Pain in the epididymis | Epididymitis

Pain in the epididymis

Pain in the epididymis can have various causes. The most common cause is an epididymitis. Another cause can be a varicocele.

In the case of a varicocele, there is an obstruction in the vas deferens in the spermatic duct, which causes pain and congestion of sperm in the epididymis and spermatic duct. Furthermore, testicular torsion can cause pain in the epididymis. Nerves and vascular cords are severely squeezed.

It represents a medical emergency and must be treated urgently. A blood stasis or fluid accumulation caused by an injury, inflammation or swelling in the pelvis can also cause pain in the area of the epididymis. If you are suffering from pain in the epididymis, do not hesitate and consult a doctor immediately.

Duration

The individual duration of an epididymitis depends on the time between the beginning of the disease and the beginning of the therapy as well as on the individual cause of the disease. In most cases bacteria are the cause of the symptoms. By administering antibiotics and following the other therapy recommendations, the symptoms usually improve significantly within a few days.

Nevertheless, the antibiotic should be taken until the end of the doctor’s recommendation in order to avoid chronification and thus the development of dangerous complications. The duration of pain in the epididymis varies from individual to individual and depends on the cause and the success of the treatment. In most cases, the pain should subside a few days after the start of treatment. In rare cases the pain persists for several weeks. You should see a urologist for regular follow-up.

Chronic

Usually an epididymitis is an acute disease, which is healed within a few days by a correct therapy and takes a good course. However, the inflammation of the organ may become chronic and the symptoms may be more frequent or latent for a long time. A chronic epididymitis can result from an insufficient intake of the antibiotic or a therapy with the wrong antibiotic.

It should be tried to eliminate the disease by sparing and individual therapy adjustment. If conservative measures are unsuccessful in the case of chronic inflammation of the epididymis, surgical removal of the inflamed organ may be considered. The healing of an uncomplicated, bacterial epididymitis can take up to 6 weeks.

If the therapy is unsuccessful and complications arise such as abscess (melting of epididymal tissue), fistula or propagation of the inflammation along the seminal and urinary tract, surgical removal of the epididymis may be necessary. Approximately 15-20% of bacterial epididymitis can take a chronic course. The chronic form is characterized by a painless or painful coarse infiltration of the epididymis and spermatic duct. Usually a surgical intervention has to be performed and thus the healing time is prolonged.