When doing testicular self examination, you are checking for any change from the normal, especially a lump on the front or side of the testicle, or a swelling or hardening of the testicle. Each testicle should be examined separately.
A testicular exam can make a guy feel a bit awkward or embarrassed, but just like checking a person's blood pressure, it's a normal part of a physical exam. The doctor checks the testicles and the area around them to make sure everything is healthy and that a guy doesn't have any problems, like a hernia.
Why it's done. Testicular self-exams help you learn how your testicles normally look and feel. Then you're more likely to notice subtle changes. Changes in your testicles could be a sign of a common benign condition, such as an infection or a cyst, or a less common condition, such as testicular cancer.
42 percent of men don't even know how to perform one, according to the Testicular Cancer Society. Doctors should be performing examinations during annual physicals and discussing how to do a self-exam monthly.
The testicular exam should begin at age 15 and continue through age 40. It is important to do the exam every month in order to find any changes. The best time to examine your testicles is right after a hot bath or shower. The scrotal skin is most relaxed at this time and the testicles can be felt more easily.
Generally, you'll have two testicles. These body parts make sperm and hormones. Other names for your testicles are male gonads or testes (pronounced “teh-steez”). One testicle is called a testis.
Most of the time, a boy's testicles descend by the time he is 9 months old. Undescended testicles are common in infants who are born early. The problem occurs less in full-term infants. Some babies have a condition called retractile testes and the health care provider may not be able to find the testicles.
Erectile Function after Bilateral Orchiectomy
The removal of both testes may be followed by decreased libido, lower semen levels, low testosterone and at least one sexual disorder. The ability to achieve and maintain an erection may not always be guaranteed where both testicles are removed.
The full process takes about 64 days. During spermatogenesis, your testicles make several million sperm per day — about 1,500 per second.
Some doctors recommend checking your testicles once a month. Others say it's fine to have your doctor check once a year. If you are having problems, or notice a lump or other changes in how your testicles feel or look, tell your doctor. Exams can be a good way to find lumps that could be cancer or another problem.
With your free hand, glide your thumb and fingers along both sides of the testicle, from top to bottom. Feel for any lumps or bumps. Then, glide your fingers over the front and back of the testicle. On the back at the top, you should feel the epididymis, a tube that carries sperm.
A common cancer for men aged 15 to 45 is cancer of the balls (testicles). You should check your balls at least once a month for lumps or swellings. Cancer of the balls is easier to treat if you find it early. It is best to check your balls when you are warm and standing up.
Can I still have children? Yes, in most cases, people with one testicle can get someone pregnant. Remember, one testicle can provide enough testosterone for you to get an erection and ejaculate. This is also enough to produce adequate sperm for fertilization.
Traditionally, it has been assumed that larger testes produce more sperm per ejaculate, giving the male an advantage in numerical sperm competition [6].
As you age, testosterone production tends to drop as your testicles start to get smaller . This is known as testicular atrophy. The change is often gradual and may not be especially noticeable. When it occurs naturally, there is no health threat.
Normally, the testicles develop in the stomach of the baby before birth. Then they come down into the scrotum before birth. An undescended testicle occurs when one or both testicles fail to drop down before birth. This happens fairly commonly in premature infants and occurs about 3-4% of the time in full-term infants.
As you get older, the muscles don't work as well, and your scrotum stays in a more slackened position. Combine that with your skin's natural decline in elasticity, and the sagging gets worse. If you're over 40, a hydrocele can also make your scrotum sag. It happens when fluid builds up around one or both testicles.
If your balls feel full and appear larger, it's usually because you're aroused. But if you're aroused and don't get any release via an orgasm, you may also experience an uncomfortable aching feeling in the testicles, known as "blue balls." However, despite the name, your testicles don't actually turn blue.
Men with large testicles may be at increased risk of heart disease, and a new study from Italy suggests why. The study measured the testicle size of more than 2,800 Italian men who sought care for sexual dysfunction, and were followed for about seven years afterward.
The quantity of sperm cells that men produce varies widely. In general, it is said that men may produce between two millilitres and five mililitres of semen each time they ejaculate, and that each millilitre may contain from 20 million to 300 million sperm cells.
Testicular self-examination only takes a minute. Aim to perform TSE about once every four weeks or so. Choose a day that's easy to remember, like the first day of every calendar month.
The best time to feel your testes is after a bath or shower when you are relaxed. Hold each testicle (testis) in turn in the palm of a hand and use your finger and thumb gently to feel the testes and nearby structures.
Testicular rupture is a rare type of testicular trauma. It can happen if the testicle gets a forceful direct blow or is crushed against the pubic bone, causing blood to leak into the scrotum.