Why does one testicle hang lower that the other?

Why does one testicle hang lower that the other? This question always worried men. Testes in men have little distinction in the sizes and are arranged asymmetrically. Nature arranged the body of a man in such a way that one of them, more often the left one, should be noticeably lower than the other. Remember that the testicles are never on the same level. Otherwise it would interfere with walking. Our mother nature laid the placement of the testicles in such a way that the right testicle is placed slightly above the left one.

In general, the pair organs in people are never the same. Our eyes may be different in color, the feet are slightly different in size and the ears are not always symmetrical and are necessarily different in shape. Internal organs –twins — kidneys are different in weight and size, and the right kidney is always below the left.

So why does one testicle hang lower that the other? Why couldn’t they be the same? The reason for the asymmetry of the testicles is in the peculiarities of the gonad blood supply and the fact that such an arrangement is necessary for the normal functioning of the male genitalia.

On the right, the testicular artery departs from the abdominal aorta. And the vein of the testicle, respectively, goes into the lower vena cava. The artery of the left testicle departs from the corresponding renal artery, and its vein carries blood into the renal vein. Thus, the blood flow from the left testicle is longer, which causes a slight stagnation of blood in it. This is why the does one testicle hang lower that the other.

Testicles are a kind of biochemical laboratory in which production of semen takes place. This process requires special conditions. The temperature of them should be below the normal body temperature. Thermoregulation is provided by the scrotum muscles. They contract or relax, bringing the testicles away from the body. For example, if the man is cold, they pull themselves up to the groin and get warm. The same goal is served by their heterogeneous position. Another reason why does one testicle hang lower that the other is that they do not overheat and are better “ventilated”.

One more reason why does one testicle hang lower that the other is that they shouldn’t be tightly pressed against each other. Other way there is the risk of compression. If they were on the same level, they were constantly injured when walking and moving.

When to worry?

You need to worry only when the size and / or position of the testicles changes too sharply (within weeks or months). Or if you feel pain. If a man is curious why does one testicle hang lower that the other and he is worried about pain in the lower abdomen, unpleasant sensations in the scrotum, problems with potency, he must talk to a doctor urgently. Some other signs should also draw your attention:

• One ball hangs lower than the other by more than 3 cm. This can happen if the seminal duct is twisted. This is a narrow tube, the length of which is about half a meter. Inside the seminal tubules, sperm production takes place. So if they are twisted, the man could face infertility or even worse consequences. The situation can lead to necrosis (death) of the organ due to impaired blood supply.
• Sometimes a patient complains that the right ball has always been higher than the left, but for some period they somehow changed the position. The right one sank and the left one lifted up. Such symptoms can speak of an expansion of the veins of the spermatic cord — varicocele. But since the degree of symmetry of the testicles is very individual, the diagnosis cannot be confirmed without examination.

Particular attention must be paid to children. A significant difference in the position of the testicles in a child or a teenager may indicate an incomplete lowering of the testicle (cryptorchidism).

In mature man these problems can cause infertility, decrease in male potency and even more frightening consequences.

In order to make a final diagnosis, an urologist is needed. After a primary examination, the specialist will, if necessary, assign medical examinations:

• Blood and urine tests, including those necessary to determine an infection
• Ultrasound of the scrotum
• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity
• Dopplerography in lying and standing positions

At each appointment, a doctor conducts a very simple test, which is called the Valsalva maneuver. The patient is offered to take a deep breath, hold his breath and “inflate” the abdomen. After that the professional probes the scrotum above the testicle to assess whether there is a swelling of the veins.

The second variant of this test is carried out during the ultrasound examination. It allows identifying not only the expansion of veins, but also changes in blood flow in them. These are very accurate tests that help to find out why does one testicle hang lower that the other.

In order not to worry, men need to conduct self-examination of testicles from time to time. In standing position place your right foot on the chair. Pull the testicles out of the body completely, gently probing the scrotum with the fingers of both hands. Now change your leg and examine the left testicle in the same way.

The skin around the testicles normally moves freely, and you can easily feel the entire surface of the testicles. To the touch, these are dense, smooth balls inside the leathery sac — the scrotum. It is normal when:

The testicles are homogeneous to the touch and painless, but remain sensitive

They are the same or slightly (by 5-7 millimeters) differ in size. If one testicle is much larger than the other, this is the reason for you to worry

One ball hangs lower or higher than the other, but the difference in height between them does not exceed 3 centimeters

Self-examination is recommended after a bath or a hot shower. At that time the muscles of the scrotum are relaxed, and you better feel all the unusual changes. If there is nothing wrong, then you can stop asking yourself why does one testicle hang lower that the other.