Varicocele

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Feng
Urology
51sec home-news-image

How long does it take to recover after varicocelectomy?

Varicocele surgery generally takes about a month to recover. The surgery mainly involves high ligation of the spermatic vein, and nowadays, most treatments are conducted using minimally invasive surgery, thus allowing for a relatively quick recovery. Patients with varicocele, especially those who have obvious symptoms like discomfort and a dragging sensation in the scrotum on the affected side, particularly after standing for a long time, and those whose semen quality is abnormal, should undergo timely surgical treatment. Post-surgery, this is beneficial for the recovery of the quality of bodily fluids and also helps alleviate the patient's clinical symptoms. After the surgery, it is advisable for patients to rest more and avoid standing or walking for extended periods to aid in the faster healing of the wound.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
52sec home-news-image

What are the harms of varicose veins?

The harms of varicocele are mainly manifested in the following aspects. The first aspect is that varicocele causes a sensation of dragging pain in the testicles, affecting the patient's normal work and life. The second aspect is that due to the presence of varicocele, there is a decline in the quality of male semen, which affects male fertility. The third aspect is that if the varicocele is severe and persists for a long time, it may lead to testicular atrophy, resulting in a decrease in the level of testosterone secretion by the testicles, which reduces male sexual function. Therefore, patients with varicocele, especially those with decreased semen quality, should actively seek surgical treatment, which currently mainly involves high ligation of the spermatic vein.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Feng
Urology
56sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of varicocele?

The symptoms of varicocele vary depending on the severity of the condition. Clinically, most patients with varicocele do not present distinct symptoms, or may not exhibit any symptoms at all, and the condition is often discovered during physical examinations. However, a small number of varicocele patients do exhibit clearly discernible symptoms, primarily presenting as discomfort or a heavy feeling in the scrotum on the affected side, especially after prolonged walking. Pain symptoms tend to worsen after such activities, but alleviate or even disappear after lying down and resting. These patients may also experience abnormal semen quality. For such cases, early surgical treatment is generally necessary. The surgery mainly involves high ligation of the spermatic vein, which helps relieve symptoms and is beneficial for the recovery of semen quality.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Feng
Urology
48sec home-news-image

What should be paid attention to after varicocele surgery?

The precautions to take after varicocelectomy surgery are as follows: 1. After the surgery, it is important to keep the surgical incision clean and dry to reduce the chances of infection. 2. In the postoperative diet, eat lightly, consuming more fresh vegetables and fruits, and moderately include protein-rich foods such as lean meat, fish, eggs, and milk. Protein supplementation is beneficial for the healing of the surgical incision. 3. Rest is crucial after surgery. Generally, it is advised to rest in bed, avoid standing for long periods, and refrain from extensive walking. Extended standing may cause discomfort and swelling of the scrotum, so more bed rest is recommended.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
49sec home-news-image

Can varicocele cause urethral stinging?

Varicocele generally does not cause a burning sensation in the urethra. The main symptoms of varicocele are a dragging pain in the testicles, especially after long periods of standing, sitting, or intense physical activity. The pain becomes more pronounced, and the affected testicle may noticeably sag when standing. A color Doppler ultrasound can confirm the diagnosis. The most common cause of urethral burning sensation is urethritis or the presence of stones in the urethra, which needs to be confirmed through routine urine tests. If an increase in white blood cells is observed during the urine test, it can be diagnosed as a urinary tract infection. This condition requires timely treatment with antibiotics, and typically, a course of seven to ten days can lead to recovery.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Feng
Urology
43sec home-news-image

What are the harms of varicocele?

The common hazards of varicocele are as follows: 1. Patients with severe varicocele may experience discomfort and scrotal heaviness, especially after long periods of walking or standing, with more pronounced pain symptoms. Symptoms may alleviate when lying flat. If untreated, the pain will persist. 2. Varicocele may affect the blood return in the testicles, potentially raising testicular temperature, adversely affecting the survival and growth of sperm. This may result in abnormal semen quality, including anomalies in sperm count and quality, which in severe cases could lead to infertility.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
44sec home-news-image

What are the symptoms of varicocele?

If the patient has mild varicocele, they often have no symptoms and it is not easily detected; in such cases, no special treatment is needed. However, with moderate or severe varicocele, the patient may experience a dragging pain in the testicles, especially after intense physical activity, prolonged sitting, or standing, which makes the pain more pronounced. During a physical examination, twisted, worm-like clusters of veins can be felt within the scrotum. Patients with varicocele should undergo further routine semen analysis to assess if the semen quality is affected. If sperm quality is impacted, it could lead to a decline in male fertility, and surgical treatment should be considered when necessary.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Chang Yue
General Surgery
52sec home-news-image

Is inguinal lymph node enlargement related to varicocele?

The enlargement of the inguinal lymph nodes is not significantly related to varicocele. The enlargement of lymph nodes in the inguinal area is mostly due to bacterial or viral infections in the lower limbs or throughout the body, lymphomas, as well as malignancies in the abdominal or pelvic area. Varicocele, meanwhile, is mostly caused by high pressure in the spermatic veins or some physiological factors that lead to the twisting and dilation of these veins. The two conditions are not directly related, and their incidence rates also differ. Additionally, the enlarged lymph nodes can generally be differentiated from varicocele through color ultrasound, and the treatment methods are different. Most varicoceles are resolved surgically; whereas enlarged inguinal lymph nodes can be treated conservatively with oral medication.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Shuai
Urology
38sec home-news-image

Can epididymitis and varicocele run?

Patients with epididymitis and varicocele are advised not to run. Since running is a vigorous exercise, it can easily aggravate epididymitis and worsen varicocele. Patients with epididymitis need to rest as much as possible, lie flat, and elevate the scrotum, which is beneficial for the local blood circulation of the epididymis. Engaging in vigorous exercise during a period of epididymitis can lead to significant testicular pain and swelling, which is not conducive to the recovery of the condition. Similarly, patients with varicocele should also minimize vigorous exercise.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Chen Feng
Urology
52sec home-news-image

How is varicocele treated?

The treatment of varicocele depends on the severity of the condition. Clinically, some varicocele patients do not exhibit obvious symptoms, or show no symptoms at all and are only diagnosed during physical examinations. These patients can generally be treated conservatively by avoiding standing for long periods, avoiding prolonged walking, and by wearing tight underwear to alleviate symptoms of varicocele. However, some patients with varicocele do exhibit clear symptoms, including discomfort and pain in the scrotum on the affected side, especially after long periods of walking. These symptoms can become more severe and may also be accompanied by abnormalities in semen quality. These patients generally require surgical intervention, such as high ligation of the veins.