Symptoms
(or ‘Finding that lump!’)
- A (usually) painless swelling in part of one testicle - some men do notice an ache in their lower abdomen or affected testicle.
- A feeling of “heaviness” in the scrotum.
- The testicle suddenly becoming swollen and very tender.
When a testicle is normal it is round, soft and smooth. The epidydimis sit behind it as a separate structure (cysts and benign swelling there are quite common and normally not a problem). A lump in the actually body of the testes could be benign or it could be cancer - you should see a doctor!
Having a Feel
Cancers found early are the most easily treated. The best way to do this is have a feel once a month - yes I know; you probably have a feel at least once a day! I mean a proper feel! Do this after you’ve had a warm bath or a shower when your skin is relaxed. CancerBACUP can send you a leaflet on self-examination, or if you can find them purchase a Gillette BlueBoy these badges also have a self-examination guide in the packet.
If you needed any encouragement to have a feel take a look at the Rachel Stevens campaign
You can read more about how I found my lump here.