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Epididymitis |
| Epididymitis is an inflammation of the
epididymis, a structure located along the back of the testicle. Newly formed sperm cells pass from the testis, where they are produced, into the
epididymis, where they spend ten to twenty days, continuing to grow and mature. When the sperm cells are capable of
fertilizing an egg, they travel from the epididymis through the vas deferens
"sperm duct" to the seminal vesicles, where they are held until ejaculation. The epididymis is a long but tightly coiled tube. If one of these tiny tubes were stretched out straight, it would measure from about 13 to
20 feet in length. The earliest symptom of epididymitis is swelling that occurs on the back of one or both testicles, where the epididymides are
situated. The affected area becomes hot, tender, and very painful. As the swelling continues to build over a period of a few hours, the scrotum may swell and stiffen. A man suffering from epididymitis may waddle or move funny when he walks. This awkward posture
is an attempt to protect the affected area. If the testis also becomes inflamed and infected, the condition is called epididymoorchitis. Epididymitis can result from several causes. A urinary tract infection can spread through the sperm ducts to the epididymis. This disorder can also be a result of prostatitis (infection of the prostate gland), and it can occur after a prostatectomy (surgical removal of the prostate). Organisms that commonly infect the region this way include staphylococci, streptococci, and Escherichia coli. Epididymitis is also a common complication of sexually transmitted diseases, primarily chlamydia, but also gonorrhea and syphilis. In some cases, epididymitis develops as a complication of long-term use of an indwelling catheter. If you think you have epididymitis, contact your physician immediately. Diagnosis is made by analysis of a urine sample and, sometimes, prostate secretions, to identify the source of the infection. In sexually active men with multiple partners, epididymitis is very often the result of urethritis (infection of the urethra) caused by chiamydia (Chlamydia). If it is determined that the disorder was sexually transmitted, both partners should be treated to prevent them from passing the infection back and forth. It is important that the infection be adequately treated. If it becomes chronic, then epididymitis can cause the formation of pus pockets, or abscesses, and can lead to sterility. |
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