What causes testicles to shrink?

The testicles are an important part of the male reproductive system. They are important for producing sperm and secreting a large amount of male hormones. They are very important for the male body. Small testicles are a manifestation of a disease, also known as microtestis, which refers to the condition in which the testicles in the male reproductive system become smaller. There are many reasons for the reduction of testicles, which are generally caused by congenital underdevelopment.

What causes testicle shrinkage?

Some people have testicles that are one large and one small since childhood, and the difference is very obvious. This is mostly caused by congenital diseases. Among the congenital causes, there are two common ones: one is congenital testicular dysplasia, which is caused by a disease called Kleinfeldt syndrome, which is also called seminiferous tubule dysplasia. About one in 500 male babies has this disease. This disease is mainly caused by abnormal sex chromosomes. Normal males have 46 chromosomes, represented by 46, XY. Patients with Kleinfeldt syndrome have an extra sex chromosome X, and their karyotype is 47, XXY. The reasons may be that the mother's oocytes did not undergo meiosis during mitosis and formed double X eggs, or that the father's sperm was abnormal during production. Such people are usually normal in childhood, but only gradually develop abnormal behaviors during adolescence or adulthood.

Microtesticular disease

However, for microtestis caused by congenital factors, such as the treatment of Klinefelter syndrome, 50 mg of testosterone propionate can be injected intramuscularly twice a week, or 5 mg of methyltestosterone can be taken three times a day to promote the development of male secondary sexual characteristics, promote sexual desire, and maintain normal sexual function. For mild cases and those with good testicular development, 2000 units of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) can be injected intramuscularly once every two days to promote testicular development, but the effect is not ideal. No matter what method is used for treatment, it can only promote sexual function and the development of secondary sexual characteristics, and cannot restore fertility.

How to measureEdit

The testis measurement method is relatively simple, especially the measurement quantity comparison method is easier to implement. The specific method is: the testis volume measurement quantity is an elliptical hard object of different volumes and shapes, such as the testis, which is called No. 1 to No. 25 in sequence.

When measuring, pull up the testicle to be measured, tighten the scrotal skin, compare the measured quantum with the testicle one by one, and the volume of the measured quantum that is closest to the testicle is the testicular volume. Knowing the normal size of your testicles is helpful for timely detection of pathological changes. The two sides of a normal person's testicles are not the same size, but the difference is generally not very large.

If the size of both testicles was similar in the past, and one testicle suddenly becomes significantly larger recently, you should go to the hospital for examination immediately. If the enlargement of one testicle is accompanied by fever and local pain, it may be epididymitis or orchitis. If the enlargement of the testicle is not accompanied by any symptoms, you should consider the possibility of testicular tumor and check it immediately. Don't be careless.

Among normal men, some have different testicle sizes since childhood, and the difference is sometimes very obvious. This is mostly caused by congenital diseases. For example, congenital unilateral testicular hypoplasia is manifested by a small and soft testicle on one side, like a juvenile testicle, while the testicle on the other side may have a compensatory enlargement and be larger than that of normal people, so the testicles on both sides are different in size, but this situation is generally rare. In addition, trauma can also cause differences in the size of the testicles on both sides. For example, trauma can cause intratesticular bleeding and hematoma, which results in testicular blood supply disorders, leading to testicular atrophy, so the testicle on the affected side is smaller than the testicle on the opposite side.