Causes of hydrocele

[danny1xx (imported)]

I have been reading some of the posts here and would like to know what things can cause a hydrocele? My girlfriend does a lot of things to my balls and I don't want to get a hydrocele. In particular, can banding with an elastrator cause one and also slapping the balls? These are the two main things we do. Is there any need to worry about this? The banding is for up to 30 minutes at a time and the slapping is enough to really feel it in the balls.

[SplitDik (imported)]

I got a hydrocele from having my balls pulled too hard (I was pretty much hung up so my entire weight, 250 lbs, was suspended by my balls). The hydrocele started out slowly but eventually my testicle was swelled to a grapefruit size. While it was kind of impressive, it eventually was very annoying and I had to get it drained and then surgeried.

Anyway, I'd avoide any major pulling. What happens is that your testicles are wrapped in the same membrane as your abdominal cavity. By pulling, it can rip/separate the point of contact with the abdomin and fluid from your internal cavity will start flowing due to gravity down into the scrotum.

[danny1xx (imported)]

Thanks for the info. Is pulling the most common cause of a hydrocele?

[SplitDik (imported)]

I think pulling is the most common way of causing hydrocele, if you weren't already prone to them. Hydroceles are caused by weak point where membrane around testicles enters the adominal cavity. Pulling is the most direct way of causing trouble there. Supposedly hydroceles can happen spontaneously in some people (of course you never know whether the patient actually had caused the injury as they would be too embarassed to say). Hydroceles are closely related to hernias, with the latter being even more serious because the intestines actually start to protrude through the weakened hole in the abdomen.

I'm pretty sure the activities you mentioned (banding and slapping testicles) would not cause hydroceles.

[danny1xx (imported)]

Thanks for the reply. I'm glad there's not much of a chance of getting one with the banding and slapping.