When I went to Munali Secondary School for the first time in 1978, I had a hard time of it.
Not only was I, a Form One, a “Ze Ze” (the derogatory term for first formers at the time, Grade 8 now), but I was also the only one from my school in Kitwe.
When one moved around the corridors of the school in those days you had to move quickly and quietly, or in a pack for your own safety.
The stigma followed you around like a bad smell.
If you got cornered somewhere by a group of senior boys, you look down and take the punishment like a man.
When you got to the dorms you cried like a baby.
Those of my friends who came to the school from Lusaka stuck together, and that way navigated more easily the pitfalls of Form 1.
I came to boarding school against my will, with only one piece of advice from my Dad. “Stick with the crowd, there is safety in the crowd”, he said to me in Bemba before he dropped me off at the school.
This was the advice he had received from his father when he went to boarding school himself in Mpanza in Choma several years before.
I was a reticent boy and my father was wise to have taken me to boarding school.
However being very timid and shy, it took me many years to learn the disadvantages of being an introvert.
In this sense illnesses are not very different from people. Some illnesses are loners and nobody wants them.
These diseases suffer the stigma of the community. They are isolated and little is known about them.
Within a hospital or clinic they are located behind the main hospital building where the community is unlikely to see them.
There are not well labeled or only written in small print.
Having dealt with disease of men for a number of years, I have discovered disease of men are one group of diseases that suffers this misfortune.
I often get phone calls from patients, who are uncomfortable about discussing their illness. They would much rather send a message, than say what problem is on the phone.
The classic one, was a mother who brought her young son to my clinic and said;
“I don’t want to insult, but the boy has something wrong with his private parts”
I knew right away that it was an impolite illness, an illness of an organ that cannot be mentioned.
Even when you write you must do so in the most roundabout way, otherwise it will not be seen to be in good taste.
If this article itself is not carefully worded many will be too embarrassed to read it.
The result, of course is that people suffer these illnesses silently, alone and they come to the hospital reluctantly and late. One such illness is Testicular pain (Pain from the male eggs).
1.What causes pain in the testis or the male eggs?
2. What can I do when I have testicular pain?
3. How can I prevent testicular?
1. What causes pain in the testis?
Many people will be surprised to learn that this problem is quite common in Male clinics (Urology clinics).
Up to as many as 20per cent of men seen in these clinics will complain of testicular pain.
They will often look to the right and left before saying so, or sometimes they will say so reluctantly or in a very roundabout way. Nonetheless, this is a common complaint.
It is also common across all ages of men, among the very young those below Five years, among the teenage boys as well as, the elderly those above 50years.
Among the young boys below Five years, the cause is most often due to a problem around the complex development of the testis.
This organ develops in the abdomen and has to travel across a rough terrain to end up in the scrotal bag outside the body.
Sometimes it gets stuck along the way or takes a wrong route. The result is that the testis are located in an incorrect compartment.
This means that physical movement and activity squeezes it and causes pain.
This type of problem is called an undescended testis. It is a common cause of testicular pain in children.
Among young sexually active boys the testis is in the right position, but it is sometimes too freely mobile.
Once the testis has settled in the scrotal bag, it should normally be held down by strings or fibres so that it is stable in the scrotal bag.
If however it moves around easily then it can twist on itself in the process of walking, riding a bicycle, playing sport or sexual activity.
This condition is called testicular torsion.
It is associated with sudden severe episodes of pain that warrant emergency hospitalisation. However sometimes it untwists on its own after a period of rest.
You may have noticed how football players cover their private parts during a free kick.
If you have had a ball hit you in this area you will know how severe this pain can be.
Elderly men over 50 also suffer from pain in this area.
The main cause is the increasing narrowing of the urine tube, the urethra with age.
This is caused by a gland which sits below the bladder called the Prostate gland.
This gland grows with increasing age and narrows the urine tube. This leads to spillage of urine into the surrounding tubes, including the tube for the testis.
The results is infection in the testis and pain.
A condition called Orchitis.
Most notorious of all these conditions, is what is called idiopathic testicular pain.
This is pain in the testis whose causes is unclear. Patients have repeated and longstanding episodes of pain, when by all evaluations the testis is normal in all testable parameters.
In many instances, it is believed that the testis is unstable and twists on itself repeatedly.
The question is often asked will a sexual transmitted disease (STI) cause testicular pain.
The answer is yes. The germs that cause STIs will be in the tubes of the male reproductive system, so they can spread to the testis and cause pain there as well.
However it is important to say that, not all testicular pain is caused by STIs.
In fact most STIs will have other additional symptoms such as discharge from the urethra (leaking), swellings in the groin and sores on the private parts.
2. What can I do when I have testicular pain?
Many men will have had testicular pain at one time or the other. Most men tend to ignore it.
In many cases it may be seasonal or following a sport injury or during sexual activity.
Most men prefer to ignore it both because, men generally dislike to be seen as sickly or unhealthy.
In particular around this area it is a little embarrassing and places a question mark on their virility. The following are useful in this condition
1.Pain killers
2.Cold compression
3.Bed rest
4.Elevation
5.Loose pants
6.Kill your stress.
If the pain is moderate to mild and no other symptoms are associated you can manage it yourself at home.
Don’t be afraid to discuss it with your wife or close friends.
Let other people take a look at it, it may be more serious than you think.
In many cases a moderate pain killer like Indocid or Brufen will give you relief. Take some rest in bed with your legs spread wide apart.
Put a pillow below you or a towel to elevate the testis.
You may apply a lukewarm face towel onto the testis, these will often give you some relief.
Develop the habit of wearing loose fitting pants, so that your testis are not squeezed.
Bath in Lukewarm water which will relax the muscle of the testis cord, which often goes into spasm when you have pain.
Spend time on your favourite indoor hobby, such as reading, this will kill your stress and tend to relax all body muscles, including the muscles around the testis.
You must go to the Doctor if the testicular pain is very severe or has other symptoms.
Sudden onset of testicular pain particularly in children is a urological emergency, and requires medical treatment within Six hours of onset, to avoid loss of the testis.
If pain persists for more than 2 hours, you must go to your nearest clinic.
Testicular pain associated with swelling of the testis, pain on urination, discharge, body hotness, fever, nausea and vomiting all suggest that you need to go to the clinic.
3. What can I do to prevent testicular pain?
The main secret to reducing the frequency of testicular pain, is to identify the triggers.
The things that make the pain start. In some cases it may be to do with bathing cold water, riding a bicycle, sexual excitement, wearing tight pants, being seated too long or simply stress.
When you identify the trigger try and avoid it. Not all triggers can be avoided all the time.
Do some regular self examination of the testis and be familiar with how your own testis feels. Know if they are trigger points, specific sites of pain, this will help with prevention. some additional ideas are the following;
1.Healthy sexual life style
2.Lots of exercise
3.Avoid Contact sport
4.Minimise stress
5. Wear loose pants
6.Walk more and sit less
7.Take plenty of water and Vitamin C tablets
Healthy sexual life style. Many people, will be wondering what that is. By this, it is meant a life style of sexual practice that maximises your health.
This include abstaining from sexual activity if you are young and unmarried.
Having one faithful partner and using condoms, as well as being circumcised.
By having a healthy sexually life you will reduce the risk of testicular pain.
Many experimental sexual practices including positions, partners, places and devices may trigger testicular pain.
When you exercise, you will strengthen the muscles of the testis as well and improve the blood flow to the testis.
This will keep them strong and healthy.
Avoid contact sport if you are prone to testicular pain, it may tend to trigger the pain.
By contact sport is meant, sport that involves physical contact with your opponents. Common examples are Rugby and Football.
Stress will stimulate the muscles of the testis and can cause pain. Minimise stress by developing outlets for your work and domestic stress.
Examples are like developing your areas of interest such as music, poetry, writing, photography, travelling and many more.
Get into the habit of wearing loose fitting under pants, which are at least one size bigger than your normal size.
Spending a lot of time in one position in the office, or in the car, is unhealthy for the testis.
They will tend to get squeezed and cramped. Spend time walking and avoid sitting for prolonged periods of time. Take plenty of water that will regularly clean out the urinary system. Take Vitamin C one tablet daily.
This makes the urine acidic and prevents urine infection. If the urine system is healthy the Testis will be too.