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Testicle Numbness

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Last updated June 17, 2022

Testicle numbness quiz

Take a quiz to find out what's causing your numbness.

Testicle numbness can be alarming since it is most likely caused by a compressed or damage nerve. Groin nerve irritation and a thigh nerve issue can cause tingling in the scrotum. A herniated disk in the lower back can also can also cause tingling testicles and pubic area. Read now for more information on causes and treatment options.

5 most common cause(s)

Disseminated Encephalomyelitis
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Bulging disc
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Thigh Nerve Issue (Meralgia Paresthetica)
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Groin nerve irritation
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Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Testicle numbness quiz

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3 causes of testicle numbness

This list does not constitute medical advice and may not accurately represent what you have.

Thigh nerve issue (meralgia paresthetica)

Meralgia paresthetica is a nerve condition that causes an area of skin over the upper outer thigh to feel numb, tingly, or painful. This is caused by compression of a nerve known as the lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh as it passes underneath a tough fibrous ligament known as the inguinal ligament.

You should visit your primary care physician to confirm the diagnosis and discuss treatment options. Generally, this condition is treated with rest, physical therapy, pain medication, and occasionally corticosteroid injections.

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: pain in the outside of the hip, pain in one thigh, thigh numbness, tingling upper leg, hip numbness

Symptoms that never occur with thigh nerve issue (meralgia paresthetica): new headache, swollen hip, swollen hips, swelling of one hip, leg swelling, weakness of both legs, leg weakness

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis, or MS, is a disease of the central nervous system. The body's immune system attacks nerve fibers and their myelin covering. This causes irreversible scarring called "sclerosis," which interferes with the transmission of signals between the brain and the body.

The cause is unknown. It may be connected to a genetic predisposition. The disease usually appears between ages 20 to 50 and is far more common in women than in men. Other risk factors include family history; viral infections such as Epstein-Barr; having other autoimmune diseases; and smoking.

Symptoms include numbness or weakness in arms, legs, or body; partial or total loss of vision in one or both eyes; tingling or shock-like sensation, especially in the neck; tremor; and loss of coordination.

Diagnosis is made through patient history, neurological examination, blood tests, MRI, and sometimes a spinal tap.

There is no cure for MS, but treatment with corticosteroids and plasma exchange (plasmapheresis) can slow the course of the disease and manage symptoms for better quality of life.

Herniated (slipped) disk in the lower back

A herniated, ruptured, or "slipped" disc means that a vertebral disc – one of the soft pads of tissue that sit between each of the vertebral bones – has becomes squeezed out of shape. Its cushioning material has been forced against, and possibly through, the ring of fibrous tissue that normally contains it. This causes pain, numbness, and weakness in the legs.

The normal aging process causes the discs lose moisture and become thinner, making them more vulnerable to "slipping."

Most susceptible are men from ages 30 to 50. Smoking, obesity, lack of exercise, and improper lifting are also risk factors.

Symptoms include pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling in the back, leg, and foot.

Diagnosis is made through patient history, neurological examination, and MRI scan.

Treatment begins with rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, physical therapy, and sometimes epidural steroid injections into the back to ease pain and inflammation.

Surgery to remove the herniated part of the disc – the part that was squeezed out of place – can also be helpful.

Rarity: Common

Top Symptoms: lower back pain, moderate back pain, back pain that shoots down the leg, back pain that gets worse when sitting, leg weakness

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Groin nerve irritation

There are several nerves supplying the groin, inner thigh and genital region. Entrapment or irritation of one of these nerves can result in pain or numbness in this area. This is often caused by surgery in this area but can happen without a specific cause as well.

You should discuss your symptoms with your primary care physician. Sometimes a referral to a specialist is needed. Treatment often includes an injection with a local anesthetic.

Rarity: Rare

Top Symptoms: thigh numbness, groin numbness, testicle numbness, sharp testicle or scrotum pain, sharp groin pain

Urgency: Primary care doctor

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis is an inflammation of the nervous system, typically due to your body's own immune system, can strip the protective layering of the nervous system's biggest nerves, causing neurologic changes.

Any neurologic changes should immediately send someone to the hospital, where imaging the brain will reveal damage to your nerves and rule out other possible causes. Treatment involves anti-virals or antibiotics in case of a possible infection, but oppositely, immune-suppressive drugs would be started if it really is your own immune system doing the damage.

Testicle numbness symptom checker statistics

People who have experienced testicle numbness have also experienced:

  • 18% Penis Numbness
  • 7% Pain In One Testicle
  • 6% Testicle Pain

People who have experienced testicle numbness were most often matched with:

  • 33% Groin Nerve Irritation
  • 33% Thigh Nerve Issue (Meralgia Paresthetica)
  • 33% Herniated (Slipped) Disk In The Lower Back

People who have experienced testicle numbness had symptoms persist for:

  • 42% Less than a day
  • 22% Less than a week
  • 20% Over a month

Source: Aggregated and anonymized results from Buoy Assistant.

Hear what 2 others are saying
Once your story receives approval from our editors, it will exist on Buoy as a helpful resource for others who may experience something similar.
The stories shared below are not written by Buoy employees. Buoy does not endorse any of the information in these stories. Whenever you have questions or concerns about a medical condition, you should always contact your doctor or a healthcare provider.
Just a little concerned but I feel fine…Posted June 24, 2021 by M.
I’ve started to feel kind of random numbness around my nuts :( It happened a while ago like around a few months and it just feels weird… it kind of happened when I’m laying around and maybe in a weird position, but it’s just like the feeling of your foot falling asleep but without the tingling as far as I can tell. I’m 16 and I do normal teenager activities if you know what I mean, but I don’t think that’s the cause. I’m not very fat, but it could be that I might be putting too much weight on them by laying around. It doesn’t happen when I sleep, but just randomly, even if I’m standing upright or lying down. It’s not frequent but just thought I’d share cuz what the heck. Anyways, I feel fine. I can still perform for lack of a better term and I’ve been walking a lot recently (around 3 miles a day) so maybe that might be the cause… Anyways I’ll just try to eat better and maybe not lay around too much. I hope it’s not because I have a health problem. I have a normal amount of fat for someone my age. I don’t know my muscle to fat percentage, but I’m not obese or anything, but it could be that I need to lose some fat.
Sensitive sack/tightnessPosted December 7, 2020 by K.
I got epididymitis from straining my groin while lifting I guess. That’s what the doctor says. I do work in construction and lift heavy almost every other day. Got tested for STDS and bacterial infection multiple times and came back negative—just to get that out of the way. Weeks later epididymitis is gone after antibiotics. Seems like everything is going good and on the right track. But now it seems like my ballsack is "sensitive." When I’m at home, after relaxing for a bit, my sack is where it’s "normal" to me, hanging down, a bit sorry for being so descriptive. But when I’m at work or working out or generally just moving and doing active things, my sack is tight. Testicles don’t bother me, but it’s like my sack is sensitive and looks a little irritated. When I touch it sometimes to check on it, it feels like I'm gently poking it with pins is the best way I can describe it.

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