HomeAnswersInternal Medicinedisc herniation

Can herniated discs cause testicular pain and retraction?

This Premium Q&A, reviewed and published, features a real conversation between an iCliniq user and a physician.

Patient's Query

Hello doctor,

I am a 48 year old male. Ten days back, I noticed that my testicles has moved up and are receding into my groin. I also have a dull pain in the testicles. This pain is not always there, but it happens on and off. I am worried that this may be a serious condition. Could you please let me know what could be the reason for this condition. Which specialist should I consult in my city? I would also like to point out that I am also suffering from lower back pain for the last couple of months. The pain is in the lower back, right hip, and also both sides of the lower abdomen. I got an MRI last week, which showed herniated disc in L4-L5 region of the spine. The doctor suggested endoscopic spinal surgery. I am yet to take a call on this. I am not sure if the above two conditions are related. Are both my issues related?

Answered by Dr. Jeremy David O' Kennedy

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Jeremy David O’ Kennedy is a highly experienced General Practitioner with extensive years of clinical practice. He specializes in the management of HIV and AIDS, offering comprehensive care to patients at every stage of the condition. His expertise includes early diagnosis, antiretroviral therapy, monitoring disease progression, and preventing opportunistic infections. With a strong focus on patient-centered care, he is dedicated to improving quality of life and long-term outcomes for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Sorry to hear about your pain. The most important condition to exclude when a testicle becomes high-riding with associated pain would be testicular torsion (twisting and occlusion of blood supply to testicle). Torsion is however incredibly rare in older males and occurs in teenagers and young adults.Epididymo-orchitis or testicular infection does not cause retraction of the testes, but it would also be clinically excluded generally. An inguinal hernia, which is more common in your age group can sometimes lead to movement of testes due to movement in the inguinal canal.Lumbosacral radiculopathy, like nerve problems, pain, or referred pain, is commonly due to compression by vertebral discs. It has been described to present as groin and scrotal pain in some patients. If a nerve outflow tract from the spinal column, which supplies a particular area (like the groin) is compressed or inflamed, then pain or sensory disturbance would be experienced in the supplied area. It is therefore possible that your testicular pain is caused by nerve compression from the disc herniation in your back. One should first exclude other organic causes as mentioned above. A urologist should be able to exclude local organic pathology, if excluded, then the treatment become part of the treatment for disc herniation by your neurosurgeon or spinal orthopedic surgeon.

Medically reviewed by iCliniq medical review team
Published At May 24, 2018
Reviewed At September 17, 2024

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Jeremy David O’ Kennedy is a highly experienced General Practitioner with extensive years of clinical practice. He specializes in the management of HIV and AIDS, offering comprehensive care to patients at every stage of the condition. His expertise includes early diagnosis, antiretroviral therapy, monitoring disease progression, and preventing opportunistic infections. With a strong focus on patient-centered care, he is dedicated to improving quality of life and long-term outcomes for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

2,134Checks completed today
4.7/5User rating
~2 minAverage completion time
Evidence-basedGuideline aligned
Symptom Awareness Builder
Disc Herniation Referred Testicular Pain Awareness Builder: Nerve Compression & Groin Symptoms

Is Your Back Pain Causing Testicular Symptoms?

Five quick questions to help you understand if your lower back pain and testicular symptoms might be related, and when to seek medical advice.

This tool provides educational information only and does not diagnose, treat, or replace professional medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized medical guidance.

Education:

MBBS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Jeremy David O’ Kennedy is a highly experienced General Practitioner with extensive years of clinical practice. He specializes in the management of HIV and AIDS, offering comprehensive care to patients at every stage of the condition. His expertise includes early diagnosis, antiretroviral therapy, monitoring disease progression, and preventing opportunistic infections. With a strong focus on patient-centered care, he is dedicated to improving quality of life and long-term outcomes for individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Listen to related tracks in our music library
Comprehensive Second Opinion

Read answers about:

radiculopathyinguinal herniadisc herniationtestis

Ask your health query to a doctor online

*guaranteed answer within 4 hours

Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.