Patient's question:
The left testicle has been aching and swollen recently. Could you please help me understand what this might be? If it's epididymitis, how should it be treated for the best outcome?Doctor's answer:
Orchitis is more common in middle-aged and young adults and can be divided into acute orchitis and chronic orchitis based on the course of the disease. Acute orchitis is often caused by the spread of urinary tract inflammation, prostatitis, and seminal vesiculitis along the vas deferens to the epididymis. Hematogenous transmission is less common. Procedures such as urethral instrumentation, frequent catheterization, and post-prostatectomy indwelling catheters are all risk factors for orchitis. If acute orchitis is not treated properly, it can progress to chronic orchitis. Acute orchitis should be treated with appropriate rest, antibiotics, and general analgesics. Local cold compresses, physical therapy, and scrotal support with a scrotal suspension bandage are effective. If an abscess forms, drainage through incision is necessary. Chronic orchitis is often associated with chronic prostatitis, so the general treatment measures are similar to those for chronic prostatitis.