Categories: Diseases & Conditions

Men’s Health: Epididymitis

Epididymitis is a condition that is characterized by inflammation of the tiny coiled tube located at the back of the testes called the epididymis. The primary function of the epididymis is to store sperm until it is needed for ejaculation-ejaculate then travels from the epididymis to the vessel called the vans deferens to the urethra and out of the body. Epididymitis is characterized as either acute or chronic in nature. The acute form comes on quickly, but resolves quickly with antibiotic therapy. The chronic form of epididymitis lingers on after treatment. It may appear to go away for a while and then it comes back with a vengeance. It comes and goes and the condition can go on for years and can also lead to infertility in men.

In some cases, epididymitis is caused by unsafe sexual practices. Men that have multiple sexual encounters with different partners, have unprotected sex, have a personal history of an STD are at risk of developing epididymitis. Urinary tract infections are also responsible for the disease because bacteria spread from the urinary tract to the reproductive tract. Older men that have enlarged prostates, or have had surgeries on the prostate, or urinary tract, or have an indwelling catheter are also susceptible to developing epididymitis.

The signs and symptoms of epididymitis are swelling of one or both of the testes; mild to severe pain in the scrotum; marked tenderness in the testes; groin and abdominal pain or tenderness; painful urination; pain during sexual activity; painful ejaculation; fever; discharge leaking from penis; and the presence of blood in semen. If you are having any of these symptoms see your physician. Your doctor will take a history from you, by asking you questions about your pain, severity of discomfort and when your symptoms started. You will undergo a physical examination, as well as certain lab works and scans. Your doctor may want to check you for the presence of an STD by doing an STD screen. If there is evidence of an STD, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic for you.

It is imperative to get treated for epididymitis because atrophy (shrinkage) of the affected testicle can result. As the inflammation of the epididymis increases, the area may fill with pus and a scrotal abscess can result. The condition is treated with a round of antibiotic therapy. Be sure to take the prescription until it is completely gone. If you stop taking the antibiotic because you are feeling better the organism is likely to mutate and come back stronger than before, and at the same time become resistant to treatment. The antibiotics most commonly used to treat epididymitis are Bactrim, Cipro, Ceftin and Vibromycin. Once you consume all of your medication make a follow-up visit with your doctor to make sure there is no evidence of the infection.

While you are recovering rest in bed, elevate your scrotum on a folded towel and apply ice or cold packs-wrapped in a pillow case or thin towel-for 30 minutes to relieve pain and swelling as ordered by your physician. When out of bed it may be more comfortable to wear an athletic supporter-rather than briefs alone.

When engaging in sexual activity, be sure to always use safer sexual practices, such as using condoms, and having monogamous sex for prevention of STD’s. Men, be sure to talk to your doctor about your sexual and reproductive health. Talk to him/her about all the ways you can protect yourself from having repeated episodes of epididymitis. When you have had this disease one time, you certainly would not want to go for round two, if you were possibly able to prevent it. Don’t be embarrassed to speak to your doctor about any issues concerning your overall health.