Slipped disc in back, imagining an ache in testicles?

[Ryanthegunner]

Hi all,

Sorry for this really long post!

I believe this all started a month or two ago. I started a job as a lecturer in a college. It wasn't as I expected and caused be immense stress and anxiety and I left after just one week (had anxiety for 9 years but thought it would be fine). Soon after I noticed immense pain in my back, so reluctantly visited an osteopath after a week who told me I had a slipped disc at L5-S1. With this pain and being jobless I have become more and more anxious. The pins and needles in my feet/leg making me worrying I'm gonna lose them. I seem to have picked up on the osteopath saying if you have any pain in you testicles, problems with bladder or your bowels go to A&E immediately. On Wednesday of this week I saw a physio who said the same thing at the end of our session. Which obviously stuck with me?

On Thursday afternoon at around 4pm I believed I was feeling a tingling sensation/ aching in my testicles. So after much panic I called the non emergency NHS number, who told me to go to A&E. I waited 2 hours for a nurse who took blood pressure etc and said it was probably me worrying, I then waited 2 hours for a doctor who examined me and said everything seemed OK but wanted me to be checked by a surgeon to be sure. This was at 4am and they wanted me to stay overnight which caused me even more stress (never been stayed in a hospital) I said I didn't want to stay as the discomfort wasn't as bad anymore. Luckily a surgeon then came and checked me and said everything looked OK, pretty quickly.

We are now on Saturday and my anxiety is extermally bad worrying about this. I'm pretty sure what I'm feeling in my testicles is health anxiety as I've suffered from multiple things in the past (needing to pee every 5 minutes, immensely bloodshot eyes with no reason, feeling pain in my throat when I swallowed which was also nothing aswell as multiple other things).

In the back of my head I'm thinking they didn't do an MRI scan so how do they know my nerve isn't being touched by the disc? But also I'm pretty sure my anxiety is causing this discomfort. To note my urine, blood, blood pressure were all fine, my bladder and bowels are working as normal.

I think I just need some reassurance that I'm extermally anxious right now and what I'm feeling isn't any thing serious or maybe not even real. Has anyone experienced similar? Thanks to anyone that read this.

[BikerMatt]

Wow truely outstanding i was totally unaware that Surgeons and A&E Dr's can see through skin these days. DON'T please go anywhere near an osteopath and only go to a physio when you have a diagnosis, please.

You need an MRI and IF it is a slipped disc a decent physio doing light physio will probably sort it.

In May 2014 i hurt my lower back lifting 960 kilos of boxes 5 times in an hr. I got fobbed even though i was suffering lower back pain. At this point i think i had a slipped disc but nothing was done. In Nov 2016 i picked up my Son and bang it herniated, this is not only slipped it's when the necleus of the disc is leaking out so it's damaged for life. I eventually had the MRI for this in Feb 2017 which showed the herniated disc at L4/L5.

I couldn't drive for 6 months, had sciatica in both legs for months , couldn't cut my toe nails, couldn't lift anything and bought a bath bench.

I'm not saying this will happen to you but to me if they'd given me an MRI in 2014 when i probably had a slipped disc and some light physio it probably would never of herniated.

Many people have a slipped disc and it just corrects itself, many people have slipped disc and don't know it and have them most of their lives.

After my diagnosis i was told exactly the same about losing badder and bowel control, it's called Claud Equinia(sp) but i had a diagnosis. It really is worst case scenario and very, very unlikely but why tell you that without an MRI and diagnosis.

Yes i get pain in my testicles but i also have an inguinal hernia and even this they don't know wether it's a double or just right side but it can cause testicular pain. I won't this operated on but according to our wonderful healthcare it doesn't hurt enough but it does hurt and annoy me plus i want to know if it's that or my back causing my testicle pain.

It makes no sense to me to give you a guess at a diagnosis, a stay in hospital when you could have had a diagnosis with a lumbar spine MRI that for me took 26 minutes and you could of been on your way.

In the meantime you help with icing your back, it brings down any inflamation but is really only any good if you do it within the 1st few days. Did they tell you that? If it's been longer use heat it helos blood flow to the area and use NSAID's but get something to protect your stomach from your GP because they can wreck your stomach.

Everybody will suffer with a bad back during their life and it will more than likely sort itself.

Now i'm off to my local NHS car garage. I've got a nail in my tyre, hope they fix it and don't just sell me a foot pump and tell me to stop every 2 miles and pump it up!

[Ryanthegunner]

Wow truely outstanding i was totally unaware that Surgeons and A&E Dr's can see through skin these days. DON'T please go anywhere near an osteopath and only go to a physio when you have a diagnosis, please.

You need an MRI and IF it is a slipped disc a decent physio doing light physio will probably sort it.

In May 2014 i hurt my lower back lifting 960 kilos of boxes 5 times in an hr. I got fobbed even though i was suffering lower back pain. At this point i think i had a slipped disc but nothing was done. In Nov 2016 i picked up my Son and bang it herniated, this is not only slipped it's when the necleus of the disc is leaking out so it's damaged for life. I eventually had the MRI for this in Feb 2017 which showed the herniated disc at L4/L5.

I couldn't drive for 6 months, had sciatica in both legs for months , couldn't cut my toe nails, couldn't lift anything and bought a bath bench.

I'm not saying this will happen to you but to me if they'd given me an MRI in 2014 when i probably had a slipped disc and some light physio it probably would never of herniated.

Many people have a slipped disc and it just corrects itself, many people have slipped disc and don't know it and have them most of their lives.

After my diagnosis i was told exactly the same about losing badder and bowel control, it's called Claud Equinia(sp) but i had a diagnosis. It really is worst case scenario and very, very unlikely but why tell you that without an MRI and diagnosis.

Yes i get pain in my testicles but i also have an inguinal hernia and even this they don't know wether it's a double or just right side but it can cause testicular pain. I won't this operated on but according to our wonderful healthcare it doesn't hurt enough but it does hurt and annoy me plus i want to know if it's that or my back causing my testicle pain.

It makes no sense to me to give you a guess at a diagnosis, a stay in hospital when you could have had a diagnosis with a lumbar spine MRI that for me took 26 minutes and you could of been on your way.

In the meantime you help with icing your back, it brings down any inflamation but is really only any good if you do it within the 1st few days. Did they tell you that? If it's been longer use heat it helos blood flow to the area and use NSAID's but get something to protect your stomach from your GP because they can wreck your stomach.

Everybody will suffer with a bad back during their life and it will more than likely sort itself.

Now i'm off to my local NHS car garage. I've got a nail in my tyre, hope they fix it and don't just sell me a foot pump and tell me to stop every 2 miles and pump it up!


Thank you so much for your response.

The osteopath is who discovered the disc initially, he's been really good and only done minimal manipulation in my upper back and massaged the lower back.

They didn't even consider or mention an MRI at A&E. Which is another thing I'm worrying about they've missed it.

My dad had a similar issue with sciatica and herniated discs but mine isn't no where near as had as his. Its improved after 3 weeks and I've been OK to drive without being in pain and this week it feels even better. So surely the testicle pain can't be related or even real? I feel the doctors will be very reluctant to give an MRI scan and I can't bare going to A&E again

[BikerMatt]

Really pleased to read that Ryan.

It really sounds like nothing to worry about if it's feeling better after 3 weeks. You've had no sciatica and you can drive. I still get have to get into my car sideways and if i sit for to long the base of my back goes numb. You've none of that so you'll be fine.

I bet and this might sound silly but when we injure ourselves we tend to compensate with holding ourselves different. I guess that's why the osteopath has done some work on your upper back. The same could be said for your testicles, you're probably sitting different without even knowing it.

Good Luck!

[Ryanthegunner]

The sciatic pain is only really effecting my calf in right leg and my small toes. But I guess I've got used to that now as it's been a few weeks.

I forgot to mention I also had a vaicole vein in a testicle when I was about 15 (I'm now 27) so it could be something to with that flaring up due to stress or whatever. I'll try not to stress and see how it plays out. Hopefully I don't even notice it in a few days then I'll know it was nothing!

Thanks again for you response