Last updated on August 8, 2020
Question:
I had a hernia for a while when I was in middle school and didn’t think much of it. It wasn’t until I reached the tenth grade that I finally realize my testicle should be near the other one. I had surgery to bring the right testicle down some, but it is still relatively higher than the left. Is there anything I can do to bring it down further? I’m aware that it is normal to have a testicle higher than the other, but mine is too high. Can I take testosterone to fix it?
Answer:
A hernia means an internal organ or tissue is pushing outward through a weak spot in the muscles. Usually this happens in the abdomen, and for men there can be two weak spots susceptible to hernias: the openings in your groin where your testicles dropped down when you were a small child. Hernias are not something to be ignored as the organ can get pinched, especially as you grow, and cause problems or even pain.
The same openings where you had the hernia also allow two cords to pass through that hold up your testicles. Since something else was also trying to push its way through the same hole (most likely a portion of your intestine), it was pushing the cord aside causing the right testicle to be much higher than the left testicle.
I assume that in the tenth grade you had surgery to repair the hole so you no longer had a hernia. I don’t know how long ago you had the surgery, but either the swelling from the surgery or scar tissue that formed after the surgery is possibly still pushing the cord to one side. It is also possible that the intestine is still pushing on the cord even though it is no longer pushing outward. Thus your right testicle is still higher than most men, but it is now lower than before the surgery.
Your testicles produce testosterone and your body has mechanisms to regulate the amount produced. If you started taking testosterone, most likely your testicles would try to balance things out by scaling back on their production. If this happens for a long period of time, it is even possible for them to shut down completely, which is not a good thing. The only time men should take testosterone is when their testicles are not functioning properly to make enough, such as when the testicles are damaged.
Taking testosterone will not cause your right cord to grow longer. Either the swelling from the surgery will go down and the cord will shift back into place or you may just go through life with one cord a bit shorter than most. So long as the testicle is able to hang far enough from the abdomen to maintain the proper temperature, it should not be a concern. After all, it is not as if everyone will be seeing your testicles. The important thing is whether they function.
Remember that some things are just not worth worrying about. “Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?” (Luke 12:23-26).