Testicular Injuries: Causes and Treatments

Treating Testicular Trauma continued...

Treatments for some types of testicular trauma include:

Placing an ice pack against your scrotum
Resting and avoiding strenuous activity
Medication to treat pain and inflammation
Antibiotics to prevent or treat infection
Wearing a jockstrap to support your testicles

In the case of torsion, treatment involves a doctor turning the testicle back to its proper place by rotating it while holding the scrotum. However, surgery is typically needed, even if the testicle has been turned back into place.

If the accident has dislocated your testicle, a doctor may be able to press it back into position. Surgery may be needed.

Other types of surgery include opening the scrotum to stitch the covering of your testicle back together. In some cases, the surgeon will need to remove part or all of the testicle. If your scrotum has been badly damaged in an accident, the surgeon may need to move skin from another part of your body to fix it.

Your doctor may recommend an ultrasound of your testicles after your injury has healed, to make sure there are no other abnormalities.

Preventing Testicular Injuries

You can't always prevent a testicle injury, but these steps will help protect you:

Wear a jockstrap when you're playing sports. If you're doing an activity that could lead to a hard strike -- such as baseball or martial arts -- also wear a protective cup. Be sure the cup fits well and is properly placed over your penis and testicles.
Wear your seat belt while in a vehicle.
Use caution when riding motorcycles and bicycles.
Take care near machinery that could snag your clothing or skin. Avoid loose clothing and belts. Follow all safety rules while using machinery.