Testicular self-examination is a test that a man himself can perform at home to identify changes in the testicles, being useful for identifying the first signs of infections or even testicular cancer.
Testicular cancer is more common in young people between the ages of 15 and 35, but it is easy to treat, as long as it is identified early, and both testicles may not even need to be removed to help maintain fertility.
Learn more about testicle cancer and its treatment
Testicular self-examination should be performed during bathing, as this is a time when the skin of the genital area is more relaxed, making it easier to manipulate the testicles.
Then follow these steps:
Find the epididymis and deferential ducts, which are the small channels located just behind or above the testicle, through which sperm pass through and that can feel like a small nodule in the testicle. These channels should be identified so as not to be confused with a suspicious mass or an inflamed ganglion.
It is normal for this test to identify that one testicle is lower than the other. Alarm signals are usually the presence of ridges regardless of size, painlessness, or changes in the size or consistency of the testicles.
Learn how to do a testicular self-exam in the following video
Self-examination of the testicles should be performed at least once a day, preferably before and after a hot bath, as the heat relaxes the area making it easier to observe the changes. However, a self-examination can also be performed every day, as better knowledge of the body can identify the first signs of various diseases.
Testicular self-examination should be performed from adolescence, so that men know the normal size and shape of the testicles and more easily see any changes in these organs.
When performing a self-examination, a man should pay attention to changes in the testicles such as:
If there is any type of change, it is advisable to make an appointment with a urologist to identify the correct cause and initiate the most appropriate treatment, as several problems can cause the same changes in cancer, such as epididimite or hydrocele, for example.
See the top 7 causes of lumps in the testicles.