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Been off the bike for a few months (taken up running y'see), but since the sunny lockdown has arrived I've been doing a little more riding on the road.
This has coincided with pain in my nuts - like i've been kicked. The GP said they don't think i have cancer, but will send me for a scan "in a few weeks". Until then it's ibuprofen. On my loop yesterday it was really quite uncomfortable.
Has anyone else had this? I suppose i should lay off the bike for a couple weeks to see if it clears up. Does anyone else have this problem with riding?
have you check out this thread?
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/can-continual-self-abuse-make-you-worse/
Are you still running?
What about leaning forwards more in the saddle on road rides/ less moving around because of less traffic/ obstacles in the road?
Have you looked at the condition of your shorts? I have been doing a bit of training on the turbo, and not bothering to wash/change shorts every day and got the 'kicked' feeling and my aged shorts with baggy lycra turned out to be the source of the problem; once I worked out that I should be doing long hours in shorts with a decent support the problem went away in a day. Cost me £100 for a pair of extra Mavic Ksyrium Pro shorts but I'm back up to 6 hours a day again with no pain.
Are we talking specifically an aching ballsack? Cos that ain't right.
If it's more general discomfort or numbness then it may be a case of the fit is off / you've gone soft. Look at saddle angle first and foremost, then height and how it relates to your reach onto the bars (stem length and height).
Have always worn the same assos shorts (not the same pair...but the same type) for the last 10 years. I haven't thought of changing them. Maybe I'll buy something different to try - good suggestion.
Had something similar, turned out to be varicose veins, extremely tiny veins, revealed by ultrasound. It resolved itself, no problems since
No i'm not running as had a little niggle i didn't want to provoke. Maybe i'll pivot back this week.
Yes aching ballsack!
If theres nothing revealed by scans / examinations etc... a pain in the balls can be a symptom of sciatica
I would say a week off of the bike and see how it feels would be the best thing you could do at the moment.
Trying some new shorts will eliminate the support issue. As above saddle angle or just saddle shape not being right as you get older.
Was the bike fine before you break from cycling?
As a very easy thing to try - Google slump stretch, and try it; it can be helpful with sciatic pain (at least, it was in my case...)
Edit: including pain around "there", in my case
Stop sitting on your nuts?
Yes bike is a mega expensive custom thing with about 20k miles on it.
Fadda - gonna give your suggestion a go.
Mashr - thanks mate.
Had a similar problem, resolved with physio concentrating on hip stretches and strengthening up the muscles. I'm quite flat footed also which doesn't help!
I had exactly this a year or two ago. It was so bad, i had to stop riding for a bit.
Resulted in all sorts of scans and invetsigations, initially at the GP and later at hospital.
as @P20 says above - turned out to be "varicocele" (effectively varicose veins in your scrotum).
It cleared up eventually but in the meantime, I altered my saddle position slightly (nose down a degree or so) to take any weight of my balls - that turned out to be a good move and I have all my saddles set at that angle now - I've been riding for over 40 years and had always had the same setup (saddle "flat") so was surprised by the difference it made.
One conclusion I drew from all the above was that I think the cause may have been Zwift - I had been spending hours doing Zwift races on the turbo in the months prior to this first occurring and I'm pretty sure the "fixed" position on the turbo had something to do with it - so if you're doing that, cut it down!
If theres nothing revealed by scans / examinations etc… a pain in the balls can be a symptom of sciatica
Really? Had various sciatica related issues since Christmas, mainly a numb right foot and calf, but have had an achey left nut for a few days now.
@MoreCashThan Dash - Tight hip flexors can cuase that but moving the hips out of alignment which leads to weak lower back muscles leading to sciatica type pains.
Really? Had various sciatica related issues since Christmas, mainly a numb right foot and calf, but have had an achey left nut for a few days now.
How old are you? If they're dangly enough you might have stepped on it with you numb right foot.
Some really good advice on here chaps. Appreciate it all.
If its not just riding your bike I'd imagine its Epididymitis , Ive had it for a few months now . I got prescribed some medication which did help but took a month to work . Im a train driver and the pain was more painful sitting driving trains than riding bikes. Its like a constant toothache rather than being taking a boot to the slats to be honest.
Not nice but after a consultation with the docs i felt fine knowing it wasn't something more serious.
Strange, but this topic is highly relevant to me at the mo, terrible dull ache in the nethers and ironically it does coincide with me starting to ride Zwift a couple of months back. So i can appreciate what Velocipede has already mentioned. Obviously because of the situation at the surgeries at present i have not booked any appointments, so i guess its a matter of keep on keeping on for the time being and hope it fades in time as other people have said. Not much fun though TBH !
If it's uncomfortable when riding, I'd lay off the biking for a while. Biking should be a pleasurable experience.
Can you do a bit of running instead?
Something i have not considered, only because the last time i tried to get back into running i kept getting injured ! Swimming might be better , if only for the extra support it might provide in the vitals 🙂
Yes Stanfree - same here...almost tooth ache like!
Actually ok with padded bibshorts on and riding, though unexpected potholes are an emotional experience
@hornetfancier - my only advice (apart from seeing the GP) is tip your saddle forward a little bit - I definitely found it a help
If you want to try a bit of running, there is a podcast the NHS have called "couch to 5k. The presenter is a woman called Laura and I though her presenting style was great.
I did it over the Winter months when I couldn't be bothered cycling in the mud, dark, rain, etc
Another epididymis sufferer. Comes and goes every few years, normally for three or four weeks, currently coming towards the end of a stretch that starting in January. Once again had ultrasounds and blood tests, and three courses of doxycycline, which seems to achieve absolutely nothing other than making me nauseous and sensitive to sunlight. Sore balls are less of an inconvenience, although they've hurt a lot this time. A lot...
Very little seems to help, other than time. Pretty convinced 30 years of cycling have done them no favours - but it's baseless.
Felt like just cutting the ******* off some days.
Another sufferer. I had scans which found nothing scary and mountains of antibiotics which didn't help. Eventually found this (DIY Joint Pain Relief's vid on testicle pain relief):
It's a guide to solving the tight hip muscle/sciatica problems. Works for me but needs repeating occasionally.
Good luck with it
Turns out i have a inguinal hernia. This was the cause!