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Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration of male reproductive system 
Male reproductive system

Signs and symptoms of a scrotal mass vary depending on the nature of the abnormality. In some cases, the only sign may be the presence of a lump in the scrotum that you can feel with your fingers.

Scrotal mass symptoms may include:

  • A lump in the scrotum
  • Pain, dull ache or feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
  • Pain that radiates throughout the groin, abdomen or lower back
  • Tender, swollen or hardened testicle
  • Tender, swollen or hardened epididymis (ep-ih-DID-uh-mis), the soft, comma-shaped tube above and behind the testicle that stores and transports sperm
  • Swelling in the scrotum
  • Redness of the skin of the scrotum
  • Nausea or vomiting

If the cause of a scrotal mass is an infection, symptoms may also include:

  • Fever
  • Pus or blood in the urine

When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you detect a lump in your scrotum or experience other symptoms of a scrotal mass. If you experience pain in your scrotum, see your doctor immediately or get emergency care. Because some conditions require prompt treatment to avoid permanent damage to a testicle, an accurate diagnosis is important.

Some scrotal masses are more common in children. See your doctor if your son experiences symptoms of a scrotal mass, if you have any concerns about the development of your son's genitals, or if your son is "missing" a testicle — an undescended or retractile testicle, which may increase the risk of some scrotal masses later in life.

References
  1. Orchitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals.  http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec17/ch239/ch239e.html. Accessed May 22, 2009.
  2. Epididymitis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals.  http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec17/ch239/ch239d.html. Accessed May 22, 2009.
  3. Testicular cancer. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals.  http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec17/ch241/ch241h.html. Accessed May 22, 2009.
  4. Haynes JH. Inguinal and scrotal disorders. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2006;86:371.
  5. Junnila J, et al. Testicular masses. American Family Physician. 1998;57:685.
  6. Shaw J. Diagnosis and treatment of testicular cancer. American Family Physician. 2008;7:469.
  7. Brenner JS, et al. Causes of painless scrotal swelling in children and adolescents.  http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 28, 2009.
  8. Galejs LE. Diagnosis and treatment of the acute scrotum. American Family Physician. 1999;59:817.
  9. Elder J. Disorders and anomalies of the scrotal contents. In: Kliegman R, et al., eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders/Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/142753628-2/0/1608/1246.html?tocnode=54484554&fromURL=1246.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50547-8_9817. Accessed May 20, 2009.
  10. Cole FL, et al. The acute, nontraumatic scrotum: Assessment, diagnosis, and management. Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. 2004;16:50.
  11. Marcozzi D, et al. The nontraumatic, acute scrotum. Emergency Medical Clinics of North America. 2001;19:547.
  12. Testicular cancer: Questions and answers. National Cancer Institute.  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/sites-types/testicular. Accessed May 25, 2009.
  13. Cooper C, et al. Undescended testicle (cryptorchidism). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 22, 2009.
  14. Barthold JS, et al. The epidemiology of congenital cryptorchidism, testicular ascent and orchiopexy. Journal of Urology. 2003;170:2396.
  15. Eyre RC. Evaluation of the acute scrotum in adult men.  http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 28, 2009.
  16. Information from your family doctor. Testicular cancer. American Family Physician. 2004;69:613.

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July 14, 2009

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