One of the most unpleasant and dangerous for men's health diseases associated with the expansion of veins, is varicocele.
This disease widens the veins located in the testicles, often on the left side.
In the absence of timely medical care, the disease almost always leads to infertility, so it is important to know about varicocele in men everything - what is it, how dangerous, how it manifests itself and is treated.
General Information
Varicocele is characterized by a malnutrition of the testicle , resulting inthere is a gradual process of atrophy. The enlarged venous vessels located around the testes prevent the normal heat regulation of this part of the male body. Overheating occurs.
Varicocele in itself does not pose a particular danger to the life of a man, but it often leads to male infertility. Almost half of the patients have impaired sperm production , and the percentage of those suffering from infertility is the higher, the longer they get sick.
According to WHO statistics, varicocele occurs in 15-17% of males. These figures may vary depending on the place of residence and age. This disease occurs in 19.3% of adolescents aged 14-15 years.5,7% of young people develop varicose veins in the army.
Signs of the disease are observed in 35% of sexually mature men undergoing ultrasound. Almost all of this disease affects the left testis. On the right side varicose veins occur only in 3-8% of men, on both testicles - 2-12%.
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Causes and Risk Factors of
Experts have not yet accurately determined the causes of development of testicular varicose veins. Judging by the fact that it often occurs in adolescents, there is a suggestion in that the inherited nature of the disease is , in which a deficiency of connective tissues arises in the body. With their shortage, the venous valve does not develop well, as a result of which the reverse blood flow through the vein is disturbed.
Another cause of the varicocele is the increased pressure in the abdominal cavity .Most often this is associated with impaired intestinal activity( constipation) and excessive physical exertion. Blood circulation can be disturbed and with development of malignant formations in the genitourinary system.
Learn more about the causes of varicocele from a separate article.
Classification of
The disease develops over four stages:
- In the first stage of , varicose is not noticeable externally and can only be detected with Doppler ultrasound or ultrasound.
- The second stage of the is characterized by an increased size of veins, which can be determined by touch when standing.
- At the third stage of the veins have already been expanded to such an extent that they are easy to grope in any position.
- In the fourth stage of the , the enlarged veins are visible to the naked eye.
The Dangers and Complications of
The main complication of varicose veins is the male infertility , which results from a violation of the thermoregulation of the testicles and the cessation of sperm production.
Other hazards may include: heart valve abnormalities, phimosis and flat feet - all these problems indicate a lack of connective tissue in the body.
Varicosity sometimes indicates the presence of malignant tumors. Therefore, at the first signs of the disease is required to consult a doctor and pass all necessary examinations of .
Symptoms of testicular disease
At the beginning of its development varicocele occurs almost without symptoms. To reveal varikotsele it is possible on painful sensations in a testicle and a scrotum which will amplify as the disease progresses.
Pains are of a pulling nature, and they can arise not only in the scrotum and testicles, but also in the entire groin area. Sometimes it can be seen an increase in the scrotum in size, as well as its descent from the side of the affected testicle.
Pains usually become stronger during walking, when lifting weights and during intercourse. If the disease is in the early stages of development, the pain disappears after the person has rested and rested. At stages 3 or 4, the pain is almost continuous and does not depend on the physical activity of the patient.
When to call a doctor and to which
To the hospital it is necessary to go at the slightest signs of varicocele - if there are pains in the scrotum or testicle, especially after physical exertion, or by probing the enlarged veins on the testicles. Identify varicose veins in a urologist or phlebologist.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing this disease is easy enough .On examination, the phlebologist examines the medical history, the duration of the symptomatology, and the likelihood of trauma to the lumbar region.
In some cases, the doctor determines the enlarged veins already at visual inspection of the patient, or at a palpation of a sick site. Sometimes the varicose veins become smaller in size, its elasticity is lowered.
Palpation is performed in several positions of the patient - standing, lying, and also when straining.
If the veins are not detected in the standing or straining position, then varicose is likely to be at the 1 stage of development.
If veins are visible to the naked eye, it may be more severe stages of the disease.
To exclude the presence of tumors, ultrasound examination of the retroperitoneal space and kidneys is mandatory. If there is a suspected thrombosis of the vessels, CT or MRI is prescribed.
As additional diagnostic methods, scrotal ultrasound, thermography, thermometry or Doppler ultrasound may be prescribed. To determine the correct course of treatment, sometimes prescribed renal-testicular venography or testiculoflebography. If a decision was made on surgical intervention, antegrade venography is usually indicated. It is carried out not only before the operation, but also during it, and also after surgical treatment.
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Methods of treatment
It is possible to completely cure varicocele only with surgical intervention. If the disease is at the initial stages of development, surgery can avoid with special diets, reduce physical activity and normalize bowel activity. If the disease has already reached serious stages, only surgical intervention will help.
Operations for varicose veins are usually two types of : in the first case, the ligation or removal of the enlarged vein is performed, in the second case, the introduction of a sclerosing substance into the vein through a puncture in the thigh, thereby stopping the blood flow in the affected vessel.
Learn more about the male varicocele disease and the need for its treatment from this video:
Prevention
By observing certain preventive measures, can minimize the risk of developing and relapse varicocele:
- eat right, eat foods that favorably affect the intestines, take vitamins;
- to avoid heavy physical exertion;
- during sexual intercourse use protection measures.
Because the disease is often a hereditary disease, should be regularly screened by physicians, starting from the adolescent period. With the timely detection and diagnosis of cure varicocele will be possible without surgery.
