Will epididymitis affect fertility?

Epididymitis may affect people's fertility, but not every patient will have their reproductive function affected, so you don't need to worry too much when you have this disease. However, the onset of this disease is quite acute. Once it occurs, you will feel obvious pain in the affected area. However, some patients have milder symptoms and the pain is not so obvious.

Acute epididymitis

The onset is acute, with discomfort and obvious pain in the scrotum on the affected side, which can radiate to the inguinal region and lower abdomen on the same side, affecting activities, and is often accompanied by chills, high fever, and body temperature can reach 40°C. Physical examination shows that the epididymis on the affected side is doubled and painful. If it spreads to the testicle, the boundary between the testicle and epididymis is unclear, which is called epididymal testitis. When the inflammation is more severe, the scrotal skin is red and swollen, and the spermatic cord on the same side is thickened and painful.

Chronic epididymitis

The patient's symptoms are mild and the clinical manifestations vary. There may be a feeling of scrotal distension, and the pain may radiate to the lower abdomen and the inner thigh on the same side; the epididymis on the affected side is slightly swollen and hardened, with nodules, and local tenderness is not obvious; the vas deferens on the same side may be thickened, and there is occasionally a history of acute attacks.

1.1 General treatment: Rest in bed. Using a scrotal support can alleviate symptoms. A homemade larger scrotal support with cotton pads will be more comfortable to use. Painkillers can be used for severe pain. Local heat therapy can relieve symptoms and promote the disappearance of inflammation. However, using heat therapy too early can aggravate pain and has the risk of promoting the spread of infection, so it is advisable to use ice packs for local cold compresses in the early stage. Sexual intercourse and physical labor can aggravate infection and should be avoided.

1.2 Application of antibacterial drugs: Choose drugs that are sensitive to bacteria. Usually, oral antibacterial drugs are taken for 2-4 weeks after intravenous administration for 1-2 weeks to prevent the disease from turning into chronic inflammation.

1.3 Surgical treatment: If antibiotic treatment is ineffective and testicular ischemia is suspected, epididymotomy should be performed to relieve pressure. The epididymal lining should be cut vertically or horizontally, but the epididymal duct should be avoided.

Chronic epididymitis

Chronic epididymitis should not be treated with drugs alone. In addition to the use of effective broad-spectrum antibiotics, physical treatments such as local hot compresses are also necessary. Local application of berberine or neomycin plasma ionization therapy can also be used for epididymal local application. If chronic prostatitis exists, it must be treated at the same time. For recurrent epididymitis caused by chronic prostatitis, vasectomy can be considered before treatment. For those who have recurrent episodes, epididymectomy can also be considered.