thing, like when my left testicle's skin is touching my left thigh for more than 30 minutes, usually I feel some discomfort there as well, it seems like whatever my testicles touch for more than a short period of time, they can't stand it.

I'd also say the pain is more on the left side, like 70/30 ratio(70 on the left, 30 on the left) kinda thing.

Anyway, I really, really appreciate your reply, you have no idea what you just opened up in me. When I went to the doctors, it seemed like they were rushing me out the door, didn't really give me a chance to explain, just wrote me off some meds and set me off.

I really really appreciate this man, if you have more advice, please share.

Has any doctor that you have gone to mentioned torsion. This is when the tubes that carry the sperm (epididymis)get all tangle up with each other. It happens to a lot of athletes from continuous movement and trauma. It usually corrects itself within days or weeks. If it doesn't a minor operation may be necessary.

This is not something an ultrasound tech would notice as they are looking for growths and masses (dark spots on the screen).

1. That's good. It might help to see both, and other types as well if you're led that way.

2. To find a naturopath you could go on to google and type things such as "naturopath" or "find a naturopath." There are many sites out there dedicated to naturopaths and naturopathic medicine and I'm sure some have ways to find one in your area. The other is to try yellowpages.com. And one of the best ways is to talk to the people that work at health stores. They have hundreds of customers concerned with natural health that come in every week. Some of those customers have talked about their doctors or naturopaths, and others ask if they could recommend a naturopath or doctor. So you should be able to get some info from them about naturopaths and doctors in your area. Go to yellowpages.com and start calling the health stores in your area and ask. You might find that one of the store owners is actually a naturopath him/herself. You might also be able to get recommendations to good doctors in general, or perhaps a doctor that practices natural medicine as well.

3. I'm not a doctor either, so I don't know if antibiotics not working is a clear sign of no infection. I also don't know about people becoming immune to antibiotics. However, bacteria most definitely becomes immune to antibiotics, so that's essentially the same difference. Bacteria multiply extremely quickly and in large numbers, allowing for quick evolution, or passing down of genes, survival of the fittest. When you take antibiotics you destroy the infection and/or at least control it to where the body's natural defenses can take over. If any bacteria survive they have come into contact with the antibiotics and may have actually survived because they're resistant. Now the bacteria in your body, the bacteria that will multiply are resistant and will for the most part pass down that resistance. That's why the overuse of antibiotics can be dangerous, at least for society as a whole. Because if antibiotics are passed out for any infection, the bacteria become resistant and when someone really needs antibiotics they've become less effective. That's the reason when you went back he'd give you a different type every time, because he doesn't want to give you an antibiotic the bacteria are already resistant too.

Like I said you should take probiotics to replenish your good bacteria as well as fight the bad bacteria, keep them in check, improve digestion and everything else it does. Go the thread I mentioned and it will also list infection fighters and immune boosters. Might as well give it a go to fight off any infections you have now (testicle related or not), then follow with probiotics and continually take them with an immune booster. If you talk to a naturopath he can make better recommendations.

4. I figured they'd test for everything, as why do it, just wanted to make sure. I had an ultrasound done too for testicle pain which was first believed to be epididymitis as well. Turned out to be a varicocele, which is basically just a varicose vein of the testicle. It doesn't sound like what you have because it causes more of an ache, like a mild kick to the balls, and some stomach pain too.

5. Well, if you have a new description it's probably best for you to go back to the doctors and explain it again. Take some time when your in pain to think about the actual pain and how to describe it. It's easier to do when you're actually feeling it. Do the same for when you're only feeling discomfort as that may help to describe as well. Then write it down, as well as your whole story, any anomalies, weird days, and maybe anything you can think of that happened before or during, anything you've noticed. That way you can give the doctor the whole picture and you won't forget anything. If it seems like he's not listening, then maybe you need a new doctor. If he rushes to a conclusion ask him why and why it's not something else. You're paying him, so if he can't listen, pay someone else.

If it's not in the testicle at all and only in the skin, perhaps it being in the testicles is only a coincidence and it's just a skin problem a dermatologist can help with. Or perhaps a nerve issue that a neurologist should examine.

6. Are you sweating? Could sweat be an irritant? Do you swim in chlorinated water, or have any irritants that you're exposed to? Even ingesting them would mean they could come out in sweat, perhaps you have sensitive skin. (On a side note, and I mention this not as a solution to your problem, but just as a general health warning to everyone. Chlorine is a carcinogen and a constituent of mustard gas. You drink it in tap water, and absorb it in pools and showers, both through your skin and lungs. So for anyone concerned with their health, you should get a shower filter. Google, Shower filter comparisons. You should find a site that compares them and tells you how much they reduce chlorine. The figures are usually far off what the manufacturer claims. $250 for a filter that barely reduces chlorine, while a $60 that lasts a year or more reduces 99%. If you can't find the comparison, be sure to look up Vitashower because it's one of the two that did the best. It uses vitamins to dechlorinate.) Another thing to look at is the material. Did you buy new underwear before you began having the problem? Do you have different underwear with different materials you can try for days at a time? What about your detergent, did you switch detergents? A good detergent to use is Dreft, which is used for babies. It contains enzymes and no harsh chemicals that can cause irritation or a breakdown of the elastic in your underwear which can then irritate the skin.

Do you think it's a heat issue? I mean, everyone feels heat so your reaction isn't normal, but it could provide relief. See what happens when you try to stay cool in that area. Fan, cool water, ice, whatever. Just don't go to an extreme of cold, just see how less heat effects you.


When your testicle touches your thigh and "feel some discomfort there as well..." Do you mean your thigh gets discomfort? Probably not, I just was confused with your use of "there." However, that may cut out fabric cause but not completely, but it may mean sweat or heat is an issue.


Left side pain with testicles is common. Strange, especially since your case is so different (maybe it's not that different though, as you have a new description of your problem that could help your doctor lead to a conclusion). In terms of varicoceles it's usually because of the circulatory system, heart on the left side and the way the vessels and veins form. Even people without varicoceles may have more vessels on the left though, so perhaps somehow that plays a role in left sided pain for men with testicle issues.



Your welcome. I don't feel like I've given any direct help, but it may have given you some avenues. It may also give you new questions and keep you asking questions(hopefully not too many. I find myself to be overly analytical and it leads me off a path sometimes as I'm too confused). Don't give up, find relief no matter what it takes. Everything has a cause, known or not, find it, or at least relief.

I had the kind of pain and discomfort you talded about for years on and off. After much wasted time with many doctors and even an unnecessary operation I had one suggest that it could be an allergic reaction to some foods. I ate dry roasted peanuts. about 2 or 3 big jars a week. I stopped eating or drinking one thing at a time for about 1 week. When I quit eating the peanuts the problem got allot better and when I quit coffee, it went away. You may not have a food allergy but things like coffee, MSG,chocolate,and nuts have been a problem for me. Pete.

did you ever find the cause lilguy? I have exactly the same.

yea same how r u now mate

Hey guys, well sadly...I haven't really found anything to help me get rid of this and I have just gotten used to it now.

It doesn't really bother me if I don't think about it, I have decided...at least for now I will just live with this discomfort. It has changed at all these years but at least I have gotten my life together and I can do what I want, date who I want and just...live.

But...there was this doctor I saw late in 07 who said this was a new problem that some other guys have been having and he was going to write an article about it. Don't know how much further he took it but...ya, no real solution yet other than just getting used to it.

If you guys find out anything at all, reply, and I will do the same.

I may have an answer for you. I have had bilateral acute testicular pain for several years. This followed a bad vasectomy and a sperm granuloma that had to be surgically repaired. I then contracted epididymitis in the right testicle. The pain was beyond description. i was treated with antibiotics which got rid of the infection but I was still plagued by level 4-5 testicular pain. Two years later I had what I thought was another onslaught of epididymitis. I went to the ER in extreme pain but after being tested was told that there was no sign of infection.
The pain failed to subside. I was sent to the urologist who suggested removing the testicle but I declined. I was referred to a pain clinic for steroid injections which did not work.

I finally relented and had the testicle removed. I was pain free on the right side for about six weeks. I then began to experience the same kind of testicular pain in the left testicle. I continued to get steroid injections without success. After six weeks the pain came back in the right side and felt like I still had a testicle. The pain was acute and chronic.

The pain continue to plague me. I was not sleeping, could not sit for extended periods, etc. I went back to the pain clinic and asked the doctor what he thought we should do. He suggested rhyzotomy, a procedure where the doctor uses a microwave needle to burn off the genitofemoral nerve. Two days later I was pain free bilaterally.

After speaking with my doctor I learned that the nerves regenerate themselves in as early as 10 weeks. There are cases however where one procedure lasts a lifetime. Many others where they go as long as six months before the procedure is repeated.

Let me belay your concerns. By burning off this nerve, the testicular pain stops. It is a crap shoot though because sometimes the doctor gets close to the nerve bit not right on it. This is kind of a guessing game. they have an idea of where the nerve is but he can't actually pinpoint the nerve every time.

You are put under sedation but still awake enough for you to tell the doctor when you feel a slight shock in the nerve he is trying to locate.

I continue to get this procedure done every 12 weeks or so. It has been a very successful procedure for me.

Additionally I did the splits several years ago and hyperextended my pelvic floor muscles. I did significant damage to the pelvic floor and the area between the rectum and scrotum. I hemorrhaged so badly that my scrotum and penis along with my entire groin area and right leg turned black from bleeding internally from the pelvic floor and the right hamstring.

When this injury occurred I didn't know about physical therapy for the pelvic floor. I have injured this area several times since then and it effects my penis, testicle (which swells) my rectal area and the entire pelvic floor.

I was finally referred to a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor injuries. I have had significant improvement in this area since beginning physical therapy.

I hope this helps.

lilguy,

Me and my father both had the exact same type of problem.
And as most people, we've both been to doctors.
They didn't mention anything about allergies, but they did say consuming large quantities of nuts could cause testicular pain.

We both cut back on our consumption of nuts (which was a lot) and are 100% better.
As Peter-B was saying, there is a small list of normal foods that can cause testicular pain.

The only thing we didn't get from the doctors, is why these foods can cause the testicular pain.

Just something to think about!