My right testicle has been hurting a little bit since last week. It doesn’t hurt 24/7, but the pain comes and goes. I have been so concerned about it and I don’t know what to do!

Thanks for your question. Lots of things can cause pain in your testicle. Some causes for testicular pain are:

  • Injury. If you got hit there or may have some skin irritation.
  • Varicocele. This is a dilated blood vessel that can cause a dull pain.
  • Testicular torsion. This is when the spermatic cord twists and cuts off blood flow to a testicle. This usually causes a lot of pain and is an EMERGENCY. If you are having a lot of pain we recommend calling your health care provider IMMEDIATELY or going to a local emergency department.
  • Infection. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can cause pain in your penis and scrotum.
  • Hernia. A hernia is a weakness in the abdominal wall that lets some of the abdominal contents extend into your scrotum.

Any time you are having pain in a testicle it’s a good idea to schedule an appointment with your health care provider.

Here’s a tip on how to bring it up with your health care provider: “I have some pain in my right testicle, could I make an appointment to get this checked out?”