Orchitis is the inflammation of one or both of the testicles. It is usually caused by a virus infection or by a bacterial infection. Patients with orchitis may feel discomfort such as pain and swelling in the testicles. Treatments often include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory pain relievers.
Orchitis is an inflammation of the testes. Orchitis can affect both testicles but the symptoms are present usually in only one testicle. Orchitis caused by a bacteria comes often from the inflammation of the epididymis (epididymitis) that is a coiled tube located at the back of the testicle. This tube stores and transports sperm. When this is the cause for the inflammation, then the condition is named epididymo-orchitis. The infection is then usually treated with antibiotics with full recovery and complications are not common. The condition can be acute and occur sudden or it can be chronic and last several months. Orchitis occurs almost always suddenly. Chronic orchitis is not well known.
The causes of orchitis include viruses and bacteria. The most common virus that causes orchitis is mumps. Mumps-orchitis most often occurs in boys after puberty, a few days after they had a mumps infection. Bacterial orchitis can be caused by any bacteria causing a urinary tract infection, but especially frequently by sexually transmitted infections such as gonorrhea or chlamydia. However, bacterial orchitis often results from epididymitis. Men who are older than 45, using a bladder catheter for a long time, not being vaccinated against mumps, having regular urinary tract infections or other urinary tract diseases (such as bladder emptying disorders) may have higher risks of getting orchitis. The common symptoms include swelling, pain and tenderness in one or both of the testicles that may last for weeks. Besides, symptoms such as fever, blood in the semen, discharge from penis, and even nausea and vomiting can occur. In some cases a reduced fertility may occur after an orchitis.
The treatment of orchitis will depend on the causes. If the orchitis is caused by infection of bacteria, then pathogen-specific antibiotics will be used. It is important to take the entire course of antibiotics prescribed by the doctor. Besides, if the bacterial infection is caused by a sexually transmitted infection, the sex partner should also take the treatment. In case of viral orchitis there is no causal treatment and its normally self limiting after some weeks. For symptomatic treatment pain relievers like anti-inflammatory drugs will also be used. Meanwhile, enough bed rest with the scrotum elevated and ice packing may relieve the symptoms as well. A medical examination is highly recommended in any case.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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