How to Know if You Have Epididymitis
Notice pain in one of your testicles., Look for swelling or redness in your infected testicle., Pay attention to urinary symptoms., Notice if urinating is painful., Look for urethral discharge., Take your temperature., Know your age, habits, and...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Notice pain in one of your testicles.
This is the most common sign of epididymitis.
Pain may start in one testicle and then slowly expand to both testicles over time.
Pain is usually localized to the underside of the testicle early in inflammation and may slowly spread to encompass the whole testicle, or even both testicles.
The type of pain differs depending on how long the epididymis has been inflamed; it may be a sharp or burning pain.
Pain is a complex process that is the result of increased blood flow, immune system components, and nerve sensitivity as a result of damage during infection. -
Step 2: Look for swelling or redness in your infected testicle.
Again, this may be only on one side or on both sides over time.
Some men will find sitting uncomfortable because of the swelling in the testicle.
The testicle will also appear red because of the increased blood flow to the area, and become swollen because more fluid is leaking into the infected area.
The testicle may feel warm to the touch as well, and this is also because of the increase in blood flow.
These symptoms will likely appear within three or four hours from the initial signs of infection. , There are many symptoms of epididymitis that men will notice while they are urinating.
These may include:
A burning pain while urinating Feeling the need to urinate more frequently than usual Blood in the urine Most men who get epididymitis from an infection have an infection that starts in the urethra and then moves up the tube, eventually infecting the epididymus.
Any infection in the urinary tract can irritate the bladder, making it overactive or damaging the lining. , You will start to feel pain when urinating, as the inflammation grows, expanding to the surrounding tissues.
In severe cases, blood will appear in your urine, because of the small hemorrhage that occurs inside the tubes that the urine passes through on its way out.
This is, quite obviously, not a comfortable feeling. , Sometimes, a clear, white or yellowish discharge may appear at the tip of your penis due to the inflammation and infection of the urinary tract.
This is especially true if your infection is due to an STI. , As the inflammation and infection spread throughout the body, fever will occur in your body as a defense mechanism.
This is an indication of chronic and not acute epididymitis.
Fever is your body telling you it is fighting off infection.
Anything over 100°F (38°C) should tell you you need to visit the doctor immediately. , Epididymitis is most common in young, sexually active men with many sexual partners.
Other groups, however, are at risk as well:
Men who ride motorcycles or who sit for prolonged periods of time (for instance, at sedentary jobs) are also at a higher risk of developing this problem.
Low immunity is an issue, too.
Immunocompromised patients, like the ones infected with the HIV virus are vulnerable to infection and inflammation.
In men older that 35 or boys younger than 18, E. coli is a common cause of epididymitis (as opposed to STIs). , Any surgical procedure, or instrumentation of the urethra, like the insertion of a urethral catheter, can cause inflammation.
This can spread to the nearby areas, including the epididymis.
This inflammation, in turn, sometimes causes epididymitis. , The urinary tract can suffer from congenital abnormalities, making the area itself and the surrounding tissues prone to inflammation or infection.
Any slight size or position abnormalities can cause rise to problems such as these. , An active infection of the urinary tract will cause the tissues around it to become inflamed.
This includes the epididymis as well.
A recent UTI provides a perfect breeding ground for epididymitis. , Prostatitis is a condition in which the prostate gland becomes inflamed.
The inflammation can spread to the ejaculatory duct and then to the epididymitis, causing epididymitis.
In the case of orchitis, the patient is suffering from the inflammation of one of the testicles.
Like in the previous cases, the inflammation can spread to the nearby tissues, including the epididymis. , Epididymitis is treated based on the cause of the inflammation.
As most cases are caused by some form of infection, a quick visit to your doctor will probably render you a prescription for an antibiotic.
The type and dose of antibiotic depends on if the infection is sexually transmitted or from another source.
For gonorrhea and chlamydia infections, treatment will consist of a single dose of ceftriaxone 100mg as a shot intramuscularly, followed by 100mg doxycycline as a pill twice a day for 10 days.
In some cases, the doxycycline may be replaced by a 1g, single dose of azithromycin.
A 10-day course of 300mg ofloxacin twice a day is typically used to treat epididymitis caused by E. coli. , These can be used to reduce the pain of the inflammation.
They're convenient as they're probably already in your bathroom cabinet and relatively effective.
However, self-medication with an analgesic like ibuprofen should not extend for more that 10 days.
For ibuprofen, 200mg given every 4-6 hours should help to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with epididymitis in adults.
This dose can be increased to 400mg if necessary. , Resting in bed for a few days will help you deal with the pain associated with the condition.
As long as you will be staying in bed, your crotch area will suffer a small amount of stress, reducing pain.
Keep the testicles elevated as often as possible to keep your symptoms at bay.
When lying or sitting, placing a towel or rolled shirt below the scrotum can help to reduce discomfort. , Applying cold packs to your scrotum will reduce inflammation by decreasing the blood flow.
Simply wrap the ice pack in a towel and apply it to the scrotum.
Keep it there for about 30 minutes and no longer in order to avoid skin damage.Never apply ice directly to your skin.
That's just asking for more trouble! , Fill your bathtub with 12–13 inches (30.5–33.0 cm) of warm water, and sit there for about 30 minutes.
The warm water will increase the blood flow and help the body to fight off the infection.
You can do this as often as you need. , There are three main herbs that have been found to help with epididymitis:
Echinacea.
This herb is great for fighting infection and reducing inflammation.
You can use it to make a healthy tea.
Mix one tablespoon of dried Echinacea flowers with a quarter of a tablespoon dried peppermint and boil the mix in a pot of water.
Drink the tea each day, for pain relief.
Pulsatilla.
Pulsatilla comes in two forms: tincture and infusion.
The Pulsatilla herb has great anti-inflammatory properties.
When used as a tincture, you must administer 1 or 2 ml of tincture, three times a day.
For preparing an infusion, you will need one teaspoon of dried herb and one cup of water.
Put the herb in the boiling water and leave it to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
Horsetail.
Another great herb that can help you get rid of this condition is horsetail.
It has great antimicrobial properties, and will help you reduce inflammation.
You can use one to three tablespoons of dried or fresh horsetail leaves for preparing a cup of tea.
Put the desired amount of herb in a cup and pour boiling water over it.
Let it infuse for five to ten minutes, strain the herbs and drink the tea. -
Step 3: Pay attention to urinary symptoms.
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Step 4: Notice if urinating is painful.
-
Step 5: Look for urethral discharge.
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Step 6: Take your temperature.
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Step 7: Know your age
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Step 8: habits
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Step 9: and health are risk factors.
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Step 10: If you had recent urethral surgery or instrumentation
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Step 11: know you're at risk.
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Step 12: Know that congenital abnormalities are a factor
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Step 13: Be aware that urinary tract infections play a role.
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Step 14: Know that orchitis and prostatitis can put you at higher risk.
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Step 15: Get on antibiotics.
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Step 16: Take an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen.
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Step 17: Get some much needed rest.
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Step 18: Use a cold pack.
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Step 19: Take a sitz bath.
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Step 20: Look into herbal remedies.
Detailed Guide
This is the most common sign of epididymitis.
Pain may start in one testicle and then slowly expand to both testicles over time.
Pain is usually localized to the underside of the testicle early in inflammation and may slowly spread to encompass the whole testicle, or even both testicles.
The type of pain differs depending on how long the epididymis has been inflamed; it may be a sharp or burning pain.
Pain is a complex process that is the result of increased blood flow, immune system components, and nerve sensitivity as a result of damage during infection.
Again, this may be only on one side or on both sides over time.
Some men will find sitting uncomfortable because of the swelling in the testicle.
The testicle will also appear red because of the increased blood flow to the area, and become swollen because more fluid is leaking into the infected area.
The testicle may feel warm to the touch as well, and this is also because of the increase in blood flow.
These symptoms will likely appear within three or four hours from the initial signs of infection. , There are many symptoms of epididymitis that men will notice while they are urinating.
These may include:
A burning pain while urinating Feeling the need to urinate more frequently than usual Blood in the urine Most men who get epididymitis from an infection have an infection that starts in the urethra and then moves up the tube, eventually infecting the epididymus.
Any infection in the urinary tract can irritate the bladder, making it overactive or damaging the lining. , You will start to feel pain when urinating, as the inflammation grows, expanding to the surrounding tissues.
In severe cases, blood will appear in your urine, because of the small hemorrhage that occurs inside the tubes that the urine passes through on its way out.
This is, quite obviously, not a comfortable feeling. , Sometimes, a clear, white or yellowish discharge may appear at the tip of your penis due to the inflammation and infection of the urinary tract.
This is especially true if your infection is due to an STI. , As the inflammation and infection spread throughout the body, fever will occur in your body as a defense mechanism.
This is an indication of chronic and not acute epididymitis.
Fever is your body telling you it is fighting off infection.
Anything over 100°F (38°C) should tell you you need to visit the doctor immediately. , Epididymitis is most common in young, sexually active men with many sexual partners.
Other groups, however, are at risk as well:
Men who ride motorcycles or who sit for prolonged periods of time (for instance, at sedentary jobs) are also at a higher risk of developing this problem.
Low immunity is an issue, too.
Immunocompromised patients, like the ones infected with the HIV virus are vulnerable to infection and inflammation.
In men older that 35 or boys younger than 18, E. coli is a common cause of epididymitis (as opposed to STIs). , Any surgical procedure, or instrumentation of the urethra, like the insertion of a urethral catheter, can cause inflammation.
This can spread to the nearby areas, including the epididymis.
This inflammation, in turn, sometimes causes epididymitis. , The urinary tract can suffer from congenital abnormalities, making the area itself and the surrounding tissues prone to inflammation or infection.
Any slight size or position abnormalities can cause rise to problems such as these. , An active infection of the urinary tract will cause the tissues around it to become inflamed.
This includes the epididymis as well.
A recent UTI provides a perfect breeding ground for epididymitis. , Prostatitis is a condition in which the prostate gland becomes inflamed.
The inflammation can spread to the ejaculatory duct and then to the epididymitis, causing epididymitis.
In the case of orchitis, the patient is suffering from the inflammation of one of the testicles.
Like in the previous cases, the inflammation can spread to the nearby tissues, including the epididymis. , Epididymitis is treated based on the cause of the inflammation.
As most cases are caused by some form of infection, a quick visit to your doctor will probably render you a prescription for an antibiotic.
The type and dose of antibiotic depends on if the infection is sexually transmitted or from another source.
For gonorrhea and chlamydia infections, treatment will consist of a single dose of ceftriaxone 100mg as a shot intramuscularly, followed by 100mg doxycycline as a pill twice a day for 10 days.
In some cases, the doxycycline may be replaced by a 1g, single dose of azithromycin.
A 10-day course of 300mg ofloxacin twice a day is typically used to treat epididymitis caused by E. coli. , These can be used to reduce the pain of the inflammation.
They're convenient as they're probably already in your bathroom cabinet and relatively effective.
However, self-medication with an analgesic like ibuprofen should not extend for more that 10 days.
For ibuprofen, 200mg given every 4-6 hours should help to reduce the pain and inflammation associated with epididymitis in adults.
This dose can be increased to 400mg if necessary. , Resting in bed for a few days will help you deal with the pain associated with the condition.
As long as you will be staying in bed, your crotch area will suffer a small amount of stress, reducing pain.
Keep the testicles elevated as often as possible to keep your symptoms at bay.
When lying or sitting, placing a towel or rolled shirt below the scrotum can help to reduce discomfort. , Applying cold packs to your scrotum will reduce inflammation by decreasing the blood flow.
Simply wrap the ice pack in a towel and apply it to the scrotum.
Keep it there for about 30 minutes and no longer in order to avoid skin damage.Never apply ice directly to your skin.
That's just asking for more trouble! , Fill your bathtub with 12–13 inches (30.5–33.0 cm) of warm water, and sit there for about 30 minutes.
The warm water will increase the blood flow and help the body to fight off the infection.
You can do this as often as you need. , There are three main herbs that have been found to help with epididymitis:
Echinacea.
This herb is great for fighting infection and reducing inflammation.
You can use it to make a healthy tea.
Mix one tablespoon of dried Echinacea flowers with a quarter of a tablespoon dried peppermint and boil the mix in a pot of water.
Drink the tea each day, for pain relief.
Pulsatilla.
Pulsatilla comes in two forms: tincture and infusion.
The Pulsatilla herb has great anti-inflammatory properties.
When used as a tincture, you must administer 1 or 2 ml of tincture, three times a day.
For preparing an infusion, you will need one teaspoon of dried herb and one cup of water.
Put the herb in the boiling water and leave it to infuse for 10-15 minutes.
Horsetail.
Another great herb that can help you get rid of this condition is horsetail.
It has great antimicrobial properties, and will help you reduce inflammation.
You can use one to three tablespoons of dried or fresh horsetail leaves for preparing a cup of tea.
Put the desired amount of herb in a cup and pour boiling water over it.
Let it infuse for five to ten minutes, strain the herbs and drink the tea.
About the Author
Nicholas Fox
Creates helpful guides on crafts to inspire and educate readers.
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