Orchitis causes pain and swelling in one or both of your testicles. The mumps, certain sexually transmitted infections and urinary tract infections are common causes. Treatment usually involves antibiotics. At-home care can also help relieve symptoms. You can help prevent orchitis by getting vaccines and using protection during sexual intercourse.
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Orchitis (or-KY-tis) is swelling or inflammation of one or both of your testicles (testes). Your testicles are part of your reproductive system — they make reproductive cells (sperm) and testosterone, which is a hormone. Most people assigned male at birth (AMAB) have two testicles.
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Epididymitis is a condition that causes swelling and inflammation in your epididymis. The epididymis is a tube at the back of your testicles that carries and stores sperm.
Epididymo-orchitis is when you have epididymitis and orchitis at the same time.
Orchitis alone isn’t common — it usually appears alongside other conditions like epididymitis. When it does appear on its own, it usually results from a mumps infection.
The main symptoms of orchitis are testicular pain, tenderness and swelling. The pain usually starts in one testicle. But it can spread to your other testicle or affect your entire scrotum. Your scrotum is the pouch of skin behind your penis that holds your testicles.
Other orchitis symptoms may include:
Orchitis develops as a result of a viral or bacterial infection. Most cases occur because of:
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Yes, you can get orchitis without an STI. Viral infections that can cause orchitis include:
Bacterial infections that can cause orchitis include:
Epididymitis can also cause orchitis.
Anyone who has testicles, at any age, can get orchitis. But the following factors increase your risk of developing orchitis:
Orchitis complications may include:
In rare cases, if orchitis affects both of your testicles, it may lead to infertility.
A healthcare provider will perform a physical exam to check for tenderness and swelling in your testicles. To confirm their diagnosis, they may also order additional tests.
A healthcare provider may order the following tests to diagnose orchitis:
Getting rid of orchitis depends on its exact cause. In Treatment options may include:
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It depends on the exact cause of your orchitis. A healthcare provider may prescribe:
Cause | Antibiotic |
---|---|
Chlamydia | Doxycycline, Azithromycin |
Gonorrhea | Ceftriaxone, Gentamicin, Azithromycin |
Syphilis | Penicillin |
E. coli | Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, Ciprofloxacin, Rifaximin |
Staph | Cefazolin, Nafcillin, Vancomycin |
Strep | Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Benzathine. |
Prostatitis | Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacin |
Cause | |
Chlamydia | |
Antibiotic | |
Doxycycline, Azithromycin | |
Gonorrhea | |
Antibiotic | |
Ceftriaxone, Gentamicin, Azithromycin | |
Syphilis | |
Antibiotic | |
Penicillin | |
E. coli | |
Antibiotic | |
Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, Ciprofloxacin, Rifaximin | |
Staph | |
Antibiotic | |
Cefazolin, Nafcillin, Vancomycin | |
Strep | |
Antibiotic | |
Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Benzathine. | |
Prostatitis | |
Antibiotic | |
Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacin |
Be sure to complete your entire course of antibiotics. If you don’t, orchitis may come back and be harder to treat.
Without treatment, you’re more likely to have complications or long-term damage, including severe illness, infertility or the loss of a testicle.
Orchitis symptoms typically start to go away a few days after you start treatment. But it can take weeks or even months for the swelling to go away completely.
You can reduce your chances of developing orchitis by getting the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and wearing condoms during sexual intercourse. If you’re sexually active and have multiple partners, it’s also a good idea to get an STI test at least every three to six months.
With proper diagnosis and treatment, the outlook for orchitis is good. Infertility and other long-term problems are rare.
In most cases, it takes about a week for antibiotics to clear a bacterial infection. You should avoid having sexual intercourse for at least seven days. If you have intercourse, use condoms to protect your partner(s) from infection.
Reach out to a healthcare provider if you have orchitis symptoms. Contact a provider if you receive treatment for orchitis and your symptoms don’t start to go away after you finish your full course of medication.
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Questions you may want to ask your provider include:
Orchitis causes testicular pain and swelling. It can cause a lot of feelings, including anxiety, embarrassment and even anger. Many feel nervous at the idea of even talking to a healthcare provider about problems they have with their sensitive areas out of fear of being judged or feeling vulnerable. However, a provider will do their best to make you feel comfortable during an examination and any necessary testing to diagnose and treat orchitis.
If an STI causes orchitis, you should notify any sexual partners so they can talk to a provider and get treatment, too. You may have swelling in your testicles for a few months, but the pain should diminish. You can help reduce any other discomfort at home with rest and ice.
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Last reviewed on 11/22/2024.
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