Description

A hydrocele (HI-droe-seel) is a type of swelling in the scrotum, the pouch of skin that contains the testicles. This swelling that occurs when fluid collects in the thin sac that surrounds the testis. Hydroceles are common in newborn babies. Often disappears without treatment by age 1 year. Older children and adults can get a hydrocele due to an injury to the scrotum or other health problems.

A hydrocele is often not painful or harmful. It is possible that you do not need any treatment. But it is important to see a health care provider if the scrotum looks swollen.

Symptoms

Often the only sign of a hydrocele is a painless swelling of one or both testicles.

The inflammation can make an adult of the scrotum to feel heavy. In general, the pain gets worse as the swelling increases. Sometimes, the swollen area can be smaller in the morning and later in the day.

When to see a doctor

Consult your health care provider if you or your child has swelling in the scrotum. It is important to find out if there are other causes of swelling that can be treated. For example, a hydrocele may be related to a weak point in the abdominal muscles that allows part of the intestine that extend into the scrotum. This problem is called an inguinal hernia.

A baby hydrocele often goes away on its own. But if your baby still has a hydrocele after a year or if the swelling gets worse, ask your child's health care provider to check the hydrocele again.

Get help right away if you or your child has a sudden, terrible pain or swelling in the scrotum. It is very important to get immediate treatment if pain or inflammation is initiated within a couple of hours of an injury to the scrotum. These symptoms can occur with certain health problems, including blockage of blood flow in a torsion of the testicle. This problem is called testicular torsion. Needs to be treated within hours of the symptoms starting to save the testicle.

Causes

Babies

A hydrocele can be formed before birth. Normally, the testicles descend from the development of the baby in the stomach area in the scrotum. A bag that comes with each testis, letting the liquid envelope of the testicles. Most often, each bag is closed and the liquid is absorbed.

Sometimes, the fluid remains after the bag is closed. This is called a hydrocele non communicating. Usually the fluid is absorbed by the age of 1 or 2. Other times, the sac remains open. This is called a communicating hydrocele. The bag can be resized, or that the fluid can flow back into the stomach area. Communicating hydroceles are often associated with inguinal hernia.

Older people

A hydrocele can form due to an injury. Or it can be due to a type of inflammation, called inflammation, within the scrotum. The inflammation may be caused by an infection in the testicles or in the small, coiled tube at the back of each testicle.

Risk factors

Most hydroceles are present at birth. At least 5% of the male infants have a hydrocele. Premature babies who are born more than three weeks before their expiration dates, have a higher risk of having a hydrocele.

Risk factors for getting a hydrocele later in life, which include:

  • Injury or inflammation in the scrotum.
  • The infection, including sexually transmitted infection.

Complications

A hydrocele is often not dangerous and usually does not affect the ability to have a baby. But a hydrocele may be related to a health problem that can cause serious problems. These problems include:

  • Infection or a tumor. Either could cause the testicles to make less sperm or not working as well as usual.
  • Inguinal Hernia. This can lead to life-threatening health problems.

Diagnosis

Your healthcare provider should start with a physical exam. It is likely that include:

  • The checking of pain in an enlargement of the scrotum.
  • Pressing on the area of the stomach and scrotum to check for an inguinal hernia.
  • Shining a light through the scrotum. If you or your child has a hydrocele, the light will show a clear fluid that surrounds the testicle.

After that, you may need to:

  • Blood and urine tests to help find out if you or your child has an infection.
  • An imaging test called an ultrasound scan to check for a hernia, tumor, or other causes of swelling in the scrotum.

Treatment

In infants, a hydrocele sometimes goes away on its own. But at any age, it is important for a health professional to check a hydrocele. This is because they can be linked to a problem with the testicles.

A hydrocele is not going to go away on its own may need to be removed with surgery. Some people do not have to stay in the hospital overnight after surgery. Before the surgery to remove a hydrocele, you will receive a medicine that prevents you from feeling pain. A type of medicine that puts you in a state similar to sleep, too.

To remove the hydrocele, the surgeon makes an incision in the scrotum or in the lower area of the stomach. Sometimes, a hydrocele is found during surgery to repair an inguinal hernia. In this case, the surgeon may remove the hydrocele, even if it is not to cause discomfort.

After the surgery, you may need a tube to drain the fluid and a dressing for a couple of days. You may need a follow-up examination due to a hydrocele may return.

Preparing for your appointment

For a hydrocele, you can see a doctor who is called a urologist. This is an expert in problems of the urinary tract and the reproductive tract. Here's some information to help you prepare for your appointment.

What you can do

  • Take note of your symptoms or your child's symptoms. Note how the duration of the symptoms.
  • List of all the medicines, vitamins, and supplements that you or your child need. Include the dose. A dose is how much you or your child needs.
  • List of key personal and medical information, including other health problems, recent life changes and sources of stress.
  • Prepare questions to ask your health care provider.

For hydrocele, some basic questions to ask your provider include:

  • What do you think is the cause of this inflammation? There are other possible causes?
  • What kind of proof do you need?
  • What treatment do you recommend, if any?
  • What are the symptoms means that it is time to treat this disease?
  • What do you suggest the limits of the activity?

Feel free to ask other questions that arise during your appointment.

What to expect from your doctor

Your health care provider will likely ask you some questions.

If your child is affected, the doctor might do:

  • When did you first notice this inflammation? Has increased over time?
  • Is your child on any type of pain?
  • Does your child have any other symptoms?

If you are affected, your doctor may do:

  • When did you first notice the swelling?
  • Have you had any discharge from the penis or of the blood in the semen?
  • Do you have discomfort or pain in the affected area?
  • Do you have pain during sex or when you ejaculate?
  • Do you have a frequent or urgent need to urinate? Does it hurt when you pee?
  • Have you and your partner been tested for sexually transmitted infections (Stis)?
  • Do your hobbies or work involving heavy lifting?
  • Have you ever had a urinary tract or prostate infection, or other disorders of the prostate?
  • Have you ever had radiation or surgery to the affected area?

What you can do in the meantime

If you are sexually active, adult, stay away from sexual contact that could put your partner at risk of contracting an STI . This includes sex, oral sex and skin-to-skin genital contact.

Symptoms and treatment of Hydrocele