Testicular awareness is a quick, simple check which men should do from puberty onwards. It means you will get to know how your testicles usually feel. If you find a lump or notice a change, it does not mean it is cancer. However, you should go to your doctor straight away to find out the cause and receive treatment.
When should I examine my testicles?
The best time to examine your testicles is after a bath or shower when the scrotum is relaxed and you can feel the contents more easily.
How do I examine my testicles?
Examine each testicle in the same way. The following steps will act as a guide:
- Hold your scrotum in the palms of your hands so that the thumbs and fingers of both hands are free to feel your testicles
- It is common for one testicle to be slightly larger and it may also hang lower than the other
- Examine your testicles one at a time, using gentle pressure
- Examine the epididymis first, which is a sausage shaped structure on top of and behind the testicle
- The epididymis should feel soft and slightly tender to the touch
The epididymis stores sperm and sometimes it may be more sensitive than others
- Find the spermatic cord which goes out from the top of the epididymis and behind the testicle. It should feel like a firm, smooth tube
- Feel the testicle itself.
What changes am I looking out for?
These are the changes you are looking for:
- A hard lump on the front or side of a testicle
- Swelling or enlargement of a testicle
- Pain or discomfort in the scrotum or testicles
- An unusual difference between one testicle and the other
- A dull ache in the lower stomach, groin or scrotum.
If you notice a lump or any other change, consult your doctor (GP) or nurse practitioner. You may worry needlessly if you do not. If your doctor or nurse is concerned, they will refer you to a specialist.