May have a varicocele on my scrotum, options and what to expect?

I'm a 25 year old man, came across a small varicose vein on my leg a year ago and found another small one on my thigh, turns out my mom has them and maybe I inherited my moms weak veins?

Anyway just 4 days ago, I got a sudden dull pain like the aftermath of being kicked in the nuts. A lingering ache in my left testicle, after being outside sun bathing. I checked my scrotum and sure enough there was two light blueish veins on my scrotum I hadnt noticed before, and later the next day after some biking I had pain and looked again and the one on the left testicle was more pronounced and enlarged.

Its always been when I stand up long periods or I get a hot shower my balls hang low and hurt in my left testicle.

My left testicle has been tender and sensitive to touch and I wont even let my girlfriends near it without telling them to be gentle, and its been that way for at least a few years.

Anyway I'm going to go to my family doctor and see if he cant take a look and then refer me to a urologist or something. If its indeed a varicocele and not epididymitus or something easily cureable, I'd probably go the embolization route.

My questions for those who've had a varicocele and had it operated on:

1) Will the constant tenderness and dull ache from the varicocele go away?

2) Will I be able to go back to exercising like I used to without the pain from the varicocele coming back?

3) Will the low hanging testicles get better or at least more manageable and not hurt me after long time standing or hot showers?

4) Will the overall sensitivity, and dull pain leading to me not wanting my left testicle to be touched go away or become better?

Thanks for the help.

[AnnieBrooke]

Talk to the urologist.  You don't even know for sure if it is a varicocele.  I'm sure that repairing it will remove the pain, but who knows about the low-hanging testicle question besides a doctor?