Men’s health issues: Testicular self examination

The best way to check for testicular cancer is to self-examine once a month. A good time to do this is after a warm bath or shower, when the scrotum is relaxed. Hold your scrotum in the palms of your hands, so that you can use the fingers and thumb of both hands to feel your testicles. It is common to have one testicle slightly larger, or which hangs lower than the other – but the early warning of testicular cancer include:

• A hard lump on the front or side of a testicle
• Swelling or enlargement of a testicle
• An increase in firmness of a testicle
• Pain or discomfort in a testicle or in the scrotum (the sac that holds the testicles)
• A heavy feeling in the scrotum

For further information visit the following website: www.menshealthforum.org.uk