AUASummit-WhatisEpididymitis?AdvertisementUrologyA-ZEpididymitisandOrchitis  InThisSectionEpididymitisandOrchitisSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentAfterTreatmentFrequentlyAskedQuestionsAdvertisementAdvertisementWhatareEpididymitisandOrchitis?Paininthescrotumortesticle(“testis”)mightbefromepididymitis,orchitisorboth.Epididymitisisswellingorpaininthebackofthetesticleinthecoiledtube(epididymis)thatstoresandcarriessperm.Orchitisisswellingorpaininoneorbothtesticles,usuallyfromaninfectionorvirus.Thisarticlewillhelpyoumanagethesehealthissueswithyoururologist.WhatareEpididymitis,OrchitisandEpididymo-orchitis?Epididymitisiswhentheepididymisswells.Thisdiseasecanbeacute(sudden)orchronic(long-term)andistypicallyfromabacterialinfection.Acuteepididymitisisfeltquicklywithrednessandpain,anditgoesawaywithtreatment.Chronicepididymitistypicallyisadullerpain,developsslowlyandisalonger-termproblem.Symptomsofchronicepididymitiscangetbetter,butmaynotgoawayfullywithtreatmentandmaycomeandgo.Mostcasesofepididymitisareseeninadults.Orchitisisswellingofthetestisaloneisuncommon.Italmostalwayscomesonquicklyandgoesawaywithtreatment.Chronicorchitisisn’twell-defined.It’sthoughttobepartofahealthissuecalledorchalgia(chronictesticularpain).Epididymo-orchitisisthesuddenswellingofboththeepididymisandthetestis.WhatHappensunderNormalConditions?Themalereproductivesystemmakes,stores,andtransportssperm.Spermiscreatedwithspecialmalehormonesinthebody.Thesearemadeinthetwotestesinthescrotum,(whichisthepouch-likesacatthebaseofthepenis).Spermstartgrowinginthetestesandgainmovementandmaturitywhiletravellingthroughtheepididymis.Theepididymisisacoiledtubebehindeachtestis.Eachepididymisislinkedtotheejaculatoryductbyatubecalledthevasdeferens.Thistuberunsfromthelowerpartofthescrotumintotheinguinalcanal.Itthenmovesthroughthepelvis,behindthebladder.Thisiswherethevasdeferensjoinswiththeseminalvesicleandformstheejaculatoryduct.Whenyouejaculate,fluidfromtheseminalvesiclesandprostatemixwithspermtoformsemen.Thesementravelsthrought