Cause | Common Features* | Tests |
---|---|---|
Edema (accumulation of excess fluid in the body) | Swelling that
Often in men with swelling in the legs and sometimes abdomen In men with disorders that can cause swelling such as heart failure or a severe liver or kidney disorder | A doctor's examination Sometimes ultrasonography |
Hematocele (a collection of blood in the scrotum) | Swelling that
| A doctor's examination Sometimes ultrasonography |
Hydrocele (a collection of fluid in the scrotum) | Swelling that
| A doctor's examination Sometimes ultrasonography |
Typically in men who have had a painless bulge in the groin for a long time, often in those already known to have a hernia A bulge that
Sometimes pain that begins gradually or suddenly, typically when the bulge cannot be pushed back into the abdomen | Only a doctor's examination | |
Lymphedema (accumulation of lymph fluid)—for example, due to a tropical worm infection called filariasis Lymphatic Filariasis Lymphatic filariasis is infection of the lymphatic system caused by one of three species of roundworms. People have a fever, swollen lymph nodes, pain in the limbs and groin, and, if the infection... read more or present from birth | Rubbery swelling throughout the scrotum No indentations when the area is pressed | A doctor's examination Sometimes ultrasonography |
Spermatocele (a cyst in the epididymis) | A lump near the top of the testis | A doctor's examination Sometimes ultrasonography |
A hard lump attached to or in the testis Possibly dull, aching pain or, if the cancer bleeds, sudden sharp pain | Ultrasonography Blood tests Sometimes CT of the abdomen, pelvis, and chest | |
Varicocele (widening of the veins that carry blood from a testis) | Swelling that
Possibly pain and a feeling of fullness when standing Possibly a shrunken testis (testicular atrophy) | Only a doctor's examination |
* Features include symptoms and the results of the doctor's examination. Features mentioned are typical but not always present. | ||
CT = computed tomography. |