Last updated on March 30, 2023
Question:
Sometimes, my left testicle will retract above my scrotum, and I will have to push it back down. I can feel it when it goes up, but it’s not painful. Is this normal? I also have a varicocele on my left testicle, could this have anything to do with it?
Answer:
I assume you mean that your testicle goes into your body and is not in the scrotum sack, but you can cause it to come back out into the scrotum. This is called a retractable testicle. The cause of this is believed to be an overactive muscle that controls how close the testicles are to the body.
Before you are born your testicles were first formed in your groin area and before birth they descend through openings into the scrotal sack. Normally the openings close down, if not during childhood, then definitely by puberty. In addition, the testicles enlarge during adolescence and should become too large to move back up into the groin.
The only concern is that it is possible for the testicle to retract and, because of growth, it is not able to go back into the scrotum. A testicle remaining in the groin can cause problems because it stays too warm to function properly. This can lead to problems, such as infertility. Boys with undescended testicles also have a higher risk for testicle cancer.
Thus, it isn’t a problem at the moment since you can get the testicle to go back to its proper position, but this would be a good thing to mention to your doctor.
Question:
My left testicle is around 6-7 ml. As I grow, could the issue resolve? I will be sure to inform my doctor when I can.
Answer:
Most of the time, the issue resolves itself. You’re letting your doctor know so that he can make sure that it eventually resolves itself.