Pain in testicle, lower back, and stomach

[runthescales]

Hi,

When I run/jog or work out hard for more than 10 minutes, I begin to experience a dull ache in one or both of my testicles, which then develops into sharper, shooting pains for up to an hour after I have finished running.  About a year ago, my doctor diagnosed me with Epididymitis (swelling of the tube on the back of the testicle) on my right side and I took Ciprofloxacin (500mg twice a day for 10 days) and the very severe pains went away.  My doctor also said the pain in my lower back when I run might be due to sciatica - swelling of a major nerve that runs from the lower back into the leg.  He told me to take ibuprofen after my workouts if it still bothered me, and I've been doing that off and on.  But still, most of the time when I run, I continue to get the dull ache and it usually develops into tenderness in one or both of the testicles.  It doesn't matter whether I wear breifs, boxer-briefs, or boxers.  Running is supposed to be good for you, but it really is getting to the point where it almost doesn't seem like it's worth it.  Also, I don't want to do any permanent damage to my testicles or other reproductive organs, because this really seems like it's something that shouldn't be happening on a regular basis.  Does anyone know what could be causing it, and if it can be caused by something by sciatica, and if it can cause permanent damage?  Thank you for your help!  

--John, 23

[chenga]

Hi John,

I developed similar problems a week ago (see my post of may 27, 2007, from chenga). I have a few questions for you:

1. When you had your Epididymitis in the past, did you have very sharp pain? I have very sharp pain with different intensity at different times felt in my right testicle. Pain killers do not seem to work and I have difficulty with walking or sleeping.

2. At the same time I have very minor right lower back pain with numbness of my lower right leg. The pain in the lower right leg can be severe at times.I do not have pain in my stomach but that can also be the sign of sciatica. I also developed this out of the blue (unlike you when you run) and the conditions remain in time.

Really my main problem is the right testicle pain. I would like to hear more about yours what symptoms you had in the past. Also, did they tell you what might have caused your Epididymitis?

I thank you in advance for your reply.

Steve

[chenga]

***@**** please, I would like to have a discussion with you on your and my conditions.

Thanks........Steve

[runthescales]

Hi,

Sorry to hear you're going through the same thing.  Yes, when I had the epididymitis, I had a sharp pain about once ever 5 or 10 minutes, and then a dull ache the rest of the time.  The doctor told me to take 4x200mg Motrin twice daily, and that didn't even begin to touch the pain at all.  I went on an antibiotic, and it kept feeling worse and worse until about the third or fourth day, when the pain suddenly started to get better.  The pain was gone after about a week (except when I run or do a lot of hard physical activity).  By the way, I've had epididymitis 2 more times since I had it the first time; I had it in January 2006, March 2006 (it relapsed on the same side), and actually, I just got done taking the antibiotic 2 days ago for my third bout of it.  The first two times it was on my right side, but the most recent time it was on my left.  Both my GP and the urologist who I saw said it can be caused by various STDs (though I tested negative for all of them), but that it is a bacterial infection, similar to how you would get a sinus infection or ear infection.  They both also said that most men (I think they said about 80 or 90% of men) get it at some poitn in their lives, but most of the time it is not severe enough for it to constitute more than a single, fleeting pain.  (I had experienced a single short, sharp pain with no lingering effects a few times before I had it severely the first time, and I had never thought about those momentary, infrequent pains until the doctor mentioned those statistics to me.)  

If you think you have it, you should definitely go see a doctor ASAP and get an antibiotic for it.  They will probably do an STD test as well, as it can be caused by various STDs (as I said before).  Good luck with it... let me know if the doctor says anything different than what I was told.  Thanks!  

--John

[Michael234]

Hi Guys,

I am 28 and I am having similar problems.  Over the past 3 years I have had recurrent epididymitis in varying degrees of intensity.  Sometimes it's merely a minor pain or niggle, but three times now it has been severe.  Meaning that I am unable to work or even move properly without sharpe pain and I would have a constant dull ache.

I like you experienced minor testicle pain in my left side before getting the first full blown Epididymitis.  This was probably when I was ~23-24, and I simply thought it was nothing and that it would go away by itself.  And it did, but the condition itself has progressed to a life altering one.  I need to get this solved!

I have had the following things done:

1.) Blood and urinalysis for STDs/other problems - all clear, no history of STDs either.
2.) Testicular ultrasound.  All clear, but showed swollen epididymis on left side.
3.) Renal ultrasound. All clear.
4.) Flexible Cystoscopy (not fun!).  Again, all clear and no problems.

Argh!  Part of me really want them to find a structural problem to fix, that way we could have at least identified the cause, popped into surgery and it all would have been good.  Basically I've been told that "we've done all we can do" at this point and to live with it.

I don't think that's the case.  I am considering asking for surgery to hopefully fix the problem as I refuse to live with the fear that my left testicle will swell up to the size of a tennis ball and I'll be disabled for up to a week.

Thanks for listening to my whinge, anyway! :)

[BrianGlamis1]

Guys,

I have seen this many times on this site, but, I to am having some of the same issues.  First off, I serisously want to thank you all for taking the time to post your current conditions, you help yourself and all the rest of us.  Thank you.

I just turned 31, Im in great shape and feel like I am still strong as I was when I was 25.  I have had all the same symptons, but nothing major yet, my testiculs have hurt, gotten sore, and I have had pain down my leg...this had happend quite a few times, nothing so major that I have had to stop my regular routines of working out, riding my choppers, dirt bikes...jogging etc.  Usually subsides in a day....days...2 1/2 max..  Thought maybe it was due to taking a bad hit on my dirt bike, hitting a bad bump on my chopper thats a rigid (no suspension)..or working out..etc.  

I need some info and help from the board.

Starting about 3 days ago, I starting hurting in both testiculs....it has now worsened, BAD, but this is what is scarring me.... it has moved down my whole left leg (as I have read this has happened to most of us on here), half way down my right leg, in my abbs and pelvis, my right elbow, my shoulder blades, mid back, under my jaw (on the sides) and right hand....Just adding this in, this is day 4 and it has gotten a little worse, but it definately is not subsiding at all.

This is the only way I can explain it in basic terms...feels like I have been kicked in the growing area by a pro soccer player.

It also feels like I took a major crash on my dirt bike, like jumping 15 ft in the air on hard compact dirt, and landing on my left side....and it feels like I punched a brick wall with my right hand....

Im seriously concerned.  I have read all your guys symptoms but have not read or have not found yet, anyone stating that it has traveled to other areas outside of the pelvic and leg region.... No STD's, my wife and I were just tested for all the good stuff when we had our second son 1 year ago...and we dont mess around.  Perfect marriage so no worries there.

Any suggestions guys?  Any help would be great before I go to the Dr. and am disappointed as I have read some of you have been with the "I don't know what it is" comments.

Im calling my Dr. shortly to see if I can get in..... again, its that the pain, numbness and all of the above that I have mentioned, that is spreading to my whole body that is concerning me.

Thanks for your time in reading this.

Best regards,

Brian

[Dry-ice]

I like the reset of you am in pain. The first three days it's been the left, now it's the right or both. I can't walk or even stand without it getting wrose. I've noiced my lower stomach, left upper leg, lower back on the sides and mid-right back hurting too.I don't know if the other pain is from how I have to sit or lay, but it's starting to be as painfull and the testicular pain. I emailed my doctor and since it's a sunday, will not hear from him until monday. I'll keep you posted as I see others will no solutions.

[JWood]

Hi Guys, I feel for all of you. In fact, as I write this I'm suffering with a painful bout of "Epididymitus". I put it in quotes because that's essentially what the doctors do, they just label it Epididymitus and usher you out of their office. I haven't had an ultrasound yet, but I have finished a round of antibiotics (Doxycycline) which didn't work. Now I'm 2 days away from completing my Cipro 500mg every 12 hours cycle, I'm writing this on my back in bed with a laptop hopped up on Ibuprofen so that should tell you how well this round of antibiotics is working.

I'd like to approach a few topics concerning Epididymitus that I feel noone is talking about, for instance:

1) Is it just me, or does anyone else find their Epididymitus acting up bad following sexual activity or masterbation? Because I'll rub one or two off and not long after be in such pain I'm forced to post in forums on my back via laptop and hopped up on Ibuprofen.

2) I also get lower back/side pains associated with my flare ups. It feels like what I would imagine kidney failure would resemble. I also get lower abdominal