Suffering from lower back and testicle pain? Learn all the potential causes and proven relief methods here.
Groin aches. Back twinges. Radiating pain that leaves you gritting your teeth. Stop guessing what’s causing your lower back and testicle pain – this guide prepared by Kaly will answer all your questions.
Learn how to decode your symptoms, identify the source, and find real relief through expert-recommended treatments.
What Causes Lower Back and Testicle Pain?
Lower back and testicle pain is often caused by spinal nerve compression or irritation, infections and inflammation of the reproductive tract, kidney stones, hernias, testicular torsion, and diabetes.
Spinal Nerve Issues Causing Referred Pain
Spinal stenosis, herniated discs, or osteoarthritis can compress or irritate the spinal nerves as they emerge from the lower back. This can cause pain signals to be referred along the nerve pathways down into the testicular region even though the source is the back as proven by the findings in this study by the American Journal of Men’s Health.
The specific location and nature of the spinal issue determine if the pain radiates down just one side or affects both testicles.
Infections and Inflammatory Conditions
Infections and inflammatory conditions involving the reproductive structures like epididymitis and orchitis often cause pain and swelling localized to the testicles that can also spread upward into the lower back.
These conditions frequently stem from sexually transmitted diseases but can also result from bacteria that spread through the urine or bloodstream. Additional symptoms may include:
- Pain with urination or ejaculation
- Fever or chills
- Abdominal pain
- Blood in semen
Treating the infection or inflammation with antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications is critical to manage the pain and prevent complications like abscesses or tissue damage.
What Are the Symptoms of Lower Back and Testicle Pain?
Lower back and testicle pain symptoms include radiating or shooting pain, sudden severe testicular pain, dull constant aches, swelling, lumps, and urinary/ejaculation pain.
Paying attention to the specific characteristics and location of the pain can provide clues to identify the source.
- Radiating Pain
A sharp, stabbing pain originating in the lower back that shoots or radiates down into one or both testicles is common with certain conditions.
- Sudden, Severe Pain
A sudden onset of severe, unilateral testicular pain could signal a medical emergency requiring prompt treatment.
- Dull, Persistent Aches
A constant, dull ache or pain that develops more gradually and persists over time may indicate a chronic condition.
- Other Symptoms
- Pain or difficulty urinating and ejaculating
- Fever, chills, nausea/vomiting
- Visible swelling, redness, or lumps
- Bowel movement pain
- Pelvic heaviness or pressure
Is back and testicular distress disrupting your life? Message compassionate medical experts on Kaly for support.
Can Lower Back Pain and Testicle Pain Be Signs of Prostate Problems?
Lower back and testicle pain can be signs of prostatitis or advanced prostate cancer, but often stem from kidney stones, nerve issues, infections, or other causes unrelated to the prostate.
Inflammation of the prostate gland, known as prostatitis, often causes pain in the lower back, testicles, penis and perineum along with urinary difficulties like painful/frequent urination. It is typically diagnosed based on symptoms and treated with medications like antibiotics.
An enlarged but non-cancerous prostate can put pressure on the urethra and cause urinary frequency and weak stream, but does not usually cause referred back or testicle pain itself.
Advanced prostate cancer that has metastasized throughout the body can lead to lower back pain, pelvic pain, and bone pain as the cancer spreads. However, early stage prostate cancer often has no noticeable symptoms.
Kaly specialists advise getting any persistent or worsening pain checked by a doctor to determine if the prostate is involved.
Can a Hernia Cause Lower Back and Testicle Pain?
Yes, inguinal hernias and lumbar disc herniations can sometimes cause lower back and testicular pain by irritating nerves that run from the spine down into the groin and scrotum.
Inguinal Hernias
Inguinal hernias occur when part of the intestine protrudes through a weak spot in the lower abdominal wall near the inguinal canal. Symptoms may include:
- A bulge or swelling in the groin, especially when straining
- Groin and testicular pain that increases with activity
- Feelings of heaviness or pressure in the groin
Kaly specialists explain that the protruding intestinal tissue can irritate the genitofemoral nerve running from the lumbar spine down into the scrotum, as was discussed in the study linked above.
This nerve irritation can refer to pain from the back to the groin and testicles. Seeking prompt treatment is recommended, as incarcerated hernias can become medical emergencies.
Lumbar Disc Herniations
Herniated discs in the lumbar spine can also potentially contribute to testicular pain in some cases, as proven by this study. Specifically:
- A herniated L1 or L2 disc irritating those spinal nerve roots may refer pain down the nerve pathways into the ipsilateral (same side) testicle.
- Herniated discs anywhere from L1-S2 could potentially radiate pain into the testicular area, depending on the nerve involvement.
Symptoms may include lower back pain with numbness, tingling, or radiating pain down the legs. Diagnostic imaging can confirm the presence of a compressed nerve root.
Can Kidney Stones Cause Lower Back and Testicle Pain?
Yes, kidney stones can cause lower back pain that radiates into the testicles due to swelling of the kidney, stretching the renal capsule, and referred pain along the genitofemoral nerve.
According to our experience, kidney stones form in the kidneys and can pass down the narrow ureters towards the bladder. If a stone causes a blockage or obstruction in the ureter, it leads to a backflow of urine back into the kidney.
This backflow results in the kidney swelling and stretching of its outer capsule. Since the kidney capsule has many nerve endings, this triggers intense pain signals felt in the lower back.
The pain from the kidney stone can also radiate downwards along the genitofemoral nerve, which provides sensation to the testicle.
In addition to lower back pain potentially radiating into the testicles, common symptoms of passing a kidney stone include:
- Severe pain in the side and groin
- Pain that comes in waves
- Pain and difficulty urinating
- Blood in the urine
- Nausea and vomiting
Can a Varicocele Cause Lower Back Pain?
While uncommon, varicoceles can sometimes cause lower back or abdominal pain if the enlarged veins become compressed or irritated, or from complications like thrombophlebitis.
Kaly specialists explain that varicoceles are enlarged veins in the scrotum that can lead to a dull, dragging ache and a feeling of heaviness, usually on the left side. This discomfort is often worse when standing up and relieved by lying down.
More severe pain, including back pain, can also occur if blood clots or inflammation develop in the swollen veins (thrombophlebitis).
There are also some reports of varicoceles developing after certain spine surgeries, like anterior lumbar interbody fusion. This is thought to result from mechanical stress on the spermatic veins during the procedure.
If varicocele-related back pain is present, repair surgery often successfully resolves it for most patients. However, Kaly experts stress that it’s important to consider other potential causes as well.
Can Epididymitis Cause Lower Back Pain?
According to our experience, epididymitis – inflammation of the epididymis in the scrotum – only rarely radiates pain up to the lower back. While possible, lower back pain is more often caused by other underlying conditions.
Epididymitis is typically caused by a bacterial infection or sexually transmitted infection like chlamydia or gonorrhea. Symptoms primarily involve pain, swelling, and redness isolated to the scrotum, along with possible fever, chills, and pain with urination or ejaculation.
In some cases, the inflammation from epididymitis can radiate pain up into the lower back and abdomen, but this referred pain is relatively uncommon.
One study found about 27% of epididymitis patients also reported back pain, but it was usually less severe than the main scrotal pain.
If lower back pain is the primary or only symptom, it is highly unlikely to be caused by epididymitis based on our experience.
Does Sciatica Cause Testicle Pain?
Sciatica can potentially cause testicular pain through referred pain, shared spinal nerve supply, muscle spasms, or entrapment neuropathies, but this is uncommon compared to leg pain.
Sciatic pain is typically felt along the path of the sciatic nerve, but sciatica can potentially cause testicular pain in a few ways:
| Mechanism | Explanation |
| Referred pain | Compression of the sciatic nerve can lead to confused pain signals transmitted to distant sites like the testicles. This is called referred pain. |
| Shared nerve supply | The genitofemoral nerve supplying the testicles originates from the L1/L2 spinal nerves. Compression of these spinal nerves can radiate pain down into the testicles. |
| Secondary muscle spasms | Sciatica can trigger pelvic and hip muscle spasms putting pressure on nerves to the testicles. |
| Entrapment neuropathies | Chronic sciatica may rarely lead to pudendal neuralgia affecting the pudendal nerve to the genitals. |
Is It Normal to Have Lower Back and Testicle Pain After Exercise?
Lower back and testicle pain after exercise is often due to direct injury, referred pain from the spine, inflammation, or tight muscles rather than a normal response, and may require medical evaluation.
- Direct minor injury to the testicles is possible during exercise, especially with contact sports. The testicles are highly sensitive and even light trauma can cause pain.
- Lower back injuries or muscle strains during exercise can refer pain down into the testicles. This is due to the shared nerve supply between the lumbar spine and genital region.
- Inflammatory conditions like epididymitis or orchitis, while uncommon, can sometimes happen after very strenuous exercise. Minor trauma or infections may play a role.
- Referred pain from tight hip flexor muscles is also a possibility.
How to Relieve Lower Back and Testicle Pain
Depending on the cause, relieving lower back and testicle pain may involve medications, physical therapy, surgery, or other treatments tailored to address the specific underlying condition.
- Lumbar spine issues: Physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medications, epidural steroid injections, surgery for severe cases.
- Epididymitis: Antibiotics, scrotal rest/elevation, OTC anti-inflammatories, cold compresses.
- Urinary tract infections: Antibiotic treatment, pain medications.
- Testicular cancer: Surgery (orchiectomy), radiation, chemotherapy.
- Diabetic neuropathy: Blood sugar control, nerve pain medications.
- Direct testicular trauma: Temporary pain/anti-inflammatory medications, possible surgery.
- Other testicular issues: Observation and pain management, surgery for severe cases.
Has guessing about your back and testicle discomfort hit a dead end? Kaly connects you to specialists with real answers.
FAQs
Does lower back pain radiate to the testicles?
Yes, lower back pain can radiate to the testicles due to compression or irritation of nerves originating in the lower back that supply the testicles.
Why do I have a dull pain in my left testicle and lower back?
A dull pain in the left testicle and lower back can be caused by nerve compression from spinal conditions like a herniated disc, or referred pain from kidney stones or other abdominal issues.
What can cause pain in the lower right back and right testicle?
Pain in the lower right back and right testicle can be caused by nerve compression from spinal conditions, kidney stones, testicular torsion, or referred pain from abdominal issues like appendicitis.
What are the causes of lower left back pain and left testicle pain?
Causes include nerve compression from spinal conditions, kidney stones, infections like epididymitis, testicular torsion, and referred pain from other abdominal issues.