Swollen Left Testicle. Is It Serious?

Dear Ask The Doctor: I am a 25 year old guy with left swollen testicle for past 12 years.the size of my left testicle is almost four times the size of my right one.its painless and there is no uncomfortable feeling with it.it never pains while urinating or masturbating. my ejaculation and urination both are proper. at many occasions in past i suffered severe blows on it while cycling and playing cricket. are these the reasons behind the swelling for so many years? as much as i remember i noticed my testicle swelling right after these painful incidents in my childhood.m confused right to now. please help if its ok to live with it or do i have to undergo a surgery?

Dear Akki: Testicular swelling do not always represent cancer. There are various different reasons to have testicular lumps. These range from benign conditions to more serious ones. Firstly, depending on your age, your clinical history, your sexual history, and more information about your symptoms, accompanied with a physical exam and some lab tests, your doctor can best help you about further evaluation and treatment. Dilated veins around your scrotum with a "bag of worms" appearance may represent a benign condition called a varicocele. Other fluid collections around the scrotum that may be soft in texture may represent a hydrocele. Furthermore, pain, tenderness, and redness around the scrotum may represent infection. More serious conditions range from cancer (which although rare, is the most common solid tumor in men aged 15 to 35 and are usually hard, painless growths). These are some of the different possibilities of a testicular lump. But as mentioned above, it is very important to openly discuss your concerns with your primary doctor. Your doctor can help with your questions, can alleviate some of your concerns if that is the case, and guide you in the right direction depending on your clinical situation.