Testicular Self Exam – How to do?
Testicular self exam is looking at and feeling your testicles for unusual lumps or swelling. Swelling, lumps, or pain can be caused by:
- Injuries.
- Puffiness, redness, and soreness (inflammation).
- Infection.
- Extra fluids around your testicle (hydrocele).
- Twisted testicles (testicular torsion).
- Cancer of the testicle (testicular cancer).
Why is it important to do a self exam of testicles?
You may need to do self-exams if you are at risk for cancer of the testicles. You may be at risk if you have:
- A testicle that has not descended (cryptorchidism).
- A history of cancer of the testicle.
- A family history of cancer of the testicle.
How to do a self exam of testicles
It is easiest to do a self-exam after a warm bath or shower. Testicles are harder to examine when you are cold.
A normal testicle is egg-shaped and feels firm. It is smooth, and it is not tender. At the back of your testicles, there is a firm cord that feels like spaghetti (spermatic cord).
Look and feel for changes
- Stand and hold your penis away from your body.
- Look at each testicle to check for lumps or swelling.
- Roll each testicle between your thumb and finger. Feel the whole
testicle. Feel for:
- Lumps.
- Swelling.
- Discomfort.
- Check for swelling or tender bumps in the groin area. Your groin is where your lower belly (abdomen) meets your upper thighs.
Contact a health care provider if:
- You find a bump or lump. This may be like a small, hard bump that is the size of a pea.
- You find swelling.
- You find pain.
- You find soreness.
- You see or feel any other changes.
Summary
- A self-exam of your testicles is looking at and feeling your testicles for lumps or swelling.
- You may need to do self-exams if you are at risk for cancer of the testicle.
- You should check each of your testicles for lumps, swelling, or discomfort.
- You should check for swelling or tender bumps in the groin area. Your groin is where your lower belly (abdomen) meets your upper thighs.
