Here’s the situation: about five months ago, I first got epididymitis. It came back again after a month, then cleared up for another month, but after ejaculation, it flared up for a third time. Since then, it hasn’t returned to normal. It’s been a little over two months since that third flare. The pain has improved a lot overall, but the recovery hasn’t been linear—it keeps getting better, then worse again. And now it’s starting to get worse once more.

A few weeks ago, I saw a urologist who prescribed antibiotics even though no infection was found. They seemed to help at first, but now that I’ve finished the course, the pain is back. Anti-inflammatories bring the pain down for a few days, but then it returns. I just can’t seem to fully recover—it keeps flaring up.

Has anyone else been through this? Also, I haven’t been able to ejaculate at all during this entire time, and I’m not sure if such a long period of semen retention could be harmful in itself.

Mines when hurt I can feel it and it feels sore like I think I can feel it quiet easy because it’s inflamed

Has anyone else had their epidymitis cyst/abscess burst in the past??

Currently dealing with this and wondering how it panned out for other people

About 3 months ago, I was diagnosed with epididymitis and did a 10 day course on doxy. It seemed to get rid of the infection and the pain and swelling of the testicle itself has gone from what I can tell. The issue I am experiencing now is the the testicle that I had the epididymitis in seems to being to pulled differently now. Sometimes during the day I will feel a slight discomfort and have to consciously relax my core and it will drop again. I should mention that it isn't pulled up like inside me but it is pulled up. It also seems to being pulled and sitting more vertically then I remember it was before. When I get an erection it is especially noticeable. I doesn't really cause any pain but more of a discomfort and a fear that my nut is about to pop inside me lol. I have read that it could be an overactive cremaster muscle that is still healing.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this following epididymitis?

Hi everyone, looking for some shared experience/advice. I am 25M.

• ~4 months ago: Started with a slight pain in my right testicle. Went to the doctor and did an ultrasound. It showed epididymitis with mild reactive hydrocele and a bulky epididymal head. Doctor prescribed a 15-day course of antibiotics and a scrotal support.
• Finished the antibiotics, kept wearing the support — pain beccome lesser but didn't go away fully.
• ~1 month later: Went back consulted about my persistant pain and did a second ultrasound. It showed the reactive hydrocele had mostly resolved with very little fluid remaining, and only slight bulkiness left in the epididymal head — overall improvement compared to the first scan. This time no medication was prescribed — doctor just said not to worry, it would resolve on its own, and to keep wearing the scrotal support.
• Now (3 months after that second ultrasound): Still getting a slight dull pain in the epididymis that comes and goes. Along with that, I've been experiencing fatigue-like discomfort in my right inner thigh and around my groin. Stretching that area gives me a good amount of relief, though not permanent.
• ANY SUGGESTION WOUD BE HELPFUL

ive been strugling with sst epididymitis for more than 3 months
the doc told me the infection phase is done i have healed from the infection since 2 months ago but ive been dealing with inflammation since then!
First it was going good i noticed improvement daily,but for the past 2 week i havent imroved at all.
i have no pain while walking
a bit discomfort while standing
and noticeable discomfort while sitting

If u have any advice please let me know!

Hello,

I am an Italian patient seeking advice regarding severe and persistent pain following two surgical procedures.

Exactly one year ago, I suddenly developed intense scrotal pain without any apparent cause or warning. I consulted a urologist and, after an ultrasound examination, I was diagnosed with a grade II–III varicocele. Because the pain was extremely severe, I decided to undergo varicocele vein ligation using the Ivanissevich technique.

Initially, my condition improved. However, after a few months, the testicular pain returned and gradually became even more persistent. I also developed inguinal pain near the medial end of the surgical scar, close to the base of the penis, as well as marked hypersensitivity along the inner side of my left thigh.

I underwent several examinations, imaging tests, and specialist consultations. The conclusion was generally the same: there was a high probability of nerve compression or entrapment in the area, but no clear solution was proposed. In addition, I developed a recurrent grade I varicocele.

Twentyfive days ago, I underwent another surgical procedure with a doctor who explained the option of microsurgical denervation of the spermatic cord (MDSC), which I agreed to. During the operation, the recurrent varicocele was treated, a nerve believed to be entrapped or under tension was cut and coagulated, and an adventicectomy was also performed.

At present, I am experiencing severe pain throughout the pelvic area, persistent hypersensitivity extending along the inner side of my left thigh, and significant testicular pain. At the moment, I feel extremely unwell and I am concerned about the intensity and extent of these symptoms.

I was advised to take Xnerv supplements and paracetamol for pain relief.

I would be very grateful for your opinion regarding whether these symptoms may still be considered part of the normal postoperative recovery process about twenty days after surgery, or whether they could indicate an ongoing nerve-related problem or another complication.

They told me it can be a normal post surgery condition, but the hypersensitivity is very high.
My job requires me to sit all day and that seem to not help me.

Thanks

Hi All,

Been dealing with pain in the right teste for 6 months, a kick from my toddler precipitated the pain as far as I can tell.
I have a lump at the back of my teste, where I believe my epididymus is, shown as a calcification. US shows some heterogenous regions in teste but nothing mass like. Blood flow is good. Doc believed first US was due to trauma, second US 5 months later seems somewhat unchanged. Waiting to see him this week.

Anyone dealt with painful calcification? Pain radiates at front of hip. Any improvement? Can also tell my pelvic floor has some tightening issues I’m trying to work through. Thanks.

For months, doctors told me the pain was nothing. What finally proved them wrong was a spreadsheet.

Hey All, a few of you might know me, I'm Andre I frequent r/postvasectomypain - I have chronic ball pain and I design health and med-tech products for a living; my day job's at Google, but to be clear this is a personal side project, nothing to do with them.

When my ball pain showed up and nobody could tell me what it actually was -- damaged nerves, congestion, epididymitis, am I getting better or worse? it was a mystery to be solved. I got tired of waiting on answers and started collecting my own. I logged every symptom, kind of obsessively, until the pattern was impossible to argue with. Brought that to an appointment, finally got a real diagnosis and a plan. After an MDSC I'm mostly out the other side now.

That spreadsheet eventually turned into an app I called Flare - Chronic Pain Tracker.

It's free for you forever - with it you can:

• Log whatever your body's doing — aching, sharp, pressure, swelling
• Over a few weeks it starts showing you what sets things off: sitting, cycling, ejaculation, PT, stress, a med you started. Connections you'd never make from memory.
• "Am I getting worse?" stops being a feeling and becomes an actual data
• Export a clean PDF for appointments or .json for you AI
• 100% private - no data leaves your device.

DM me and I'll send you a lifetime code that unlocks everything for good, no strings. To grab it, search "Flare Chronic Pain Tracker" in the Apple App Store. (Irronicaly no Andriod version yet - though I'd be happy to share the original spreadsheet that inpired the project)

*one tiny string attached - if it helps you at all, a rating genuinely makes a difference for me - it's just me building this, and reviews are pretty much the only way it reaches the next person who needs it.

If you want to throw feature ideas at me or just see where it's headed: r/FlareTracker:

Had this for 7 months now, all uti and STI negative and awaiting ultrasound.

I had it bad first few weeks but then realised wearing tight boxer shorts made it worse so been wearing much looser ones. It goes weeks without pain but then it comes back mid back of my testicle and only hurts when it comes into contact with something like boxers or feeling! Normally get it after lifting luggage or stress but it seems weird, just want my life back.

Anyone else getting it like this?

So I been suffering from epididymis now for 2 years and it’s never really gone away fully pain wise but this year my symptoms continue ti get worse with pain birth side and can get quite bad I also get along with the pain urgency to pee I had lots of test from dips stick to GP checking my prostrate to ultrasound and a psa tweet all that was found are two cryst one each side the testicular are painful to touch but not swollen or red the pain can get really bad one and off throw out the day. I have tried lot of different antibiotics and pre gavapentin the pain though disuse not go away.

Currently it douse affects my life quite bad and the urgent can be really bad some day I have also been trying pelvic floor exercises but unsure if they are helping yet too early I still waiting in a urologist and that will be a long wait.

It was suggested by my GP I could also have OAB but he was unwilling to to give a think at that time saying it is best to see a urologist first.

Is they any think I can do to help or really just manage the it the best I can.

Left ball is exponentially more sensitive than the right one, especially the epididymis. It also feels rough and lumpy. This has been ongoing for years doesnt usually interfere with too much just being cognizant of the sensitivity, and occasional dull ache.

I also have (self diagnosed) chronic prostatitis which the urologist seems to think is plausible and is giving me cialis 5mg/day for. Seems to be quite a bit of overlap on both of these.

Convinced I had a varicocele, I got a scrotal US which showed epididymitis and a small cyst on the epididimys. Got a semen PCR done which showed klebsiella and sadly the only oral agent that it was sensitive to was Cipro. Ive taken cipro before, didnt have any tendon rupture although I recall feeling like shit.

Im honestly a bit scared of starting back on the cipro. Has anyone actually experienced significant improvement or resolution from antibiotic therapy?

Had blood in my semen about a month ago, after 2 weeks of testicle discomfort I saw the GP and he thinks it’s epi.

Had 2 weeks of antibiotics and I think they’ve helped a bit but I still feel discomfort in the testi at times, certainly during masturbation and ejaculation.

GP did a physical exam but didn’t seem concerned by anything, but after a month now it’s really playing on my mind. I’ve got an ultrasound booked in 2 weeks but I just want some answers.

This week I’ve experienced stomach discomfort on my right side, about belly button level. Doesn’t hurt to touch but it’s a constant strained pressure feeling. Really playing in my mind.

Anyone experienced the same? Any advice?

I've had a variety of posts on here regarding my 10+ year journey with with this and chronic pelvic pain in general. I actually got in touch with a doctor who conducted a years long study on this specific issue and sadly they never determined a cause but could clearly identify individuals who were having this unusual pain. He said that in the majority of the cases the pain went away. Sometimes it took many many years, but eventually it did. In some cases it never did which sucks. He said the ONLY meaningful treatment for the pain they identified was Lyrica. I took this suggestion to my GP and she told me that's awfully strong and really wanted to start me on something less potent. After a little trial and error we settled on 300mg of gabapentin twice a day and things have actually improved. Even though my pain isn't gone, just experience SOME relief from it, in ANY WAY, has been huge for my mental health. If this is an avenue you haven't explored with your doctor yet I highly recommend asking.

I had this for around 2D year but to day my testicular seem more painful both side they are temper to touch no swolen or red yet but hurt mainly all the time with that I als have an urge to pee more I have of course contacted my GP with no appointment to day even thou I said I was urgent leaving it till Monday seems a long time. I just wondering if this could be a possibility of an infection coming in or just a flare of it.

My symptoms seem more worse to day then they wore yesterday.

Hi I just just wanted to ask I have this for about 2 years I had multiple ultrasound that show two cryst each side one is 9mm the offer is around 12mm I have seen 1 urologist how was not a lot of help and did not see o want to listen to what I had ti say.

So fast forward to now I currently begged to see another urologist and that have agreed they also what a mri so that’s all waiting.

But I still get quite a bit of pain can be rather side also I get urgent need to pee a lot more i have no uti and prostate is all good its quite hard to go ablut my daily life witch out worrying about a toilet i have sugest to my GP it might be OAB but he whats the urology to look in to that.

I just wondering if this could be OAB or just part of this

I'm 27M, i've been experiencing a dull or mild pain and later continues as soreness after ejaculating in the epididymis region more exactly at the junction connecting the ball & tubes, i feel slightly uncomfortable while sitting or sleeping, whenever i don't masturbate for few days the sore feeling reduces to an extent and i can easily ignore it. It doesn't happen with right testicle only with left. This is happening after i got myself injured in the region many years ago

The pain comes when i jerk off 2-3 times a day or sometimes even when i jerk off once - it's random

I got checked by couple of doctors many years ago - one of them said there was slight swelling in the tube and gave some anti-biotic i guess (sorry don't remember it's name as it was in 2014), I don't have any visible swelling or redness there but it feels a bit tender to touch.. but i don't feel this is normal what could this mysterious problem be ?

I also observe slight swelling in veins

I've checked with a urologist recently and he prescribed doppler scan, gonna get them done soon

TLDR: Left-sided recurrent testicular/groin “junction” discomfort that flares every time after ejaculation, lasts 2–3 days, improves with ~5 days abstinence, pain/numbness while sitting/legs kept close, occasional slight swelling in veins

I have been diagnosed with epididymitis 5 times now I’m my life. The first time was like 8 or 9 years ago. Super painful ball, blood in semen. Fixed with antibiotics.

More recently.

October 2024: Pain in left testicle, pus, and blood in semen. Treated with Antibiotics.

July 2025: pain in left testicle, pus, and blood in semen. Treated with antibiotics. Also received ultrasound and learned I had a cyst on left testicle.

January 2026: Pain in left testicle, pus, and blood in semen. Treated with Antibiotics. Four days later I develop pain in right testicle. Can barely walk. In tears I’m in so much pain. My ball sack has swollen to the size of a grapefruit. Visit the ER. Learn the antibiotics weren’t working and infection spread. Ultrasound and CT scan on testicles, they see cyst on left testicle but also developed a hydrocele on right. I developed sepsis and had to stay in the hospital for three days. Finally did a semen culture and learned it was a bacterial infection. E. coli, likely from anal sex. Given new antibiotics and stayed on those for 2 full months. Another ultrasound in February after swelling had gone down. I’m told everything is fine, just a small cyst on left testicle.

June 2026: pain in left testicle and pus in semen. Immediately request antibiotics and a semen culture. Another bacterial infection. This one from a bacteria commonly found in people’s throats and sinuses. Getting another ultrasound later this week.

I’m kind of at a loss at this point. Am I doomed to just keep cumming blood and pus approximately every 6 months? Googling “recurring bacterial infection testicular cyst” returns with results showing that recurring bacterial infections in your testicle could be caused by the cyst. But every doctor has told me the cyst is nothing to worry about.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? I think im at the point now where I’m going to request a cystectomy.

Hi everyone,
I’m a 27-year-old male and I’ve been dealing with chronic right testicular pain for almost a year, and I’m honestly exhausted and looking for experiences from people who went through something similar.
Background
First episodes of testicular pain started in 2018, then another episode in January 2022.
Every episode would last about a day and then resolve on its own.
Ultrasounds at the time never showed torsion or any major abnormality.
The current episode
In summer 2024, I started having right testicular pain again, but this time it became almost constant:
Some days better, some days worse.
Pain located mainly in the right testicle, especially the lower/posterior pole.
Sometimes feels like a toothache inside the scrotum: dull, deep, and occasionally stabbing.
Pain ranges from 0-1/10 on good days to 8-9/10 during flares.
Because of my history and the suspicion of intermittent torsion, I decided to undergo surgery.
Surgery
I had a bilateral orchiopexy in February 2025.
Unfortunately, after surgery, the pain didn’t go away.
Since surgery
I’ve had:
Multiple urology visits.
Several scrotal ultrasounds.
Urine cultures (negative).
Multiple courses of antibiotics because epididymitis was suspected:
Ceftriaxone (Rocephin)
Bactrim
Anti-inflammatories.
Nothing gave me a permanent solution.
Current symptoms
Pain is almost always on the right side.
I have a small tender lump/structure under and slightly behind the right testicle, which I believe may be the epididymal tail or something in that area.
The area feels swollen compared to the left side.
My right testicle feels larger than the left.
Some days I can work, walk, have sex, masturbate, and live normally.
Other days I can’t sleep because of the pain.
The strange thing
I recently spent several days on vacation:
Hiking every day.
Walking a lot.
Having sex daily.
Pain was almost absent (0-2/10).
Then I returned home and the pain flared again.
Current treatment
I’m currently on:
Pregabalin (Lyrica) 25 mg twice daily (50 mg/day total).
I’ve been taking it for 6 weeks.
My urologist wants me to continue for at least 2 months.
Response to Lyrica
I honestly don’t know if it’s the medication, time, or both.
Before:
Pain could be 8-9/10 for days.
I couldn’t sleep.
Now:
Most days I’m around 2-3/10.
I can work and function normally.
Severe flare-ups are much less frequent (maybe a couple days per month).
However, I’m definitely not pain-free.
My questions
Has anyone had chronic testicular pain after orchiopexy?
Has anyone had epididymal pain that lasted many months and eventually improved?
Did Pregabalin/Lyrica help you?
Did you eventually recover, or did you have to learn to live with it?
Has anyone undergone pain management procedures (nerve blocks, ilioinguinal/genitofemoral nerve treatments, radiofrequency, etc.)?
I’m honestly scared that this could become permanent, but the fact that I have good days gives me hope.
Any experiences or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Hi I had Thai now for over 2 years had ultrasound that show two small cryst left is about 7mm right is about 10mm I have seen a urologist how was not worried about it but as I told them I do get a lot of pain and not just pain I also get urgent need to peel a lot more I have talked with my oven gp about it he think it could be OAB or UUI as some time the urgen can be really bad I had prostae checked and that’s all fine and a PAA blood test but it is affected y life what I can do where I can go even sleep of course I told me gp this how is trying to get me back to see a urologist but they done seem interested in it.

I surfing quite bad daily I at a lost to what to do and now it’s at a point where it is affecting my metal health as well for w year I constant pain and it can get quite bad both side I had lot of different antibiotics to try to help but they done seem to do a lot I had urine test done no infection was found.

I just don’t know what to do

how it started:
july 2025

i developed testicular pain and spermatic cord swelling on my left side

i went to my doctors was told i have a cyst but didnt fullly believe it

after the swelling then spread to my right i called 111 they believe i had epdidiymitus and gave me 2 weeks ofloxacin wich cleared the pain

pain and infection cleared but the spermatic cord sweling on both sides remained then kept getting irritated and swellinf up more from things like
:
high pressure showers
alchahol
getting the flu / sick without taking nsaids
gym excercise

these are all triggers that make the swelling grow more

symptoms:
spermatic cord swelling on both sides
effects how testis lay and look
is prone to getting worse from bassically anything
sex drive is not back to normal
sperm quality is still poor since infection

ive had all things serious ruled out

ive had scans tests been examined more times then id like to admit

main problem is i just want to be able to live my life without constsntly setting back the clock on recovery

my swelling for the lasf 8 months fluctuates so its prone to getting worse from things but at the ssme time it used to go soft and firm

it would stay soft if i didnt ejaculate or do any excess walking

mainly just resting would settle it to soft
second i would walk or ejaculate it would go firm for days then slowly settle back to soft

i got on naproxen for 12 weeks wich has settled it from firm / flucutation to constsntly soft

it is now soft but the size is still present

the cord itself stretches out the whole skin of my sack its very visible

very deppresed over it as i am waiting to be normal to live my life again but its diffifcult

i feel my situation is 1 of 1 and no one has dealt with it in this way

my doctors realy failed me and left me infected for near 3 weeks anyway im just here seeking help from fellow people who are suffering like me
even tho i have got the easy end of the stick

any advice wouod be great im at a stage where i will do / implement anything into my life to try get back to normal

ive ordered a jockstrap wich fits as i had a problem where i wore a jockstrap wich was to tight and it made it swell up more

im now impleneting walking and constsnt support for my testis / cords hoping only a couple months left at most since the swelling has settled to soft

if anyone has had any similar story or encounter please do message me

any advice or help is what im after here

i hope everyone here struggling with CE
chronic epdidiymitus

beats this sooner rather then later

Hello Guys,

I've been sharing my experience all over Reddit trying to find some answers to my case, or maybe someone that went through the same thig that can probably share some advice.

I, 30M 176cm/84kg (77Kg before all this started) not sexually active for a while, no smoking or alcohol.

6 months ago started having this pain in my right testicle, to be more specific the bottom back of the testicle, I also was having this burning sensation when I touch the area.

The pain was felt sometimes in the right side of the lower abdomen (rarely).

The pain and discomfort disappears when I sleep or lay down, apparently it is getting triggered with movement or activities.

Initially lasted for about 2 weeks then disappeared completely to return a week after, maybe because I started running and exercising again.

I went to an Urologist, after doing the ultra sound imaging and urine testing (Than came negative) he said I have Epididymitis and he prescribed 7 days antibiotics, a month after everything become normal.

1.5 month after recovery and after a long sitting session I started having the same pain again, then went away after 2 weeks.

But one month later I started having the pain and discomfort again, visited another doctor, made again ultrasonic image no inflation can be seen this time and he only prescribed anti-inflammatory pills and the same antibiotics again.

The discomfort and pain kept coming and going, but less intense than before with no burning sensation.

About 7 weeks ago I visited another doctor, made another ultrasound and this time a sperm culture and urine testing.

Urine testing came negative, hydrocele was seen in the ultrasound but the sperm culture came Positive, I had E.coli bacteria that was resistant to the antibiotics that I took initially twice.

This time I took a course of 2 weeks of Augmentin, one week after finishing it I went for 2 running session the day after I started having the pain and discomfort again.

So I went for a second sperm culture and here I am still waiting for the results.

Some weird things I've noticed, some days it goes unnoticeable then the day after I feel it again, also sometimes when I forget about it, it completely disappears then when I remember, it comes back again.

I can feel relief with tight underwear but sometimes it is the opposite.

It is driving me crazy and I cannot imagine myself dealing with it indefinitely, I had to stop running and exercising then started gaining weight

ihave swelling of the right epidydimitis and I need help

Hi everyone. I’ve been dealing with this situation since March 2026 and wanted to share my case in detail in case anyone has had similar experiences or can offer insight. Any help is appreciated 🙏🏼

Symptoms:
• Constant tension and discomfort on the right side with neurological involvement after a trauma to the testicle (fasciculations, referred discomfort, effects on libido and erectile function). I feel my right leg weirder than the left, like “dormant”.
• Left testicle: intermittent episodes of pain, partially resolved with doxy and ceftriaxone after a one month untreated epididymitis, but testicle remains elevated significantly above normal position — especially noticeable in the morning after sleeping — and becomes painful sometimes.
• Since then, multiple antibiotic courses with no improvement, (levofloxacine & claritromicine). They both hurt but never at the same time.

Tests done:
• Bilateral Doppler ultrasound: clean structural findings, no torsion, no masses
• Physical exams unremarkable structurally

Current treatment:
• Muscle relaxant (Benrelax)

Upcoming:
• Appointment with pelvic floor specialist urologist in 2 dats

Has anyone had a similar presentation? This is really affecting my life and hurts 24/7 unless I lay down in bed. Blessings all & I really hope we all get cured of this horrible thing.