You may not have heard of the term varicocele, but this condition is incredibly common — it affects about 15-20% of the male population. While many men have varicoceles and are none the wiser as they don’t develop symptoms, some do encounter problems, such as swelling and pain in their scrotums.
Given its high prevalence and the fact that varicoceles are found in 40% of men who struggle with fertility, Dr. Robert J. Cornell feels it’s worth putting this common condition on your radar screen.
As a men’s health expert, Dr. Cornell sees the effects of varicoceles quite often, and we want to share some of what we’ve learned over the years here.
Your scrotum is the sac that surrounds your testicles and the blood vessels that serve these important reproductive glands. Arteries deliver nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood to your testes through your scrotum, and a network of veins called the pampiniform plexus removes the blood and sends it back up to your heart and lungs.
If blood isn’t flowing well through these veins, it can pool, causing the veins to swell. This is the same issue that causes varicose veins in the legs — blood isn’t flowing back up to the heart efficiently and it pools and engorges a vein, pushing it to the surface.
Many varicoceles don’t lead to symptoms, which means millions of men around the world may have this venous condition, but they don’t know it. And that’s perfectly fine, as asymptomatic varicoceles probably wouldn’t benefit from any treatment, and we can leave well enough alone.
That said, there are plenty of men who do experience side effects, such as:
Interestingly, varicoceles mostly form around the left testicle because of the way blood drains from the scrotum, so look for symptoms on that side.
We also mentioned the role that varicoceles play in fertility, which is one of the primary reasons why men seek treatment for this common problem. With a varicocele, blood flow to the testes can be affected, which can impact sperm health and production.
If we diagnose a problematic varicocele, Dr. Cornell can remedy the problem with a surgery called a varicocelectomy. He removes the problematic vein, allowing blood to reroute to more competent vessels. The procedure is typically performed on an outpatient basis, which means you can return home the same day.
If you suspect you might have a varicocele that’s causing problems, it’s a good idea to come see us for an evaluation. To get the ball rolling, please contact our office in Houston, Texas, to schedule an appointment.
