Question:
Hello Minister!
I hope you’re well.
I had a question regarding the testicles. I’m 24, and my left testicle seems to retract, going up into my groin when I am cold, playing sports, swimming, lying on my back or side, etc. I don’t experience pain, but it can be a bit annoying at times and feels uncomfortable. I have been trying to find ways to relax the cremaster muscle but to no avail. Even when I am warm, and my testicles hang lower, my left does not seem to move much or hang. On some days, my right testicle is practically directly underneath my left!
Do you know of any ways to reduce the frequency of this retraction? Should I learn to move on and push it down when it rides up? My doctor said I could hold it in place while trying to pull my testicles up to “exhaust” the muscle before swimming.
Otherwise, I have heard of stretching the balls, using the hand to pull them down gently to make them hang lower over time. Is this wrong since it may cause erections or pleasure? It’s not really necessary since the problem isn’t that big of a deal, but I just wondered if there’s anything I can do. Also, I don’t really want to alter my body; I just want to fix this one problem.
Thank you for your help! God bless you!
Answer:
“The cremaster muscle is a thin pouch-like muscle in which a testicle rests. When the cremaster muscle contracts, it pulls the testicle up toward the body” [“Retractile testicle,” Mayo Clinic, 23 February 2024]. When too strong, the muscle can pull the testicle into the groin.
There are no medical concerns with a retractile testicle, but there is a potential for it to become ascending. “Ascending” means it can no longer descend back into the scrotum. One study found the risk to be 32% of males with a retractile testicle [Ellen Shapiro, MD, “The Risk of Retractile Testes Becoming Ascending Testes,” Reviews in Urology, Fall 2006]. Ascended testicles are associated with infertility because the testicle stays too warm to produce quality sperm. However, since there are two testicles, the sperm from the other testicle compensates for the ascended testicle.
A minor surgery called “microsurgical subinguinal cremaster muscle release” can fix a retractile testicle problem. It is usually performed on men who experience pain or discomfort due to their retractile testicles.
Response:
Thank you for your help! God bless you.