Most of the time, lumps under the skin in adults are just cases of pores being blocked by oil. Thus they are harmless and non infectious. At other times they are also harmless bumps under skin which go away with time or are hereditary. However, there are times when these lumps are symptoms of a serious underlying problem. While many women are usually concerned with such lumps when they occur in the breast area, men should be on the lookout for suspicious masses and lumps around their genitals. This article will highlight some of the common lumps under the skin in the scrotum region.
A scrotal lump refers to any mass under the sac that houses the testicles. There are two kinds of such scrotum bumps; the benign and the malignant lumps. A benign lump refers to a lump under the skin of the
scrotum that is not cancerous. On the other hand, a malignant mass is cancerous. According to the UK research center for cancer, less than four in 100 scrotum bumps are cancerous. However, you should still see your doctor for diagnosis and to understand your condition. There are four categories of scrotal lumps under skin.
· Hydrocele: This is a lump caused by fluid gathering up in the scrotum. However, if the fluid is blood then this lump is called a hematocele.
· Varicocele: This is a lump under the skin caused by a dilated blood vessel on the scrotum
· Testicular torsion: This is a swelling that comes about when either of the testicles becomes twisted cutting off blood supply. It is painful and requires immediate doctor attention.
· Epididymal cyst: This is a lump in the scrotum caused when a fluid collects up in the epididymis. If the fluid has sperms in it then this lump is referred to as a spermatocele.
There are several causes of scrotal lumps under skin. The varicoceles for example are a case of varicose veins developing in the scrotum. Varicose veins develop either due to a blockage in the veins or when the valves in the scrotum veins malfunction. All these cause inefficient blood flow which gathers in the scrotum
causing swelling. In the case of hydroceles, the passage through which testes pass down from the stomach to the scrotum during infant development may not close at birth. This allows fluids to pass from the stomach into the testes sac causing swelling. In most infant cases, the fluid is usually absorbed by the surrounding tissue and thus the mass disappears in a year or two. In adults, hydroceles could also be caused by inflammation as a result of injury, infection or a tumor.
The cause of epididymal cysts is not yet known. On the other hand, there are several causes of testicular torsion. Most of the time bumps under skin caused this way result from a very loose spermatic cord. This causes the testicles to move too much increasing the risk of twisting. An accident and injury are also other causes. This disease affects mostly young men from 13 to 17 and requires immediate medical attention or the testicle whose blood supply is cut off will die.
A scrotal lump refers to any mass under the sac that houses the testicles. There are two kinds of such scrotum bumps; the benign and the malignant lumps. A benign lump refers to a lump under the skin of the
· Hydrocele: This is a lump caused by fluid gathering up in the scrotum. However, if the fluid is blood then this lump is called a hematocele.
· Varicocele: This is a lump under the skin caused by a dilated blood vessel on the scrotum
· Testicular torsion: This is a swelling that comes about when either of the testicles becomes twisted cutting off blood supply. It is painful and requires immediate doctor attention.
· Epididymal cyst: This is a lump in the scrotum caused when a fluid collects up in the epididymis. If the fluid has sperms in it then this lump is referred to as a spermatocele.
There are several causes of scrotal lumps under skin. The varicoceles for example are a case of varicose veins developing in the scrotum. Varicose veins develop either due to a blockage in the veins or when the valves in the scrotum veins malfunction. All these cause inefficient blood flow which gathers in the scrotum
The cause of epididymal cysts is not yet known. On the other hand, there are several causes of testicular torsion. Most of the time bumps under skin caused this way result from a very loose spermatic cord. This causes the testicles to move too much increasing the risk of twisting. An accident and injury are also other causes. This disease affects mostly young men from 13 to 17 and requires immediate medical attention or the testicle whose blood supply is cut off will die.
