When we think of varicose vein treatment, we tend to think about treatment on the legs, but varicose veins can occur on other parts of the body too, including a man’s testicles. In fact, testicular varicose veins, usually referred to as varicoceles, are quite common in men. It is estimated that approximately fifteen percent of American men have varicose veins on one of their testicles, usually on the left testicle.
Men often seek varicose vein treatment for varicoceles if they are experiencing infertility or reduced fertility. About forty percent of all men who have fertility problems show evidence of varicose veins in their testicles so there is a strong correlation with male infertility and varicoceles. In some cases, these testicular varicose veins can be lumpy twisted veins visually seen on the surface of the scrotum. They may also feel like a “hard” lump in the same area. However, in other cases, they don’t show up visually and vein doctors have to perform a duplex ultrasound test on the testicles to see inside the testicle and inside the testicular veins in order to determine if varicoceles exist.
It should be stated that not all men who have varicoceles have fertility problems. In fact, eight out of ten men who have varicose veins in their testicles do not have fertility problems. So, if you are a male or the partner of a male, there’s no reason to necessarily be alarmed and worried about infertility if you notice varicoceles. However, if you are interested in having children, or more children, it would be a good idea to have them checked out at a top vein clinic like Metro Vein Centers. You may also want to have some fertility tests done. Varicose vein treatment can prevent the situation from getting worse so it’s important to get it checked out as soon as possible.
If there are no fertility problems and the varicoceles are not inducing pain in either of the testicles, many men with varicoceles will elect not to have varicose vein treatment. If there is only slight pain, some men find that wearing a jock strap to support the affect testicle eliminates this pain. If this is the case, some men may decided to just live with this inconvenience if it doesn’t get worse. However, if there are fertility problems, or pain that rises above a tolerable threshold, most insurance policies will cover varicose vein treatment on the testicle as it would be deemed as a “medically necessary” procedure. However, a vein doctor would need to document this fully for most insurance policies to cover the varicose vein treatment.
Just like with varicose veins found on the legs, varicoceles often show damaged vein valves and vein reflux. All veins in the human body have valves that help prevent the back flow of blood due to gravity. However, when these valves become damaged, blood may flow backward, causing pooling of blood in the veins in the testicles, which in turn causes the varicose veins. Blood clots may also be found in these testicular varicose veins or in veins leading into the testicular veins. Varicose vein treatment procedures, similar to those used to treat varicose veins on the leg, can work in the testicles too.
So you may be wondering, like most people, why most varicoceles occur in the left testicle and not the right testicle. It seems the anatomy is actually slightly different on each side and this can cause the left testicular vein to become compressed by the renal vein! Also, in some men, valves may be missing or just ineffective from birth between the renal vein and the testicular veins. If this is true, men may form varicoceles in their teens or twenties. The sigmoid colon is also located on the left side. This is the last portion of the intestine before it empties out through the rectum. If the sigmoid colon is often compacted, due to gastrointestinal illness and or poor diet, this too can compress the testicular vein on the left side!
Any time a vein becomes compressed, it can cause pooling of blood or direct injury to a vein. Either way, this can cause varicose veins to form. The higher likelihood of compression on the left testicle is why varicose vein treatment is needed on the left testicle far more often than the right testicle. However, varicoceles do occasionally form in the right testicle too, just far less often.
If you suspect you have varicose veins on any part of your body, it is a wise to seek immediate expert advice. In doing so, you may catch it early and prevent further damage by receiving varicose vein treatment. It is also imperative that you seek the advise of an actual vein doctor, not just your general doctor, since diagnosing and treating varicose veins is a medical specialty. You can get a free consultation at Metro Vein Centers and you do not need a referral to get an appointment.
