orchitis, inflammation and swelling of the testes as a result of infection or physical injury. The testes are a pair of organs located in the scrotum of the male; they produce sperm cells for reproduction. Connected to the back of each testis is the epididymis, which serves as a storage duct for sperm awaiting release. The tube that conducts sperm away from the testis and epididymis is the spermatic cord. The rich blood supply and lymphatic supply in the testicle prevent most infections from obtaining a strong foothold in this organ. Infections can spread from elsewhere in the body by way of the bloodstream, lymphatic channels, or the spermatic cords to the epididymes and testes. Organisms causing inflammation can be bacterial, viral, fungal, or parasitic, and inflammation can come from chemical or physical injury. The usual symptoms of orchitis are high fever, sudden pain in the testicle, nausea, vomiting, swelling, tightness, and tenderness of the gland upon touching. Fluids that may accumulate around the testes may contain pus or blood. The scrotum is generally red and thickened.
Orchitis may result from infections and other diseases elsewhere in the body. Mumps is probably the systemic disease most likely to affect the testes; it is caused by a virus. The orchitis generally subsides spontaneously in 10 days or less and permanent damage is rare. Usually only one testis is influenced, with sometimes the epididymis. In the rare cases where both testes are involved, impotence and sterility may ensue.
Physical injuries, such as those caused by blows, are generally followed by infections when severe; the injury lowers the resistance to bacteria. Chemicals such as iodine, lead, and alcohol have on occasion caused testicular injury. Treatment for most orchitis is administration of antibiotics, bed rest, support of the testes, use of compresses, and surgical relief or drainage when required.