Urologist explains what 'normal' testicles actually look like as he urges people to be aware of 'red flag'
Niamh Shackleton
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock
A urologist has explained what he believes to be 'normal' testicles as he urged men to regularly check themselves.
Of course 'normal' can look different for everyone, but there's some things that are more common than you'd expect – and other things you should certainly be concerned about.
Testicles isn't something that men will commonly speak about, but conversations about health and testicular cancer are key to finding any possible problems early.
Dwayne Johnson has recently spoken out about a health scare he experienced after discovering a lump on his testicle.
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The Moana star had a painful lump of his left testicle and, after the pain didn't go away after a few days, he went to see his doctor.
Johnson was then told the lump could be one of two things: epididymitis — an inflammation of a tube located at the back of the testicle — or cancer.
Fortunately it turned out that the WWE legend did not have cancer.
Lumps like this are definitely a cause for concern though, says Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, a urologist and robotic surgeon with Orlando Health and an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine, and Johnson was right to go get it looked it.
While the actor's lump was painful, Dr. Brahmbhatt says a painless lump on the testicles is a bigger red flag.
He penned for CNN: "A firm, painless lump on the testicle itself is a red flag. It is the classic presentation of testicular cancer."
Dr. Brahmbhatt added: "If you find a firm lump, you should get to a doctor right away, even if you feel fine. Most testicular cancers are painless, but pain doesn’t rule cancer out.
"Very easily, an exam, ultrasound and/or lab work can help sort a benign tumor from cancer."
In terms of what is 'normal', Dr. Brahmbhatt says one testicle hanging lower than the other – usually the left one – isn't something to worry about. It's also quite common for one testicle to be larger than the other.
He further explained: "What’s that soft, lumpy wormlike structure along the top and back of each testicle? That’s the epididymis, not a tumor.
"A cordlike structure extending from the top of each testicle is the spermatic cord. Cysts can form on the testicle or epididymis, but they are usually benign."
Enlarged veins on the testicle is also something that isn't too concerning and is likely to be a varicocele (an enlargement of the veins within the scrotum), said Dr. Brahmbhatt. However, if it's new or painful, it won't do you any harm having it looked at by a healthcare professional.