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By Mayo Clinic staffSigns 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.
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