Training & Nutrition - Testicular pain after cycling

I am experiencing left testicle pain after cycling. It hangs around for about 1 week after a ride. Needless to say, this is putting a damper on my exercise.

I'm 46, so, from what I have read, there is not much risk of cancer at this point. However, I find it very uncomfortable.

I have tried different seats and positions. I also make sure to use good quality cycling shorts and move my parts up and out of the way. Still, the pain continues. I really don't want to give up cycling. However, it's not looking good.

I have no issues with numbness. Just singular left testicle pain. I'm fairly certain of it.

I am looking for answers or suggestions. Otherwise, I will have a nice Ti bike for sale.

Chris

Are you sure its testicular pain? It could be referred pain. I got what I thought was testicular pain, until I figured out it was related to some lower back pain due to my left leg being shorter. Threw a shim under my cleat and problem was solved.

When I had issues with numbness, my bibs were the biggest contributor. I found that a thinner chamois resulted in less pressure on everything. Certainly pressure could also cause pain, not just numbness. If you've already tried plenty of saddles, maybe try a chamois that is roughly the opposite of what you have now. Thick vs thin, whichever you have.

^+1
This is your first real bike? What saddle are you using? Have someone take photos of you on the bike, one with the cranks in line with the seat tube, one with the cranks horizontal. Hands on hoods for both. And a photo of the saddle. Do you have an appointment scheduled with a doctor? Can't hurt to look into it.

I have this problem too, for me its not sharp pain but it is noticeable.

^+1
This is your first real bike? What saddle are you using? Have someone take photos of you on the bike, one with the cranks in line with the seat tube, one with the cranks horizontal. Hands on hoods for both. And a photo of the saddle. Do you have an appointment scheduled with a doctor? Can't hurt to look into it.

No, not my first real bike. I've ridden this one about 4000 miles. Previous bike had a touch under 12K on it. Prior to that, I had various less expensive bikes. Lifetime, maybe 30K.

Seat is a Specialized road seat with the cutout. Sorry, but I don't remember the model.

I have been fitted professionally. However, I will take your suggestion with the pics.

I'll pass on going to the doc right now. I'm not riding and not having pain.

A hernia might feel like that.

Turn your head and cough!

I hate to say it, but I have a bad hip and when it acts up, my right testicle becomes sore. Ever have any burning in the glute or groin area?

If the bike fit is correct, and a saddle change doesn't effect the pain, then go see a dr. Testicle pain could be any number of things ranging from nerve impingement or torqued testicle up to testicular cancer. But most likely its bike fit or saddle related.

I have to tell this story about my first time with testicular pain.

One day I had alternating dull aches with sharp pains in my left testicle. I worried about it all day then finally got the nerve to go to an urgent care clinic.

So I get in to see the Dr. I of course have to drop my drawers and turn and cough several times. After a thorough examination he says he can't find any hernia, but it may be testicular torsion which is diagnosed with ultrasound. So he calls the local ER and tells them I'm coming.

I show up and luckily there is no wait. I am given my very own paper gown and told to wait for the Dr. He shows up with his TWO STUDENTS!!! So I now have to bare all for these guys. I turn and cough while standing and lying down. The Dr has the students practice hernia detection on me.

Of note, I have a spermatoceole in my left testicle. Basically a sperm duct sprung a leak and I have a little lump there. I told the Dr, and he's like, "Oh yes, here it is. See it?" while holding my left nut up for all to see.

So now I have to go get my ultrasound. You know the gel and apparatus they use on pregnant women? Yeah they used that on my junk. The worst part was the nurse doing the procedure was gorgeous and it had to have been 50 degrees in the room so shrinkage was a major factor. No way I could have looked cool at that point. So she is examining me and I keep hearing the woosh noise coming from the machine. I ask her if that is a bad noise. She says, "No that means there is blood flow." I say, "Well we want blood flow don't we?"

So after all this, they couldn't find anything wrong. They gave me some ibuprofen and sent me home with a referral to a PCP. So basically I paid $1200 to quadruple the number of people who have seen me in the buff and find out that I have excellent blood flow to my testicles.

So maybe there is a good side to testicle pain. You can sure end up with some great stories.

Thanks!

Any other suggestions on things to try? Have any of you had luck with a particular seat? Maybe something out of the ordinary?

Also, testicle torsion, is that common in cyclists? I would classify the pain as no more than moderate, however, I'm not good at rating pain. I thought my shattered arm was tolerable after the initial shock.

I don't have any other pain or soreness, no other problems with joints or muscles, no testicle abnormalities that I can tell. No numbness either. As I mentioned, I have been riding for many years. Yet, this is something fairly new. Maybe I have a twistified testicle as mentioned above. Can this be determined by the testicle owner?

Google "testicular torsion." My guess is that's not it, that you'd be feeling it all the time, not just after/during riding. And, from the googled description, you'd feel a lump. My guess is that you dinged it somehow and it's just a little tender, which you don't notice unless your shorts/saddle are pushing on it.

Google "testicular torsion." My guess is that's not it, that you'd be feeling it all the time, not just after/during riding. And, from the googled description, you'd feel a lump. My guess is that you dinged it somehow and it's just a little tender, which you don't notice unless your shorts/saddle are pushing on it.

I agree. A little rest and some Ben Gay and you will feel better.

I agree. A little rest and some Ben Gay and you will feel better.

I tried the Ben Gay on the testicles. It took the moderate pain away quite quickly:) However, the moderate pain was quickly replaced by a skin searing burn. Maybe not the best $4 I have spent:lol:

Check out the the saddle nose position - a wee tiny bit to the right or left instead may give relieve.
My own experience ;-)

same thing here. it kind of comes and goes and varies with intensity. had it check out by my doc who diagnosed a hernia, then the surgeon who felt nothing, then a urologist who said there was a little swelling with the-pardon the technical term-"tube" that connects to the bottom of the testicle. had the ultrasound and basically the same experience as pharmboyrx. take some ibuprofen. the urologist also said this kind of thing just happens. sometimes for no discernible reason.
if it was torsion that is something that is apparently so painful you'd probably actually be in the ER instead of posting about it online.

I know it is not the same symptom, but it could have the same cause. I had horrible numbness, both testicles and penis, which really messed with my riding until I recently bought a Selle SMP saddle. Their cutouts are full length, and that made all the difference in the world for me. The nose also has a radical downslope, aloowing you to use tilt soley to get the right angle of the seat against your sit-bones, instead of using tilt to avoid irritating your junk.

http://www.smpselle.com/smp4bike/images/stories/demo//avant/01.jpg

I give the seat, and the company, a real thumbs up. For once, everything I read on the hype pages of a product site turned out to be true. And I got a smokin' deal by buying a seat that had cosmetic flaws: the measurement markings on the rails weren't very clear. $70 off for that. You know you for sure have a saddle issue when, after a week off the bike (crash repairs), your wife asks if you got an implant.

I used to have a pain something like that, isolated to one side, come to find out it was due to tight back/hip muscles pulling and tightening that radiated pain to that region.

If it's like me, it was the bike shorts.

I have a third testicle.

I first noticed it while touring in France in 2003. It sort of put a damper on enjoying the riding as the idea of cancer coursed through my mind.

The first doctor I saw about it when I got home just did a physical, hands-on examination, then related a story about how an Italian family had three balls as their family symbol. He said it had to do with inflammation of the vas on the side of the testicle. It was a lot more common that I would imagine, he said.

I had noticed in France that my shorts let my right testicle sort of bobble around a bit, and this evidently was enough to cause the irritation.

Last year, I had another consultation with another doctor, who sent me for an ultrasound just to make sure. It was interesting to see the difference between the testicular tissue and the tissue in the false ball that had grown on the right one... there was s sort of cascading of "glitter" on the screen in that area. The glitter was actually dead cells.

Anyway, all was good according to the ultrasound. I didn't need to do anything else.

Be aware that the pads in bike shorts come in different widths depending on the manufacturer. I was wearing New Zealand Cima shorts back in 2003, but now I wear Pearl Izumis because the pads are just the right dimension to keep my testicles nicely packaged without flopping sideways, and to look after my butt.

I have found only one other brand that has a similar width chamois, and they will likely do for training as the PIs are reserved for long-distance events and touring.

That's my contribution to the discussion. I am not connected with the medical industry in any way, and I am just recounting my personal experience where similar pain existed when the issue manifested itself.

As a by-the-by, because I live in Australia where we have a really healthy public medical care system, the second doctor's consults and ultrasound cost me... around $150 out of pocket. ;)