As much as we don't like to think about it, epididymitis is one of the most common diseases that affects men and one that is not very well known. Every year, the number of men presenting to the doctor and being diagnosed with epididymitis increases, one of the main reasons being the lack of information. In an effort to prevent those numbers from going up, volunteers have formed the Epididymitis Foundation and have offered all the information there is to know online. They hope that people will start using this technology to their advantage, finding out how this disease can affect them and most importantly how to prevent it from happening.



The epididymis is one of the most important structures related to the testicle, being the anatomical structure where sperm is deposited. Its main function is to connect the testicle with the ductus deferens, the very link between the scrotum and the prostate. Each testicle has its own epididymis, thus being the reason why the first symptoms of epididymitis are usually unilateral. With the help of the Internet and the Epididymitis Foundation, people now have the possibility to find out what are the most common causes for the inflammation of the epididymis, what are potential group risks and of course how it is to be treated. Left untreated, epididymitis can have serious consequences, resulting in general with the loss of the affected testicle.

There are two types of epididymitis: acute and chronic. They each have their own causes, symptoms and treatments. The acute inflammation of the epididymis can be caused by a great number of factors, including germs, bacteria and even local injuries. The pain can have various degrees but it is usually intense and appears quite suddenly. As for the difference between acute and chronic stands, there are two major differences. Acute epididymitis lasts less than six weeks and the symptoms are quite intense; the chronic stage is defined by constant pain, sometimes affecting both the epididymis and the testicle, with or without inflammation, and lasting for more than 6 weeks.

Another thing that is highly important is the differential diagnosis. In order to diagnose a man with acute or chronic epididymitis, there are several tests that must be performed and also a very thorough medical examination must be done. On the website of the Epididymitis Foundation, one can discover how the causes of epididymitis are related to the age. In the case of infants, the most likely probability is the one of anatomical abnormalities. As for children, it seems that coliform organisms are most incriminated, especially if the child experiences revealing symptoms, such as bacteria in urine. For teenagers and men until the age of 35, epididymitis can be considered to be sexually transmitted, the most common infectious agents being Neisseria gonorrheae and Chlamydia trachomatis. These are responsible for the swelling or inflammation of the epididymis and they can affect the testicle badly if treatment is not followed. After the age of 35, the etiology incriminated changes more toward non-sexually transmitted forms, epidydimitis being mostly caused by Enterobacteria and Pseudomonas. There are certain special cases when epididymitis is causes by systemic diseases such as tuberculosis, these requiring further special investigations.

As for the symptoms that usually occur with the inflammation of the epididymis, these represent an intense pain in the scrotum, sudden in onset and accompanied by fever. The spermatic cord is also affected, patients experiencing discomfort at palpation. Usually, the spermatic cord is also swollen and the pain can radiate even higher, reaching the lower abdomen. As it was already said, epididymitis is unilateral and so are the symptoms. When undergoing medical examination, one can observe that the skin is erythematous in that specific area.

It is imperative to see a doctor immediately as testicular torsion, a true surgical emergency, can be misdiagnosed as acute epididymitis. Time is critical, as there are only a few hours to relieve a torsion and save the testicle.

The Epididymitis Foundation has been formed because there were a lot of people interested in finding out more information on the subject. They want to know what tests are required for the determining of the infectious agents, such as Gram stain of urine, urine cultures, semen analysis for microbes, and other similar tests. Also, they are interested in the various medical treatments available, including ceftriaxone, doxycycline or floroquinolone. The information is presented carefully online, along with proper dosage, possible side effects and given precautions. As for the differential diagnosis, to remind you again, the most important thing to remember is the possibility of a testicular torsion, which always must be considered in a patient with pain or swelling around the testicle area.