It is very important that men check their testicles (balls) on a regular basis. It is the best way to find any lumps, swellings, or other abnormalities that could be a sign of an underlying problem.
You should get into the habit of checking your testicles often so that you know what is normal for you. This will make it easier to spot anything unusual.
Checking your testicles
The best time to check your testicles is during, or after, a warm bath, or shower.
Hold your scrotum (the sac containing your testicles) in the palm of your hand and use your fingers and thumb to feel the size and weight of each one. Roll each of your testicles gently, feeling for any hard lumps and noting any differences between them. A normal testicle is oval shaped and should be smooth and firm, but not hard.
You may feel small lumps or a tube at the back of each testicle - this is the coiled up sperm tube, called the epididymis, and is perfectly normal. It is also normal for one testicle to be slightly larger than the other one, or hang slightly lower.
What to do if you find anything unusual
When examining your testicles, you are looking for any unusual lumps, or swellings, that were not there before. You should see your GP as soon as possible if you notice anything unusual, such as a lump, a testicle feeling firmer than before, any pain or discomfort, or a collection of fluid inside your scrotum.
You should also see your GP if you feel any heaviness in your testicles, or a dull ache in your abdomen (stomach), groin or scrotum.
If a lump in your testicles is painful, it may be caused by an infection. You should avoid having sex until you have been checked out by your GP.
If you notice something that feels like a bag of worms in your scrotum, you may have a varicocele. A varicocele occurs when the veins in your scrotum become swollen. They are normally harmless and do not cause symptoms, although you may feel a dull ache in your testicles at the end of the day, or after exercising.
Some research has suggested that having a varicocele may increase your risk of fertility problems (trouble fathering a child). However, recent research has produced little evidence to show that varicoceles cause infertility, and there is also little evidence to suggest that treating someone with a varicocele increases their fertility.
If you do notice anything unusual when you are checking your testicles, don't panic. It does not necessarily mean that you have cancer; most testicular abnormalities are a result of injury, infection, inflammation, or non-cancerous (benign) swelling.
It is also important to remember that over 95% of cases of testicular cancer are curable if treated early, which is why regular self-examination is so crucial.
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