Checking for testicular cancer is absolutely essential for all men to do.
Women already know the importance of checking their breasts for lumps and men are slowly realizing that they should do the same.
In this article, I'll show you what to look out for.
Know Your Anatomy You should really get to know your anatomy well so that when you do future checks, if anything has changed at all then you can go and speak to your doctor.
Your testis is an ovoid shape and smooth all around and even a little "squishy" when pressed.
When you press your testis like this, you should not feel any lumps or bumps inside.
The back of the testis is covered in something called the epididymis.
This is a loose, tube like structure.
It starts at the bottom of the testis and runs up the back and ends at the top of the testis.
It then runs into something called the spermatic cord which is a thick tube that runs from your testis and into your body.
Lumps Testicular cancer forms from within the testis and not on the surface of it.
Once a month you should check your testes.
Feel your smooth testis and press lightly.
It should feel the same all the way around.
If you find any hard bumps or lumps then it could be cancer (it could also be something harmless).
See your doctor straight away to make sure.
Pain Most testicular cancers are not painful.
But some are.
So if you have pain then see your doctor and get it checked out.
Swelling Some guys experience their entire testis swelling to as much as 3 or 4 times the normal size.
Sometimes this is just a fluid build-up.
But it can also be cancer.
Get it checked out.
Hardness As I said earlier, the testis is normally a little squishy to the touch.
If it suddenly becomes harder then get it checked out.
Any Changes Basically, from month to month, your testes should not change.
As you become an adult, they will grow along with the rest of your body.
But from month to month there should be no changes.
If there are any, get them checked out.