Varicocele disease: medications, symptoms, etc. • hello healthy

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Definition

What is a varicocele?

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, varicocele is a swelling or enlargement of the veins in the testicles (scrotum). The condition is similar to varicose veins on the legs.

It is important to know if the role of veins is to carry blood from cells and tissues back to the heart, to be exchanged for new oxygenated blood cells.

Varicoceles can occur on one side or both sides of the testicles. This disease, which is often called testicular varicose veins, usually occurs on the left side.

This condition can cause the testicles to become swollen and stretch.

How common are varicoceles?

Varicocele is very common in adolescents and the elderly. However, this condition can also occur during childhood.

This disease does not affect daily activities but can cause infertility or fertility problems.

About 15 out of 100 men suffer from varicocele. It is quite difficult to predict if these 15 people also have fertility problems or not.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of a varicocele?

Varicocele has no symptoms that are immediately recognizable. Men usually do not realize that they have this disease until a doctor performs an examination of the testicles.

Sometimes, a person may feel that their scrotum is enlarged but not painful, their testes are lopsided, or they feel hot.

Varicocele can slow down the growth of the testicle on the left during puberty. Then, this condition also causes the testicles to shrink due to pressure.

Even though it is claimed to have no symptoms, here are some things you might feel, such as:

• Suddenly a lump appeared on one of the testicles.
• The scrotum is swollen and painful when pressed.
• The line of blood vessels in the testicle enlarges.
• Experiencing pain that comes and goes or recurs.

Then, this condition is also likely to cause pain, such as:

• Discomfort with sharp pain.
• The pain increases when standing or doing physical activity for a long time.
• It got worse after one day.

There may be features or symptoms of a varicocele not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

Varicoceles often do not show serious symptoms that make you immediately go to the doctor for treatment.

However, when you feel pain and swelling in the scrotum, see an abnormal penis size, or notice any abnormalities in the child's genitals, you should immediately consult a doctor.

If you have any signs or symptoms above or any other questions, please consult your doctor. This is because each person's body has different symptoms.

Cause

What causes varicocele?

Actually, the cause of varicose veins in the testicles is not known with certainty.

However, many experts say that the cause of varicocele is when the valves in the blood vessels in the testicles don't work properly.

So, the blood flow in it slows down because it doesn't flow smoothly.

If blood flow slows down, blood may become blocked in the blood vessels. In fact, these blood vessels are responsible for carrying the base of cells and tissues back to the heart.

In cases of varicocele, this lump usually occurs on the left side because the veins on that side are subjected to more pressure than the right side.

When the blood flow in the testicles and scrotum is not working properly, blood will build up and cause swelling.

This is what will cause the blood vessels in your testicular pouch to swell.

Often occurs during puberty, this condition also occurs mostly in the left scrotum because the position of the veins in the testicles is on the left.

Why is varicocele often considered to make men infertile?

Fertility or not a man is affected by the quality of sperm produced by the testes in the testicles.

Blood flow from the heart to the penis when a man gets sexual stimulation will create an erection.

At the same time, the scrotum (testicles) is drawn into the body to prepare semen.

The presence of swollen veins due to varicocele in men can cause the venous valve to not function optimally to return blood to the heart.

Blood trapped in this intimate area will increase the temperature around the testicles longer than it should.

In fact, in order for the testicles to produce healthy and quality sperm batches, the surrounding temperature must not exceed 4 degrees above normal body temperature.

Heat will greatly affect sperm quality. Just one degree increase in temperature will reduce your sperm count by as much as 40%.

Any single abnormality in sperm (be it a defective shape, low sperm count, and slow sperm motility or movement) can increase a man's risk of fertility problems.

Although this condition is often found in men who undergo fertility tests, 8 out of 10 men who experience varicocele do not have fertility problems.

Bulging blood vessels in people with varicoceles can damage sperm and reduce sperm count.

However, in people with average sperm counts, varicoceles may not affect male fertility.

Risk factors

What increases my risk of developing it?

There are no specific conditions that increase the risk of varicocele significantly.

Medicines & Medicines

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

What are my treatment options for varicocele?

Actually, varicose veins in the testicles do not require special treatment, unless you feel pain and discomfort in the penis sac.

In addition, how to treat varicocele with medical treatment may be needed if it causes infertility problems or fertility problems for men.

Later, the doctor will recommend surgery or surgery to treat varicose veins on the penis.

Surgery is performed by removing a blood vessel, then clamping it into the bloodstream via another route.

Vascular resection surgery is a minor operation and requires 1-7 days of rest.

Usually after surgery, it will make the male genitalia bruised and uncomfortable due to pain.

However, about 15% of varicocele patients who undergo surgery rarely have a relapse.

If a relapse, the doctor will usually recommend another operation.

There are several types of surgery to treat varicoceles:

1. Varicoselectomy

This operation is performed under local or general anesthesia. The surgeon will then operate via a route through the groin, or less often, through the abdomen or upper thigh.

The doctor will use ultrasound and a surgical microscope to close the veins that are affected by the buildup of blood flow.

Then, the doctor will change the route of the blood through other blood vessels that are healthier.

2. Embolization

In this surgical operation, a radiologist will insert a tube or catheter into the body through the neck or groin.

Later, surgical instruments will be carried through the tube, and the surgeon uses them together with a special chemical to block the blood vessels that are blocked by scar tissue.

Embolization is a minor surgery that can be done on an outpatient basis. Recovery after this operation also generally does not take long.

You don't have to have surgery or surgery if you have varicose veins in your testicles.

However, you may want to consider treatment if a varicocele causes:

• Shrinked testicles (testicular atrophy).
• Pain.
• Infertility or infertility.

Surgery side effects

The two procedures for varicose veins in the testicles above are generally relatively safe.

However, there is still a chance of side effects from this operation. Here are the side effects that can occur.

• The arteries in the testicles or testicles are damaged.
• You will experience further testicular atrophy.
• The testicles are at risk of infection.
• The testicles become bruised, swollen, or there is a build-up of fluid in the area.
• Renal vein thrombosis can occur. This can affect the kidneys and may need further surgery.
• Sometimes, the new blood vessels through which blood passes after surgery also get bigger.

What are the usual tests to detect varicoceles?

The doctor will diagnose with a scrotal examination. If the diagnosis is unclear, the doctor will ask for an examination ultrasound.

It is necessary to take a picture of the veins in the scrotum and exclude the non-varicocele-induced cause of swelling.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be used to treat varicoceles?

Here are the lifestyle and home remedies that can help you deal with varicocele:

• Use pants and underwear that are not too tight.
• Use painkillers such as paracetamol if pain persists.
• Go to the doctor if you experience symptoms of pain in the testicles, and the symptoms persist and get worse.
• Call your doctor if you have fertility problems.

Here are the thingsNOT you can do to limit the development of varicocele:

• Ignoring pain or swelling in the scrotum.

Prevention

You can take precautions with these 5 important steps:

Unlike the penis, most male testicles are the same size. However, it is possible that someone has bigger testes than the other.

The testicles should feel soft, without lumps or lumps. Feels solid but not hard.

When held, you can feel the soft vessels behind the testicles, usually called the epididymis.

Once you get that, here's how to check your own testicles:

1. Feel the shape when examining

Check each testicle at different times. Try to feel what the "shape" looks like.

This means that you have to remember the shape when you hold it, so you know if there is a difference when you check it again.

Why have to check individually and separately from other parts of the penis?

The reason is so that you can distinguish the shape of each testicle and recognize any unusual signs.

2. Check after bathing

You can check it at night, after taking a warm shower. Why is that? This is due to the scrotum relaxed and soft.

Try to hold the testicles a little tighter, but still relax. Imagine that you are holding a chick, not too slack, not too tight.

3. Make a circular motion

Use the fingers or thumbs of both hands, then make a circular motion on one testicle.

Recognize any lumps or swelling such as rice grains embedded in your testicles.

If so, remember them or write them down in detail to monitor the changes.

These changes can include an enlarged lump, a tingling sensation, or even a new lump.

It's also important to remember how big and clear the lump is. Immediately see a doctor for consultation.

4. Pay attention if there is a strange sensation

If you feel pain, itching, heaviness, or tingling, you should start to be alert and consult a doctor.

Some men do have high sensitivity in their testicles. Good sensitivity due to touch, and because of temperature.

It should also be noted when you feel pain when urinating, walking, sleeping, and even feel pain during sex.

5. Also check the scrotum

Raise your hand over the scrotum and look for a rough, scaly sensation, discoloration, rash, redness, or any other unusual sensations.

There is no way to prevent varicocele. However, you can lower your risk of this one health problem.

Men are advised to maintain the health of their vital organs by increasing the consumption of foods containing anti-oxidants.

Especially vegetables and fruits that are rich in vitamins A, C, E, and zinc.

Also avoid exposure to chemicals, electricity, continuous radiation, soaking in hot water, and wearing pants that are too tight to protect the ideal temperature of the testicles.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.