What are the causes of testicular inflammation?
introduction
Inflammation of the testicles (orchitis) is a rather rare disease that affects both boys and men. Most often the disease is caused by an infection.
Via the various structures of the male genitals - the blood vessels, lymphatic systems, the urinary tract or the vas deferens - germs can get into the testicular tissue and cause inflammation there.
Read more in-depth information on the subject in our main article: Inflammation of the testicles
causes
A distinction is made between infectious and non-infectious causes of testicular inflammation
Infectious causes:
- mumps
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Epstein-Barr virus (glandular fever)
- malaria
- Coxsackie Viruses
- Brucellen
- Salmonella
- Urinary tract infections
- Sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis
- Epididymitis
Non-infectious causes:
- Injuries (trauma)
- Autoimmune reaction
- Medication (e.g. amiodarone)
mumps
In most cases, testicular inflammation results from mumps. Mumps (also called parotitis epidemica or goat peter) is caused by an infection with the mumps virus. It is a classic children's disease, against which most children are now vaccinated as a precaution.
Characteristically, the parotid glands on the sides of the head swell strongly and the patients have "hamster cheeks".
The pathogen can get into the blood through the glands and spread to the testicles. This clinical picture is known as mumps orchitis. Mumps orchitis does not appear in sexually mature men until after puberty. Usually both testicles are affected by the inflammation, but the infection can also occur on one side.
There is no effective therapy for mumps. Treatment for testicular inflammation in mumps consists of cooling the testicles and positioning them as high as possible. In the event of pain, the doctor can prescribe medication to relieve pain (usually from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, e.g. ibuprofen). Patients must take care of themselves and adhere to strict bed rest. After about a week to ten days, the symptoms of mumps orchitis disappear.
Inflammation of the testicles caused by mumps can have serious complications. The disease can reduce the fertility of the affected men. In some cases, patients are completely sterile after the testicular inflammation. For this reason, it is important to protect your children from mumps and its long-term effects at an early stage. This is possible with a simple vaccination.
You can find detailed information on this topic in our main article: mumps
Glandular Pfeiffer fever
In addition to mumps, Pfeiffer's glandular fever (mononucleosis) is one of the most common causes of testicular inflammation. Pfeiffer's glandular fever is a viral disease that is triggered by the Epstein-Barr virus. This is the initial infection with the virus, which mainly affects adolescents and young adults. The virus usually affects the tonsils and lymph nodes in the body, but the infection can also spread to other organs, including the testes, via the blood.
In addition to fever and a significantly reduced general condition, the patients suffer and greatly enlarged, pressure-sensitive testicles. Here, too, the therapy consists in elevating and cooling the scrotum. Pain reliever medication may be given. The disease usually heals within three weeks. Possible consequences of testicular inflammation as part of an Epstein-Barr virus infection are irreversible damage to the testicles with a reduction in the size of the testicles (testicular atrophy) and infertility.
You can find everything about this topic at: Glandular Pfeiffer fever
chickenpox
Chickenpox is also known as varicella. It is an extremely contagious infectious disease caused by the varicella zoster virus (VZV). Since children are mainly affected, the disease is one of the childhood diseases. But adults can also become infected; the disease usually takes a more severe course in them than in younger patients. The viruses cause the typical skin rash (exanthema), which is also known as the "starry sky" due to its diverse appearance. The viruses can also get into the testicles through the bloodstream and cause testicular inflammation. The testicles swell up, are tender and painful.
The duration of the illness is around ten days, after which any testicular inflammation that may be present also improves. The most effective protection against chickenpox is the varicella vaccination, which is recommended for every newborn.
You can find out more about chickenpox here: chickenpox
malaria
Testicular inflammation can also occur in combination with malaria. Malaria is a tropical disease that is transmitted by small parasites called plasmodia. In our latitudes, cases of malaria are rare; most of them are people who have returned from a stay in the tropics or subtropics. Malaria causes flu-like symptoms with a fever and a feeling of severe illness.
In rare cases, the pathogens can also reach the testicles via the bloodstream and cause testicular inflammation there. The disease is treated with special malaria drugs, the active ingredient depending on the exact type of pathogen.
Read more on the topic: malaria
Epididymitis
Many patients develop orchitis as a result of inflammation of the epididymis (epididymitis). Bacteria can ascend to the epididymis via the vas deferens via the lower urinary tract or the prostate. The most common pathogens causing epididymitis are Escherichia coli, enterococci or staphylococci, whereas viral triggers are significantly less common. Epididymitis often occurs after urinary tract infections or the pathogens are transmitted sexually. If the inflammation spreads from the epididymis to the testes, this clinical picture is called epididymo-orchitis.
The symptoms caused by inflammation of the epididymis and inflammation of the testicles are very similar. The testicles and epididymis swell significantly, the scrotum is reddened and painful. The pain can radiate into the abdomen and is occasionally accompanied by a high fever. Combined inflammation of the testes and epididymis is treated by elevating and cooling the scrotum and sufficient bed rest. If the pain is severe, pain killers can be taken. If the disease has a bacterial cause, the doctor will prescribe antibiotic medication.
Read detailed information on this topic at: Epididymitis and these are the symptoms I recognize as epididymitis
Coxsackie Viruses
Coxsackie viruses cause a number of different diseases, such as eye infections, hand, foot and mouth disease, and summer flu. These pathogens can also cause inflammation of the testicles and epididymis.
Depending on the clinical picture, various symptoms such as headache, bronchitis or fever occur. If the testicle is inflamed by the Coxsackie virus, the testicles are painfully swollen, the scrotum is reddened and very sensitive. Therapy is symptomatic with pain reliever medication.
Salmonella
In rare cases, Salmonella infection can cause testicular inflammation. Salmonella are bacteria that usually cause food poisoning (gastrointestinal poisoning, salmonellosis). The affected people suffer from gushing vomiting and diarrhea. The bacteria are mainly absorbed through infected animal foods such as raw poultry meat, eggs or ice cream and then lead to the disease.
Occasionally the pathogens get into the testicular tissue via the blood and cause testicular inflammation there. The therapy of a Salmonella disease consists of an adequate supply of fluids. Antibiotics are usually not given because they do not significantly affect the course of the disease.
Brucellen
Brucellae are bacteria and cause the infectious disease brucellosis. The pathogens are transmitted to humans by infected animals (goats, sheep, pigs or cattle). In most cases, the disease is symptom-free and goes unnoticed by those affected.
However, symptoms such as fever, night sweats and chills can also occur. Brucella can also affect the internal organs, with the bones and joints most commonly affected. In some cases, brucellae cause testicular inflammation. Therapeutically, the testicle is then raised and cooled. The pathogens are also treated with antibiotic therapy.
Further information on this topic can be found at: Brucellosis
syphilis
Inflammation of the testicles can be caused by sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis (syphilis).
Syphilis is an infectious disease that is transmitted exclusively sexually by certain bacteria. More rarely, infection occurs through contact with infected blood. The symptoms of syphilis can vary greatly depending on the stage of the disease, but characteristically a small, painless ulcer initially forms on the penis. In syphilis-associated orchitis, the bacteria enter the testicles via the blood or lymphatic fluid, where they cause painful inflammation. Treatment is through antibiotics.
Read more on the topic: syphilis
Difference in causes in men and children
Testicular inflammation mainly affects boys after puberty and men, whereas it is less common in children. One of the most common causes of testicular inflammation in men is sexually transmitted diseases, such as gonorrhea (gonorrhea) or syphilis (syphilis). Condoms offer sufficient protection by reliably preventing the transmission of bacteria and other pathogens.
Often men with prostate disease are also affected by inflammation, as bacteria from the prostate can quickly get into the nearby testicular tissue. In addition, adult mumps often causes testicular inflammation in non-vaccinated individuals.
In children, the symptoms of orchitis arise primarily from bacterial causes. These include infections with salmonella or pneumococci.
