Varicocele

Larger varicoceles may feel or look like a bag of worms or spaghetti. However, most men with varicoceles don’t have any symptoms.

If you do have symptoms, they may include:

• a dull ache or heaviness in your testicles or scrotum, which often improves when you lie down

• swelling of your testicles or scrotum

• shrinking of your testicles (testicular atrophy) if you have the condition in puberty 

• a small lump above your affected testicle

• infertility – the inability to conceive after at least a year of trying

Varicoceles occur when the small veins in each side of the scrotum, called the pampiniform plexus, become enlarged.

It’s not known exactly why this happens, but it’s thought to be due to a problem in the veins in the spermatic cord (the band of tissues that holds your testicles in place). 

The function of these veins is to return blood from the testicles to the body. However, in the case of varicoceles, it’s thought that a fault in the valves of these veins or compression higher up in the abdomen may cause blood to build up in the veins in the testicles, causing them to swell over time.

At your first Welbeck consultation, you’ll be seen by a consultant urologist. They’ll ask you about your symptoms, general health, family and medical history, and any medications you take regularly. They’ll also perform a physical examination of your scrotum. 

In some cases, your consultant may arrange for you to have an ultrasound scan to confirm your diagnosis, eliminate any other conditions that could be causing your symptoms, and check for a lesion or any other factor that may be obstructing blood flow to your scrotum.

If you’re having difficulty conceiving, your consultant may refer you for a semen analysis to check for any problems with your sperm.

As it isn’t fully known what causes varicoceles, it isn’t currently possible to prevent them from occurring. However, implementing healthy lifestyle choices to improve your general circulation may help reduce the risk of complications. These include exercising regularly, eating a healthy, balanced diet, and avoiding heavy lifting and standing for long periods.

Varicoceles are usually treatable and not serious, but left untreated, larger varicoceles may lead to complications, including:

• male hypogonadism (low testosterone)

• testicular atrophy – the affected testicle may shrink in size (particularly in adolescent boys)

• azoospermia – the absence of sperm in your ejaculate (semen), resulting in male infertility 

• rarely, a varicocele may be a sign of another condition, such as a mass or tumour

Varicoceles often don’t require treatment unless they’re causing you bothersome symptoms or if your fertility is affected.

Treatment for varicoceles involves surgery to treat the affected veins by ligating (blocking) them to redirect blood flow to other healthy veins in your scrotum. This can be performed using open microsurgery or radiological embolisation.

Your consultant will discuss all the treatment options with you and recommend the most appropriate next steps to ensure you make a full and fast recovery.

At Welbeck, our urologists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialities, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.