What should I do if my testicles are small?

Small testicles make many men feel very inferior. It is important to understand whether this is caused by some pathological factors. If it has affected the male sexual function or reproductive function, then you need to pay attention to the doctor's treatment and respond correctly.

1. In clinical practice, we often encounter adult men whose testicles are smaller than normal, and they are worried about affecting their fertility. In fact, small testicles can be physiological or pathological. Physiological small testicles generally do not affect fertility as long as they can produce enough normal sperm.

2. There are many reasons for pathological testicular shrinkage, the most common of which are chronic wasting diseases, endocrine disorders (hypothyroidism and hypopituitarism), persistent high fever, taking large amounts of female hormones, viral orchitis (such as mumps complicated with orchitis), testicular syphilis, etc. These diseases can cause testicular atrophy, resulting in a volume smaller than normal.

3. Pathological testicular atrophy and shrinkage usually affects spermatogonia or spermatocytes in the seminiferous tubules. When these cells atrophy, they cannot produce sperm, or are damaged and cannot produce normal sperm. In addition to the manifestation of testicular atrophy and shrinkage, infertility is often accompanied. However, because interstitial cells that secrete male hormones are less involved, it generally does not affect the development of male reproductive organs and male secondary characteristics (such as beard growth, lower voice, prominent Adam's apple, developed muscles, etc.). However, from the actual clinical situation, severe testicular atrophy and infertility are not common. Whether testicular atrophy is accompanied by fertility disorders can be examined by semen microscopy. If the sperm count is less than 20-60 million per milliliter of semen, and if their activity is reduced and their morphology is abnormal, infertility should be considered.

4. We should take good care of our testicles to prevent diseases. During puberty, boys aged 10 to 12 usually grow pubic hair, their testicles enlarge, and begin to have the ability to produce sperm. If one testicle is larger than the other, it is normal as long as the difference is not particularly large. Pay more attention to observe the changes in your testicles. At this stage, you should prevent mumps, commonly known as "mumps". The mumps virus can invade the testicles and cause damage to the seminiferous tubules. Studies have shown that about 30% of men aged 13-18 who suffer from mumps will have orchitis. Avoid soaking in hot springs and saunas for a long time, and wear less tight pants that are not conducive to heat dissipation in the groin.