Varicocele

Varicocele is like the usual varicose veins.



There is one significant difference, though. The varicose veins occur in the legs, whereas varicocele occurs in the scrotum. Many people, however, have the impression have the impression that the condition is a severe and very risky one. Those impressions must be corrected right away to avoid unnecessary panic among men and their loved ones.

Though varicocele is never a reason to be really jumpy and alarmed about, patients must note that the condition may cause pain and discomfort. It is not usual that men suffer from the situation although world statistics show that almost 20% of all adult men all around the world are suffering from the condition. There are variations and differences, however. Some varicocele cases are not to be seriously taken because they are not severe and painful, while others must be dealt with at once because the patient is complaining about exhilarating pain and discomfort.

What is Varicocele and How does it Appear? Varicocele is a condition when veins inside the scrotum enlarge due to certain factors. You know that scrotums naturally have veins inside it, just like other parts and organs of the body. The enlargement of the veins in the scrotum is found to be hereditary in nature.



Thus, when it runs in the family, a man would have greater chances of suffering from the condition.

In some cases, varicocele may lead to male infertility. In most cases, it does not. But when it does, then, that is when medical attention must be sought at once. When the condition also causes extreme pain, especially when there is tedious movement, the patient must also approach his doctor at once. When such pains occur, the patient would find out that lying on the back can provide immediate and lasting relief.

Varicoceles are quite a common condition that affects around 10 percent of men, usually young men during the second or third decade of life. At times, there are no symptoms caused by the varicocele, and it is quite harmless. However, at times, bilateral varicocele causes infertility or a pain in the abdomen. Blood usually comes into the testicles by an artery and goes out through a network of small veins, which get drained to a long vein and goes upwards through the abdomen. The direction of the flow of blood in this vein must always be upwards to the heart.



The reverse blood flow back into the testicles is prevented by some one-way valves that are in series.

Varicoceles occur more often in the person’s left testicle as compared to the right one due to many anatomic factors that include the angle of the entering of the left vein of the testicular region to the left vein of the renal area. The second reason is a less amount of effective anti-reflux valves present at the junction of the renal vein and the testicular vein. The third reason is due to an increased pressure of the renal vein because of the compression between the aorta and the higher mesenteric artery. It is also important to note that a varicocele that is one-sided can affect the other testicle. About 35 to 40 percent of men who have a palpable left varicocele could have actually bilateral varicoceles that are revealed after an examination. One particular study has suggested that around 80 percent of men who had bilateral varicoceles also have a left clinical varicocele. This was revealed with noninvasive radiologic testing. Varicoceles differ in size while are also classified into three groups. The first one is large, which can be identified quite easily only by inspection.



The second one is moderate, for which identification can be done with palpation without the need of bearing down. The third is small, for which identification can be done by veering down alone, in which the intra-abdominal pressure is increased, thereby hindering drainage and causing the varicocele size to increase. Bilateral varicocele can also occur with a reflux of the blood from the veins to the pampiniform plexus.

Varicocele predominantly occurs at the left testicle. This may be due to the fact that the position of the left testicle is more prone to swelling and vein inflammation. You know that testicles naturally are not made to be equally positioned in the scrotum. The other would be lower due to avoid friction.

Finding a varicocele treatment is not hard. There would always be an easy and reliable medication. Usually, varicocele commands surgery.



There may be other medications in the form of oral tablets and creams but they are not common and are not proven to be effective. A varicocele is the most ideal and usual treatment done in the medical industry. This procedure usually involves an open surgery. Through incision and surgical procedure, the scrotum would be opened through surgery and the effected nerves would be removed or corrected.

Laparoscopic surgery is also done on more severe and complicated cases. In the procedure, the incision is done at the abdomen. A tiny instrument is then inserted and made to move towards the infected part. The procedure, however, is not usually done and preferred because it poses greater risks and is more painful on the part of the patient.

There is also an association between sub-fertility or infertility and varicoceles. However, it can be difficult to be sure if the cause of fertility problems in any case is due to a varicocele. One study has found that around 40 percent of men who were sub-fertile, had a varicocele.



Other symptoms of varicoceles can be a decreased movement or mobility of sperm, lower sperm count, and a greater number of sperm that are deformed. It is still not fully known of the role of varicoceles in these problems. However, a common theory states that the temperature of the testicles is raised by this condition, which affects the production of sperm. After patients have undergone varicocele repair and treatment, the fertility problems and sperm count have been shown to be significantly improved. Another symptom of varicoceles is the shrinking or atrophy of the testicles. Adolescent boys are often diagnosed with this condition in a physical exam. When the testicle that is affected is smaller in size than the other, there is usually the recommendation of varicocele repair. The testicle that is repaired will usually come back to the normal size in most of the cases. When addressing male infertility, bilateral varicocele treatment is considered to have more effectiveness than unilateral. 

Varicocele treatment can also be performed naturally by adding in a right diet and also with Ayurveda. You should follow a diet that includes a lot of fruits, whole grains, and vegetables instead of a diet that is highly refined and low in fiber and includes a lot of processed foods, sugar, and flour products that are considered to contribute to the formation of varicoceles.