Pain in testicle, lower abs, groin, and adductors... Please help

[Robbiel]

Hi Coach Rip,

Last June, I started SS and was on my second week into the program when I first felt the pain. I was warming up for the DL with 115 and on my first pull I felt a burning sensation/mild pinpointed pain in my lower abs (on the left part)... I became a little worried, but carried on with the workout. The pain did not get much better, so I decided to call it a day... About an hour later, I started to feel dull pain in my left testicles and also experienced pain in the adductors/groin... My left testicle even felt like it was very swollen, but physically they seemed to be of normal size... My first thought was that it was a sports/inguinal hernia...

I went to see a Physician's Assistant the next day in family medicine as there were no MDs available for appointments... He did various checks on me, including sticking his finger into my inguinal canal. He told me that I DID NOT have inguinal hernia, and also ruled out testicular cancer, testicular torsion, etc. He did tell me that I probably have epididymitis (infection of the testicle) and put me on antibiotics...

The PA also told me that many people get epididymitis from participating in strenuous activities such a weight lifting...

So I took the antibiotics for two weeks and they relieved SOME of the pain, but it took a few more weeks for the pain to completely disappear (not really sure if the antibiotics really helped or not...).

So fast forward about 5 months, and I decided to start SS again. 5 weeks into the program, and a similar pain has started to bother me again... I finished my DL work set of 225 lbs and went home. I felt completely fine when I finished the workout. But in the shower, I started to feel the same dull pain in my left testicle and they felt swollen just like before... The pain in the groin/adductors seemed to much sharper than last time... The only difference was that I did not feel any burning pain in the lower abs this time...

So again, I am stuck with the same problem... and not really sure what to do. There are so many questions in my mind right now...

Have you ever heard of people getting epididymitis from lifting...?

Should I trust the PA I saw, or should I go see an MD...?

In your opinion, what do you think is wrong...?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Robert

[Mark Rippetoe]

This post is so incredibly stupid on so many levels that I am impressed by it.

[Ello]

Rip, I presume is still in shock over some of the questions you asked and some of the answers that were given to you. Don't take it personal =D

1) You might wanna check where your PA got his degree. While there is a possibility of you developing epididymitis from weightlifting (swelling of blood vessels or trauma during lifting), why would he put you on antibiotics? Does it make any sense to you? He's giving you medicine yet he believes the cause would be swelling/trauma, NOT infection. So, again, it makes no sense. Now if he's using the antibiotics as prophylactic treatment (preventative) that would make sense. Be sure to know why you're being given medicine.

2) Get a referral (if you can), for a urologist. For the most part, specialists are more reliable when it comes to diagnosing something out of the ordinary. (Most individuals are sedentary and not involved in heavy lifting)

3) Honestly, this is beyond my scope of practice. I've never had anything like this, nor have I ever had this complaint from a patient.

[ColoWayno]

This post is so incredibly stupid on so many levels that I am impressed by it.

I managed to know that from the title. Did I win anything?

[Mark Rippetoe]

No prizes are available for predicting stupidity, since this would greatly increase our operating expenses.

[Steve Hill]

No prizes are available for predicting stupidity, since this would greatly increase our operating expenses.

Would it even really be able to be considered a game of chance? I mean, it's hardly random, not especially uncommon, and therefore altogether too easy to predict.

[Will Morris]

Testicular torsion?

Holy fuck! That sounds horrible. Worse than gluten knee pain.

[Michael Liao]

Hey coach, do you have IP address' of your posters? It seems like there are alot of trolls about...

(Not saying the OP is)

[Troy-SBCF]

Dr. Nick: Hi everybody. Now, tell Dr. Nick where is the trouble.
Abe: I'm itchy! I've got ants in my pants! I'm discombobulated! Give me a calmative!
Dr. Nick: Slow down sir! You're going to give yourself skin failure!

[Zach]

I think the OP needs to get laid.

But, judging by his mighty deadlift number, this might be a problem.