Issue No. 67 - November to December 2011 - DOH

swell.Sometimes, the testicles stayinside the lower abdominal tract or whatis called undescended testes. Surgery cancorrect and put the testicles in the scrotum.Like the ovaries of the female,testicles are components of both thereproductive system (being gonads) and theendocrine system (being endocrine glands).The respective functions of the testiclesare: producing sperm (spermatozoa) andproducing male sex hormones, of whichtestosterone is the best-known.The testicles are well-known tobe very sensitive to impact and injury. Blueballs is a slang term for a temporary fluidcongestion in the testicles and prostateregion caused by prolonged sexual arousal.The most prominent diseases oftesticles are: testicular cancer and otherneoplasms; swelling of a testicle, causedby hydrocele testis; inflammation of thetesticles, called orchitis; inflammation of theepididymis, called epididymitis;spermatic cord torsion alsocalled testicular torsion;varicocele or swollen vein fromthe testes, usually affecting theleft testicle; and anorchidismis the absence of one or bothtesticles.The removal of oneor both testicles is termed asorchidectomy, in medicineand castration in generaluse, especially when done aspunishment or torture, or as acatch-all term for orchidectomyin a veterinary context. On theother hand, it is called geldingspecifically in the equine sense.Know Your Own BallsBecome familiar with16 HEALTHbeat I November - December 2011the look, feel and shape of your own testiclesbecause this will help you notice just in caseanything goes wrong.Let’s do a recap. The characteristicsof healthy testicles include:• each testicle feels like a smooth,firm egg;• one testicle tends to hang lowerthan the other;• one testicle may be slightly largerthan the other;• there is no pain or discomfortwhen the testicles and scrotum arehandled gently; and• the testicles and scrotum will bepulled up close to your body whenthey are cold. They will be hangingdown loose when hot. This is handledautomatically to keep the testicles atthe right temperature.Once a month, check each testicleby gently rolling it between your thumb andone or two fingers. Perform this check afterOrchidometer - used to measure testicle size and track sexual developmentin boys.a warm shower or bath when the scrotumskin is soft and the testicles are down furtherfrom the body. You need to get to know whatyour testicles feel like and what is normal foryou.Look for lumps (usually on the frontor side of the testicle), swelling, discomfort,change in size and shape (other than normalteenage growth of the testicles), a sensationof heaviness in the testicles. If you have aproblem, it is important to realize that youmay have only some of the symptoms listedhere and not all of them.In case of injury, you canunderstand what it feels like to have thetesticles hit by something - even lightly. Thepain and discomfort is beyond words andgoes right up through the whole body. If thepain does not go away after a reasonableperiod of time or new lumps or swellingappears, have your balls checked by a doctor.Immediately swallow your prideand get medical advice. A doctor willexamine your testicles andadvise you if there is a problem.If testicular cancer is detectedearly in its development, thenthe cure rate is almost 100%.If there is a problem, the longeryou put off going to the doctor,the less chance of total recovery.The lifetime risk of amale developing testicularcancer is 1 in 316. It is the mostcommon cancer experiencedby men, 15-35 years old. Thoseoutside this age group canstill develop this cancer, theonly difference is that it is notthe most common cancer forthat age range. The cause oftesticular cancer is unknown,but the rate of having thiscancer is rising.- o O o -