Know Your Balls
As men we normally have two balls, or testes, which are located in a pouch or sac of skin, called the scrotum, underneath our penis. They are easy to feel and check, yet many men never do so. This is a pity because testicular cancer is common in young men and is also easily curable if caught early. So, for the sake of your health, you should know your balls. Of course, many simple testicular problems have nothing to do with cancer at all and some of the more important and common conditions are described in this chapter.
Get to Know Your Testes (Testicles)
The testicles are the male sex glands and are part of the male reproductive system. In adult men, each one is normally somewhat smaller than a golf ball. The spermatic cord is like a flexible tube that goes from each testis to the lower abdomen. The spermatic cord contains the blood vessels that take blood to and from the testis, and the vas deferens which take sperm from the testis to the penis.
What Do The Testicles Do?
Firstly, they make the male hormone testosterone. This hormone is responsible for the development of the reproductive organs and other male characteristics, such as body and facial hair, deep voice and broad shoulders. Secondly, they produce and store sperm, which carry the genetic code to create a baby. Sperm cells are carried from the testicles through small tubes called the vas deferens to the seminal vesicles. Fluid from the vesicles and from the prostate gland is added. During ejaculation (orgasm), this fluid, now called semen, travels through a tube (the urethra) in the centre of the penis and out of the body.
Self-Examination
By examining yourself regularly, you will be more confident about your own body and in a better position to notice any changes in a previously normal testicle. If you notice any change in the size of a testis, or any abnormal lumps, swellings or tender spots, then you should see your doctor. Doctors are used to examining testes and will be able to advise if the abnormality is serious or not.
It is important to remember that most abnormalities are not cancer. However, cancer of the testes is the most common cancer in young men in Ireland and affects about one in every 500 men between the ages of 15 and 50. If it is caught early, it can almost always be easily treated and cured. Therefore, it is important to practise regular testicular self-examination so that you get to know how your testes normally feel. This allows any changes to be more easily detected. Viagra in Australia
Testicular Self-Examination (TSE) Procedure
- Practise this regularly, at least once a month. The best time for testicular self-examination is just after a warm bath or shower, when the scrotal tissue is more relaxed.