[Closed] Epididimitis?

I've just been through this process but it turned out to be something completely different (an inflamed/aggravated hip flexor impinging on the genito-femoral nerve).

Either way, I thought it was epididimitis so started experimenting with short nosed/cut out saddles to take pressure away from that whole area.

The Bontrager Aeolus seems the best option to try, it's cheap (£45) and seems quite intuitive to set up.

You can also demo ISM saddles from Upgrade bikes (basically buying the saddle but in the understanding that you can ride it for 30 days and then send it back quibble free). They're heavier and more expensive than the Bontrager though so I'm going to send mine back.

You can just get an infection. Have you had the snip ? That can, and does, cause pain - had it 8 years since the snip, and still get it in lefty despite the epididimis having to be cut out a year after the snip - both still cause pain.

Cycling generally doesn't make it any worse now, it just comes and goes, but can be worse in the morning.

I had it years ago. Generally antibiotics should clear it up but unfortunately in my case the pain became very severe, to the point where the GP was called out in the middle of the night and he sent me straight off to hospital for a 3 week stay while they sorted out an antibiotic that would work. Doc at one point said "if this next one doesn't work I'll try Dettol". Luckily the pain killers worked immediately so the only discomfort was having balls the size of golf balls.

Once the infection was cleared up there was still a lot of fluid in my scrotum which had to be knifed open to drain it (in an operating theatre of course). The most traumatic bit was when they sent two nervous student nurses to take the stitches out!

So hopefully a course of antibiotics should fix it for you, but if the pain gets severe call the GP. Oh and yes it's not necessarily a result of an STI so no need for any embarrassment.

Not had the snip, still in tact. I started antibiotics yesterday and i'm less uncomfortable today so thats positive, the pain hasn't been as bad this time as it was a few weeks ago but then again things were much less swollen this time around.

When I spoke to the GP he was pretty clear in saying, "I don't think it's a twisted testicle because if it was then you'd know about it, but if at any point it becomes really painful GET TO THE HOSPITAL AS FAST AS YOU CAN". He then went off on a tangnet about patients passing out and havng thier testicles removed because a twisted tescle wasn't treated in time.

One of my cycling mates had a twisted nut just over a year ago - he's been off the bike some time as it caused bother after the repairs. When I had the epididimis cut out, it's a similar repair to a twisted nut, your nut gets attached to the scrotum. Apart from the impressive swelling, and bad pain, it was rather odd and uncomfortable for a couple of years with a nut that didn't shift out of the way. The scar tissue has receded and it's a bit more 'normal now. My mate is still suffering with his - I warned him it might be a good while before they settle down.

I've had it for about 8/9 years. I had to opened up under g/a as an emergency due to the pain being so severe and the doc at the hospital suspected torsion but it was a benign cyst.

I've had three courses of antibiotics over those years as it keeps returning. I've got a small hard lump right in the 'tubes' which has been scanned and nothing to worry about but it's in such an awkward place it gets infected. Surgery not an option unless going private. Just been told to go back and get more antibiotics if it reoccurs, been okay for about a year so fingers crossed. Cycling can definitely aggravate it imo.

I feel for you, all of you.

I've suffered on and off since being a teenager (now in my 40s).
Had flare-ups that would last a couple of months, worse one had me on antibiotics for just over 4 weeks.
I've been on a few different types of antibiotics, some work one year then not the next?
Had an ultrasound scan that confirmed it being epididymitis a couple of years ago when I had a rough 6 months of it.
Some times it's excruciating and other times it's just a nagging dull pain, but the nagging one can be 24/7 and last for months which grinds you down.
I've tried alot of things, even spent nearly a year riding my bike with the saddle right down, so I NEVER sat on it, I still ended up with it returning.

Had the snip too and they said it shouldn't come back now, it did.

I use antbac soap on my junk every shower and it seems to occur less now, the Dr's just said I'm unlucky, but from what I've read on the internet I could have it a lot worse.

The upside is that I've had my junk examined so many times that I don't think I'll ever be too embarrassed to see the quack for anything.

I hope it eases for you soon.

I had it at the start of the year , bloody sore and resulted in Antibiotics and a week of work. The pain stayed for a few weeks but . The course of tablets was for a month and tbh didnt seem to do very much . It eventually justr fixed its self. Good luck , weirdly I could still ride my bike.

I had it big-time back in the early 1990s.

It started not long into the academic year. I had walked back to my flat after a lecture, and by the time I got there, I could no longer stand up. It was as if someone had drop-kicked me in the family jewels. The pain only went away twenty minutes after I took paracetemol.

It then recurred frequently: almost every time I walked outside for more than a few minutes, and even sometimes when I had been doing nothing but sitting there. Either way, the only way to subdue the pain was to take painkillers.

I then visited a doctor, who told me not to worry. That it was a hernia, and I could eventually get it repaired surgically once it had 'fully herniated'.

Whatever.

Anyway, more than a year after I first experienced symptoms, it got so bad that I decided to wait for a bout, then go straight to A&E and refuse to leave until I was properly diagnosed and treated.

The A&E doctor listened to me describe my symptoms, laughed, said 'I don't even have to examine you. You've got epididymitis', proceeded to prescribe me ciprofloxacin, and said it would be gone after ten days worth of antibiotics.

It was.

I had a flare-up again about a year after that, but, knowing what it was, went straight to another GP, told him my history, got another five-day course of cipro, and got rid of it again. Never been bothered since.

When I had it though... omg, I thought nothing could be worse.

Bicycles, funny enough, had nothing to do with it.

SaxonRider thats reassuring to hear, i've been prescribed the same and i think things are getting better already. Not sure how it's going to go this weekend as I have a riding weekend planned in Wales - road/mtb/road, i've pulled out of both of the road days but i'm still planning on riding at BPW on saturday. My justification is that I wont be sat down anywhere near as much. Unwise I know but this has been planned for months and is the first thing i'll have done thats not local since Feb.... still trying to justifiy it to myself.

@scunny - you might find this old thread useful - see my comments on it re varicocele (basically varicose veins in your scrotum) - my symptoms were as you described - I was in agony off and on for months while I went through multiple scans and investigations - a slightly dropped nose on the saddle on all my bikes and a bit less time on Zwift sorted it!

https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/bollock-pain-and-riding/#post-11152440

I've had the left nut injected twice with a mix of anesthetic and botox to reduce the pain (and no, the left nut isn't less wrinkly). Funny thing is, one of the male nurses went a bit green when he knew what was going on (there was the consultant and 3 nurses in the room - just for one needle). Like others have said, no longer embarrassed by getting the bits out. One of the first visits to the GP was a young female GP I'd never met before and she had to 'check them out'. Had two A&E visits where they said the swelling wasn't too bad (orange sized) as they'd seen them the size of grapefruits. After the snip, one doctor said 'we didn't do that did we ?

I was due to have denervation where they strip out the nerves from your groin, but I managed to get knocked off my bike and broke my back when I was due for surgery - 'sorry, can't make the surgery, I'm downstairs in the spinal ward'. I just put up with it now - no more surgical procedures down there (4 in total now). If bad, I pop a couple of co-codamol.

Bloody hell @fossy - you sound like me - I had similar problems (although varicocele for me) and currently recovering from a broken back!

Cycling is ace isn't it!

Hah, yep @velocipede. The original snip kept me off the bike about 4 weeks as I had a hole that didn't heal. The second one was about the same but had a 4cm scar stitched up, right in area where you bits would be hitting the saddle. The second op was about 3 hours from being knocked out to coming round, then they let me go within an hour - I was wobbling all over. I made the mistake of looking what they had done, saw the scar and nearly passed out - I realised just how invasive the op was. The recovery was quicker than the snip though, but had 3 nuts for a while as the area where the epididimis "was" swelled up impressively. I'm not going through that again.

I had asked the consultant to 'remove' them the pain was so bad - his response is they couldn't guarantee being pain free - damaged nerves already. Argh.... I've been on some strong drugs over the years and have just given up on it now. Just live with it. Most of the time it's OK, but you get set backs.

Had it in my early 20's. Was due the snip at 24 but had to wait till it died down at 25 to get the snip done.

Was utterly crippling mortal agony and I can feel your pain.
Mine just died down after a few years and has been fine. Doc did blame cycling but I think that was rubbish tbh.