epididymitis: “a real ball ache!”

Epididymitis is a painful condition which affects men and has several causes, with a major cause being sexually transmitted infections (STIs), particularly in men under the age of 35. Most cases can be resolved with a course of antibiotics. (1)

What is epididymitis?

Epididymitis is the medical term for inflammation of the epididymis, which is a tube which runs along the back of the testicle. Both testicles have an epididymis and it is possible for one or both to become inflamed. When the condition also affects the testicles themselves, it can be known as epididymo-orchitis (orchitis means inflammation of the testicle(s)). (1)

What are the symptoms of epididymitis?
Epididymitis symptoms can include:

• Pain in one or both testicles (the onset of epididymitis pain can be sudden or gradual)
• A painful, swollen, tender scrotum which can feel hot to the touch
• Fluid collecting around the testicle(s), giving a swollen or lumpy appearance and feel
• Trouble passing urine
• Discharge from the tip of the penis - this can be white, yellow or green, which signals an infection (1)

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STD testing experience

Our returning guest blogger Hanna, 35, today talks about her experience getting STI tested.

Well I never thought my last boyfriend and I were destined to be together forever, but we’d fallen into a comfy routine of watching box sets whilst eating take away. Plus, we’d both reached our mid-thirties and were cohabitating in relative contentment; or so I thought…

When I found out that his ‘work’ nights out were a string of one-night Tinder hook ups I suddenly had that dread that he’d left me with more than just the outstanding rent; so I started looking online for ways I could get tested, sharpish, and without anyone finding out.

It’s a mine field. The local G.U.M. (Genito-Urinary Medicine; and yes, I had to look it up) clinics open no longer than three hours at a time and the slots that are by appointment only are notoriously difficult to call through and get booked on to. I looked at the NHS home test kit, but due to a staff back log it would take 14 days to send me a kit out and then I wouldn’t get the results for 3-4 weeks. Well, the thought of what I could potentially be harbouring in my nether regions meant that I wanted results in days, not weeks, and certainly not over a month – so I tootled off to my local walk-in clinic.

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No need to suffer in silence

A man can have persistent problems achieving or sustaining an erection, making it near-on impossible for them to have sex, for all sorts of physical and emotional reasons. In fact, today, 50% of men aged 40-70 experience ED. It’s commonly associated with high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, medicinal causes, post prostate surgery and lifestyle factors. Other reasons include stress, anxiety, tiredness and drinking too much alcohol. (1, 2, 3)

Erectile dysfunction doesn’t have to be permanent, although it can be experienced intermittently. The most important thing to do is to identify if there is an underlying medical condition that can be treated such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. However, although it’s very important to identify and treat these conditions sometimes the medication used can exacerbate the situation and make the ED even worse.   

There is help at hand though as ED is a condition that can be very simple to treat. Men can take tablets that can dramatically improve their erection. Sildenafil (the generic and cheaper version of Viagra) or Tadalafil (sold under the brand name of Cialis) are very successful at treating ED in the majority of men. 

Other medications include Levitra and Spedra. (1, 3, 4)
You may have to experiment with the different remedies available in order to find the one that suits you best.

Changes to regulations now mean that you no longer need to visit your GP to obtain an ED remedy, but you’ll still need to have an online consultation with a medical professional before you can obtain ED pills. It’s important to declare if you’re taking any other medications, especially nitrates which can have fatal consequences when taken with ED pills. This is because they may produce a fatal lowering of blood pressure. It’s also strongly advisable for anyone taking ED pills to read the patient information leaflet provided. (1)

Whichever Erectile Dysfunction medication is prescribed for you, it can be delivered the next working day, with a one-hour time slot to your door or at a designated pick-up point.


1.NHS Erectile dysfunction (impotence) [cited 16 August 2017] Available at:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/erection-problems-erectile-dysfunction/
2.British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) Erectile dysfunction (impotence)    Available at:
https://www.baus.org.uk/patients/conditions/3/erectile_dysfunction_impotence/
3.National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Erectile dysfunction [cited   December 2017]. Available at: https://cks.nice.org.uk/erectile-dysfunction#search?q=erectile%20dysfunction and https://cks.nice.org.uk/erectile-dysfunction#!scenario 
4.NHS Sildenafil (including Viagra) [cited 22 January 2019]. Available at:
https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/sildenafil-viagra/