Testicular Examination and Testicular Self-Examination

Why It Is Done

Testicular exam

This exam can help find the causes of symptoms like pain, inflammation, swelling, or lumps in the testicles. It can also look for problems such as an absent or undescended testicle.

Testicular self-exam

Self-exam helps a man learn the normal size, shape, and weight of his testicles and the area around the scrotum. This helps him notice any changes from normal.

How To Prepare

You do not need to do anything special to prepare for an exam done by your doctor. But for comfort, you may want to empty your bladder ahead of time. You will be asked to undress and put on a hospital gown.

A self-exam is painless and takes only a minute. It is best to do it after a bath or shower, when the muscles of the scrotum are warm and relaxed.

How It Is Done

Testicular exam

The exam may be done first while you are lying down. Then it may be done again while you are standing. Your doctor will check your belly, your groin, and your penis, scrotum, and testicles. The doctor will feel the scrotum and both testicles to check their size, weight, and texture. The doctor will also look for signs of swelling or lumps. The doctor will note if a testicle is missing or if the testicles are shrinking.

If a lump is found in a testicle, the doctor will place a strong light behind the testicle. This is to see whether light can pass through it.

• Light will not pass through a tumor. Also, a testicle with a tumor generally looks heavier than a normal testicle.
• Light will pass through a mass or swelling caused by a hydrocele. A hydrocele is a buildup of fluid. It feels like water in a thin plastic bag.

The other testicle will be felt and checked too, to make sure it does not have any lumps, masses, or other problems.

Your doctor will also check the lymph nodes in your groin and your inner thigh for swelling.

Self-exam

• The self-exam is best done during or after a bath or shower—when the scrotum, the skin sac that holds the testicles, is relaxed.
• Stand and place your right leg on a raised surface about chair height. Then gently feel your scrotum until you find the right testicle.
• Roll the testicle gently but firmly between your thumb and fingers of both hands. Carefully feel the surface for lumps. Feel for any change in the size, shape, or texture of the testicle. The testicle should feel round and smooth. It is normal for one testicle to be slightly larger than the other one.
• Repeat this for the left side. Feel the entire surface of both testicles.
• You may feel the epididymis, the soft tube behind each testicle. Get familiar with how it feels so that you won't mistake it for a lump.

How It Feels

An exam done by your doctor may cause mild discomfort if your testicles are tender or swollen. And anytime the genital area is touched, there is a chance your body will react. So you may have an erection. This is normal, and your doctor knows this. You do not need to feel embarrassed.

A self-exam does not cause pain or discomfort unless a testicle is swollen or tender. A lump that is cancer usually feels firm. But it probably will not be tender or painful when pressed.

Risks

There is no chance of a problem from having a testicular exam or doing a self-exam.

But there is a chance that these exams might appear to find a problem when there isn't one. This is called a false-positive result. False-positive results may lead to tests or treatments that you don't need.

Results