When you talk about men’s reproductive health, the focus switches from the penis to the family jewels, the testicles. Your testicles are where you reproduce and store your sperm until they are ready to be unleashed and make a baby. The average size of a testicle range from two to three inches long and one inch wide. They start growing once a male hits puberty.
Your testicles may shrink from time to time, especially when it’s cold. This is because the testicles adjust to the temperature and retract closer to the body to gain the heat they need in keeping the sperm safe. There are medical cases; however, where the balls start to shrink caused by other factors. The worse thing is that the ball shrinking could be permanent. In truth, your testicles say more about your health than your penis does.
Testicle shrinkage can be caused by many different things, but they all have one thing in common: they are all medical cases that can men can prevent, avoid or treat. Here are 13 serious things you should know about ball shrinkage and what causes them.
1. You Can Blame Your Hormones
The most common cause of testicle shrinkage is hormonal imbalance. Hormonal imbalance can be caused by either of two factors: one.
It can be a medical condition where your hormones are not healthy enough to maintain a balance; and two,
it can be induced by taking medications. The most common cases spring from medications. Steroids are the number one factor that triggers a hormonal imbalance in the male body. It is common in men because most chronic steroid usage cases are with the male population. As the steroid mixes up with the hormones, it gives the body the incorrect impression that it can reproduce much more hormones than normal, thus causing an abnormality in the balance.
2. Your Age Matters
All men and women age, and that is a fact you cannot change. You will eventually age too, and with age comes body changes we can no longer control. One of these is the slowing down of your reproductive health, which should normally start around your sixties. Don’t fret, gentlemen, it is normal.
With the changes in your reproductive health also come the changes in the appearance of your organs. The most visible of them all in your reproductive system are your testicles. The changes in the sperm reproduction can make your testicles shrink.
3. If You Have Injuries
There are many types of injuries involving your penis and testicles. There’s the penile fracture, and then there are injuries that affect your testicles directly.
It can be caused by an external force hitting your testicles or it can be due to excessive masturbation or sex, but injuries around the groin area can cause the testicles to shrink.
There are other types of injuries, too. Long lasting injuries, such as medical cases, the ones that need treatment and a doctor’s examination, also those that need surgery – any of these medical cases and injuries can cause testicle shrinkage.
4. Alcohol Is Not The Answer
Alcohol and men are often paired together. Men drink when they are happy and men drink when they are stressed. Here’s a fact: alcohol is not the answer. In fact, it can even be a cause of the problem.
Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to several results involving your health. One of them is the possible case or cirrhosis of the liver, which the medical treatment is relatively expensive, by the way. Although not directly hit, the testicles can be affected by all these. Cirrhosis of the liver has a bad impact on the male testicles, which causes it to shrink.
5. Smoking Cigarettes
Let’s make something clear. Smoking is never good for your overall health and not just for your balls. Here’s why it is bad for your balls.
When you smoke, it does not directly make your balls shrink. However, it starts a series of physical effects that can eventually lead to the shrinking of your balls.
The unhealthy effects of smoking can affect your blood flow. An altered blood flow will affect all regions of your body and the cells, reproduction and functions thereof. The same is true with the testicles. With an unhealthy blood flow, the testicles will eventually shrink.
6. Smoking Weed Is A Problem, Too
There have been many arguments about the effects of marijuana in the human body. Is it good? Is it bad? One thing is for sure: it’s not good for your balls. Even with the good and healthy effects of medicinal marijuana, it has been observed to affect the testosterone production of the body. Low testosterone production can affect the hormones and therefore lead to the shrinkage of the testicles.
7. The Use And Abuse Of Drugs
Substance abuse is a common problem today. The use and abuse of drugs can affect a person’s health and actions. Chronic use of illegal drugs can lead to hormonal problems, at the least.
Along with other terrifying effects, substance abuse can alter your blood flow and affect your testosterone levels, which will definitely affect your testicles leading to ball shrinkage.
8. Exposure To Aluminum
Aluminum is part of many things you use everyday – the foil you use to keep your food hot, the alcohol your drink, the tobacco you are smoking, and it can even be found in the air that you breathe. Studies have confirmed that aluminum can cause infertility by reducing sperm production. A low sperm count will not only affect your reproductive health, it will also lead to testicle shrinkage.
9. If You Got Kicked In The Balls Too Many Times
The crazy things that we see in movies and television – you know, such as when a man gets kicked in the balls.
Some people find it funny and yes, it may be fun to watch, especially in comedy movies, but the fact is, being kicked in the balls one too many times can lead to serious injuries.
There are many types of injuries that can be brought about by this. It could be penile injuries, groin injuries or testicle injuries. Any of these can be harmful to the function of the testicles and can lead to shrinkage.
10. You Need Rest And Sleep
Rest and sleep is important for each and every one – men and women alike. It is important for your health, your memory and your mood, too. Lacking sleep can also affect your ball size. It’s true. Studies have confirmed that men who lack sleep relatively have a lower sperm count than men with enough sleep in them. In case you missed it, a low sperm count can lead to ball shrinkage.
11. If You Contract Sexually Transmitted Diseases
11. If You Contract Sexually Transmitted DiseasesThere are many types of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). They are mostly infections that can travel around your system unless treated. There are also STDs that directly affect your testicles and your sperm reproduction.
While doctors can cure most cases through antibiotics, there are infections and viruses that can be with you for the rest of your life. With this also come the changes in your reproductive health, which can eventually lead to the shrinking of your testicles.
12. When You Have Problems With Erections
Erectile dysfunction is not only a problem with your penis and erections. It can spread as far as your testicles and its normal functions. Erectile dysfunction cases are one of those where you already have sexual problems, and then add in the inability to reproduce because of how it affects your sperm production.
Erectile dysfunction cases may vary from the level of dysfunction to the types of treatment you will need. Some cases will need to be treated with ED drugs.
ED drugs can affect your hormones, too. Basically, from erectile dysfunction to its treatments, there is a big possibility of testicle shrinkage.
13. Feeling Pain In Your Testicles
Testicular pain is not something that you can just disregard, especially if the pain is just fleeting. Most men make this mistake of ignoring the pain, hoping that it will subside. Little do they know that this may already be a symptom of a problem in their testicles – a problem with the testosterone count or the sperm count – either of which could lead to ball shrinkage and reproductive health problems.
Your testicles are a vital part of your body, not only for reproduction, but for your health. It is only right that you also keep track of their health and how they are doing. Ball shrinkage is not something to ignore. If you feel like there is something different about your testicles, seek the help of a physician to check it. It is always good to be extra careful and vigilant on these matters as this will also save you a lot of trouble.