One testicle is bigger than the other? Beware of hydrocele

Spermatic hydrocele can be seen in people of all ages and is a relatively common clinical disease. According to the editor, there are four types of spermatic hydrocele, namely positive spermatic hydrocele, communicating spermatic hydrocele, spermatic hydrocele, and mixed spermatic hydrocele. So, what are the symptoms of spermatic hydrocele?

Different testicle sizes

Clinically, hydrocele manifests as a cystic tumor in the scrotum with different sizes of testicles on both sides. Based on the characteristics of the tumor, hydrocele can be roughly divided into two types: communicating and non-communicating. In the former, the tumor changes size at times, and often becomes smaller or even disappears during sleep or when pressed by hand, but returns to its original state when the patient wakes up and plays on the ground or when the pressure-applying hand is relaxed. In non-communicating hydrocele, the tumor remains unchanged in size or slowly increases in size, feels hard when touched by hand, and does not shrink when pressure is applied.

Similar to inguinal hernia

Hydrocele and inguinal oblique hernia are very similar and occur in the same area, so parents often mistake hydrocele for inguinal oblique hernia. In fact, it can be distinguished through a transillumination test. The skin and muscles of the scrotum are thin, and the tissue is loose, so it is easy for light to pass through. If you shine a flashlight on the scrotum from below, you can see that the skin and tissue inside the scrotum are bright red on the surface of the scrotum, and the testicles are black shadows. This is called a "transillumination test." Since the hydrocele sac is filled with liquid and is also translucent, when a flashlight is used, the light can pass through the cyst and the scrotal skin remains bright red, which is called a positive translucency test. However, in an inguinal oblique hernia, the hernia sac contains the intestines and turbid intestinal contents, which makes it difficult to transmit light and the swelling is dark, which is a negative translucency test. In addition, when the hydrocele swelling shrinks, there is no "gurgling" intestinal sound.

In severe cases, it may affect sexual life

Mild hydrocele may not affect fertility, but severe hydrocele may cause the penis to be hidden in the scrotal skin, affecting normal sexual life. In addition, long-term pressure on the testicles by the fluid may cause poor local blood circulation, leading to testicular dysfunction and affecting fertility. The impact of secondary hydrocele on fertility depends on the condition of the primary disease.