some_guy282

My right testicle has been hurting me for some time now. Usually it's a dull ache from the testicle itself, but it can also be a sharp pain when I'm pedaling. I was experience the sharp pain quite a bit on the commute in this morning, and it seemed to only be happening on the downstroke. When it's a sharp pain it's more generalized though. I don't feel it in just the testicle, it feels like my whole upper inner thigh is hurting and that makes me wonder if it's a muscle in that general area and not the package itself. The thing is though, I can often still feel it when I'm not on the bike. For instance, I can feel the dull ache as I type this. It's a little bit after 12:00, and I arrived at work and stopped riding at 7:45.

In mid January I went on vacation and was off the bike for nearly two weeks. The first couple of days I would still occasionally feel it aching, and adjusting seemed to stop it. Then it went away completely. Now I'm back riding again, and the pain is back.

Should I just change saddles? If so, any suggestions?

cheg

Hernia.

some_guy282

A hernia? I'm 23 years old. I thought only older people got them? And what did I say specifically that makes you think it's a hernia?

cheg

Anyone can get a hernia. It causes pain in the groin area that is agravated by effort. They can be progressive.

BTW: this is not a good place to seek medical advice. See a doctor.

caloso

See a doctor.

some_guy282

*sigh*

If I only had a dollar for everytime *I* said that to someone else on the internet. You're right. I should see a doctor. If I couldn't be counted among the ranks of the uninsured, maybe I would have gone already...

Coyote!

My money's on hernia, but could be lots of things [think Lance here]. Yup, time to go see the doc.

Cheg spake. . .

>>>They can be progressive.

I'll also add that they can "go south" [strangulate] in a New York minute. . .think emergency surgery.

some_guy282

Why are you all banking on hernia though? Because it's painful even off the bike?

There's no bulge, so if it is a hernia maybe it's just the kind where the muscle tissue is just weakened, and not to the point where I would need surgery yet....

Now I have to be anxious about this until I can pay through the nose to see a doctor.

I'm thinking I should stay off the bike until I know one way or the other what the problem is?

Bontrager

Could be a kidney stone. Have you tried taking pills for pain like ibuprofen? How's your urine stream? Are you drinking a good amount of water every day?

You could get a KUB (xray of kidney, ureters, bladder) which would show if you have a calcific kidney stone somewhere between your kidneys and bladder.

Many people have hernias and don't know it (there are several types of hernias that occur in the abdominal area) so they're not necessarily painful.

some_guy282

No, I havn't been taking any pain medication for it. Mostly it was only hurting me on the bike, but now it's starting to hurt me all the time.

I'm drinking plenty of liquids and my urine is fine.

God, whatever it is I just really hope it wont require surgery. I'm uninsured and have no money...

Bontrager

Go to the county hospital to be treated. It should be very cheap to be seen and treated.

I-Like-To-Bike

You asked for free advice and got it. You don't like it cause it might cost money?

OK it's a common cold take 2 aspirins, drink some OJ and forget about it. Is that better?

patc

Could be a cyst, I have one on my right testicle. Its basically a small sac containing liquid, usually formed as the result of minor injury - the body's way of dealing with pus and other "bad stuff" it can't eliminate otherwise. My symptoms are pretty much what you describe - occasional dull ache, can get much more painful if anything puts direct pressure on the cyst itself. Mostly harmless, can be removed surgically if it grows and/or becomes too painful to tolerate. Cysts can be so small that you can't easily detect them, and the pain isn't local enough to pinpoint the location, but an ultrasound will find it/them if that's the problem.

If it is a cyst, you will find some ways of "dressing" (polite term for how you arrange things down there in your shorts) will be pain-free, while others will hurt.

some_guy282

Well **** you very much too buddy. I appreciate everyone's replies here - except yours of course. I just wanted some more information on what I said specifically that made him think hernia as opposed to typical saddle problems that lead to groin pain.

And yeah, I'm just itching to go a few thousand dollars into debt for a nice trip to the hospital and an expensive medical procedure.

Troll.

Cyclist0094

Chill bro. There are free clinics in the Bronx that can check out your beans and tell ya what's up
https://www.institute2000.org/health/free.htm

Michigander

When I was in middle school, the science teacher informed us that boys needed to check their nuts for lumps and girls similarly needed to check their breasts. I went on to check my nuts, and found several lumps. I had them scanned, and it turned out that they weren't cancerous, just a result of mountainbiking. Good shorts and dual suspension solved this problem after a year or two, but I wouldn't be surprised if the problem comes back. I have also talked to people who have had the same variety of lumps. Nad pain/disfiguring is a price male cyclists often pay.

megaman

I had cysts too. Basically I was told if it got worse to come back, and that they could come or go with time. I switched to a recumbent. No problems since.

some_guy282

Thank you. I was thinking about looking into something like that or some low cost insurance.

As for the troll, I was only giving him the response he wanted. I'm told I may have a condition that requires surgery when I have no insurance. For commenting on my own unfortunate situation he sarcastically insults me. How am I supposed to respond?

In any event, from the replies I've gotten I figure whatever is wrong it's more than just you're run of the mill saddle/position/wardrobe problems that lead to crotch pain with cycling. Maybe it's a hernia, maybe it's a cyst, maybe it's testicular cancer, maybe it's any one of a thousand other things...I wont know for sure until I see a doctor. And I wont be riding my bike until then either.

mac

Is your seat correct? Are your shorts too tight? You could be unknowingly sitting on your ball as you pedal and have the shorts get caught and compress your ball with every downstroke. Try 1 ride freeballing in regular short pants to make sure you aren't sitting on one. See if you feel the same discomfort as when you are in your bicyling shorts.

some_guy282

I hope it's something that simple. The seat has never been too comfortable. I've been thinking of buying a new one. But uncomfortable before would just be your typical saddle soreness. My whole butt would hurt, not either one of my testicles, and never the kind of sharp pain I had earlier today. Any suggestions on a new saddle? I had a Terry Fly Ti last year, and switched it to a WTB Steath V which I'm using now. Both are ok saddles, but neither one is the "I forget it's there" saddle I'd like it to be.

As for the shorts being too tight, maybe they are? I'm not sure. Now that I think of it, this all started around the time I started using the new winter tights when it was getting cold. And when I commute to school in my regular clothes (5 mile trip) I don't really remember having such terrible pain from my testicle. For my work commute on the weekends though (15 miles), I wear tights and shorts. The thing is though I would still feel it at random points in the day, like the first couple of days of my vacation when I wasn't biking at all.

Today was really the worst though. The morning commute in really hurt, which is why I posted this. That was more than 12 hours ago, and I'm still in some pain. By Tuesday if the pain goes away and I still havn't seen a doctor yet (Tuesday would be the earliest I could go, work and school keep me busy till then) I'll wear some loose pants and go on a long ride to see what happens though.

mac

You can try a Brooks Saddle. I've got the Pro model and it took about 1,000 miles to break in. Never had any problem with the groin area until my previous seats that were squishy, and even had the V-cut.

If you are a student, don't you have access to something like the "Student Health Clinic?" Part of my tuition fees went to the Student Health.

phoebeisis

I would vote for don't go to an MD until you get insurance.If it is a hernia then it isn't an emergency,and the only problem is the discomfort.If you go now,and it is a hernia you will be on the hook "forever"-it will be a pre-existing condition.The pre op+surgery+post op for a minor inguinal hernia will be>$10,000.
1)Get health insurance-don't mention the pain ,or any other medical problem on the form you will fill out.Get good coverage,with a low deduct-make sure it fully covers"same day surgery" etc.It will be cheap-you are young-under $100 a month
2)In a month or so call your provider(the ins co will have a list of who you can go to),and tell them you have a pain etc.
3)You will get a workup,and have the surgery if necessary.
4)Drop the insurance.
5)If you can enroll in any university you can get insurance very cheaply-maybe $550 for a full year-just a thought!!
6)You will know if it suddenly becomes incarcerated(the viscera that is protruding into the defect suddenly gets stuck and the blood supply gets cut off).It will be progressively more and more painful-seek immediate medical intention.
Get insurance-pay maybe $80/mo for 3 months.Go to MD-"I was riding like always,I did a 1/2 mile sprint, and suddenly I got this pain in my groin!!Never happened before"-
Good luck.Charlie
PS-there probably are other-benign conditions-that can give you pain in that general area.A couple of months one way or the other won't matter.A single initial consult will cost you as much as the $200-$300 getting insurance will cost.

kim kohen

Easy there big fella I think the point of this post was to suggest if you have a serious problem then you don't have that many options. If it's a hernia which needs treating, well, it needs treating. If it's something worse (and I really hope it isn't) then it's no good saying "I don't have insurance" and then hoping it'll go away. I'm not even sure I'd be willing to wait a month - what happens if it IS serious - a month could make a big difference. If Lance had waited a month I'd say he'd have never won a tour...

cheers and good luck

some_guy282

There's nothing constructive about ridiculing someone who may have a medical condition when they have no insurance. I've reread my post and his response many times, and the more I think about it the more I think he's one of those heartless self righteous people who thinks that poor people with no insurance have themselves to blame because their financial situation is the result of their own moral inferiority. We have a lot of people like that in the U.S.

And if that was simply his point, why couldn't he make it the same way you did? Your post was thoughtful, polite, and helpful - just like everyone else's post in this thread except for him. He basically said, "Aw...you might be really sick and you have no insurance. Boo hoo." If that's not trolling I don't know what is.

In any event, thank god for the ignore button. He's on my list now.

I-Like-To-Bike

Unknowingly? Are you kidding?