Testicular Pain

[Golfern]

I have had intermittent testicular pain for probably 25 years now(in the left testicle only). My primary says it is epdidymitis and the urologist thinks it is secondary to prostatits and recommends an epididymectomy. Antiobiotics dont really help but anti-inflammatories do. Heavy pulling also exacerbates the problem. Does anyone have any ideas on self treatment, or any experience with having had an epididymectomy?

[J Dimitrakov]

Epididymectomy usually makes it worse. After 25 years, the problem has already moved from the target organ (epididymis) into the spinal cord and most probably into the pain percepting area of the brain (thalamus, postcentral gyrus), so even a very successful epididymectomy can make the symptoms worse. At this time, anti-inflammatories work for some people (difficult to predict whether they would help you). Neurontin can be quite helpful, too.