Enlargement of the
veins of the spermatic cord. The condition occurs most often in adolescent boys and affects the left side more often than the right. The
affected scrotum feels like a bundle of worms.
Varicocele may be accompanied by a dull ache
along the cord and a dragging sensation in the groin. The condition
usually requires no treatment but may cause infertility, in which case ligation of the internal spermatic vein may be helpful.
A varicocele is quite
common, in fact it occurs in about
ten percent of men. It is usually painless, but can occasionally cause a bit of
aching, not unlike mild
epididymitis. It is almost always on the
left testicle.
It does, in some men, adversely affect sperm count, and may need to be removed in a surgery called varicocelectomy. If the varicocele did not occur early enough to cause atrophy in the testicle, there is usually no permanent damage, and the sperm count will return to normal.