HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

IBS symptom - Pain in the Genitals?

Support Forums
>
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 3/13/2005 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone, I am new to the forum.  I have been suffering from what is believed to be IBS for 6 years, and I was wondering if anyone here has experienced pain in the genitals.  I am male, so it would be especially helpful if there are any male sufferers here with the same symptom to let me know this IS indeed related to IBS and I am not alone.  Some times the pain is so unbearable I just feel like killing myself skull to end it all..

The doctors around here are all morons who dont know anything about IBS so I hope you can offer some words of experience or advice.

Thanks so much,

donjuan

Post Edited (donjuan) : 3/13/2005 1:13:05 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 3/13/2005 9:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi.I have a sunburn of the genital and the bowel.IBS sucks!!!

You can e-mail me for support.
Posted 3/14/2005 2:18 AM (GMT 0)
Well I'm not a guy, but I get genital pain a lot. More of a pressure kind of pain.... real uncomfortable. I feel it a lot during and after a BM. Funny, I never considered it could be related to the IBS, but now it kind of makes sense.
Posted 3/14/2005 3:21 AM (GMT 0)

florist said...
Well I'm not a guy, but I get genital pain a lot. More of a pressure kind of pain.... real uncomfortable. I feel it a lot during and after a BM. Funny, I never considered it could be related to the IBS, but now it kind of makes sense.

ahh, well, more often than not, I get it after eating..  For me, it's not a pressure type of thing, but a sharp ache that makes me feel sick
Posted 5/23/2005 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
I also had a lot of pain in the left testicle, even had an ultrasound done to them that came back fine. This pain was there more times then not. Now looking back i haven't had any pain there since i had a colon resection 5 months ago due to diverticulosis.

Posted 3/29/2006 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
WOW

Although having this thing sucks, it is so nice to hear that all of this stuff that freaks me out on a daily basis, is somewhat common.  I visited a doctor last November because of digestion problems (Constipation/Diariaha/anal leakage and in general abdominal pain) She ran bloodwork for EVERYTHING and it all came back fine.  She said it was IBS and the only thing I could do was take over the counter laxatives and gas pills (so now I wind up taking a ton of drugs daily).  However it seems to get worse rather than better

Now I too have been experiencing some testical pain, also a dull ache most of the time and occasionaly a pain to the touch.  This of course makes me paranoid about cancer but I have no lumps or change in size.  I have heard about gas infections or gas bloating in general affecting this area.

I have started incorporating more fiber in my diet which seems to help me become less constipated but now I'm having more of a leakage problem...This is not a fun sittuation for someone who is a somewhat vain hypocondriac LOL

It's nice to know I'm not alone

 

Posted 3/29/2006 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
From my experience,it is obvious that bowel health and the tip of the penis are linked.

When i struggle to get a BM,it is definitly worst as the heat is unbearable down there and overheat the genitals.

Man that is weird!The tip of my penis act like a bowel probe!!! :-O

I also feel that the small bowel is a part of the problem being too acidic or dry down there.
Posted 3/29/2006 4:21 PM (GMT 0)
Hello nycsinger,

Even though I can speak to your particular situation (I'm a woman) :) I would like to extend a welcome to you to Healing Well and the IBS forum.

Please feel free to post anything that you have questions with.

Take Care
Posted 3/29/2006 5:14 PM (GMT 0)
Dude, i was wondering the same thing. There are times that I can feel a sharp pain in my lower left abdomen, and at the same time it feels like I have my left testicle in a vice. It hurts so bad that sometimes I think I am going to pass out.

I have no clue as to why, or what causes it, but darn, its worse than being kicked or kneed. It only happens on rare occasions though, but when it does, it is one of the worst pains I have ever endured.
Posted 3/29/2006 7:21 PM (GMT 0)
THANKS EVERYONE

I CANNOT TELL YOU ALL HOW NICE IT IS TO HAVE FOUND THIS FORUM..  I HAVE SPENT NEARLY EVERY DAY SINCE THIS ALL STARTED OVER EVALUATING EVERY LITTLE THING THAT HAS AFFECTED MY BODY..  HEARING OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS PUTS MY MIND AT EASE. 

I NEVER NEW IBS WAS SO INVOLVED OR SO DIFFICULT.  IT'S REALLY A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT THING TO LIVE WITH THAN I EVER IMAGINED

THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK

Posted 3/29/2006 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
Well, here’s some semi-related information that may make you feel better (mind you, I’m a woman):

Hormones control the function of the intestines, as well as other parts of the body—not just sexual function. Get those out of whack and you can suddenly have problems with your bowels; I think it would only follow that you might have problems with your sexual organs as well.

Women tend to have worse IBS symptoms around their menstrual cycles because of the change in hormones. There is actually a new theory out that men’s hormones fluctuate on a regular basis too (sometimes jokingly called “Male PMS”)—although I don’t know if it happens every month or not. So if your hormones do fluctuate, that may cause your IBS to get worse and cause pain in your sexual organs.

Women get cramps in the uterus and ovaries partially from a change in hormones. I wouldn’t be surprised if a change in your hormones would cause pain in the testicles. While, obviously, most men never have this, you do have IBS and it goes back to bowel function being regulated by hormones and that your hormones may not be right.

Have you ever had your hormone levels checked? A lot of doctors don’t bother to do this for men unless they are having sexual dysfunction or depression, but you don’t have to have those two things to be out of whack.

And sometimes pain just radiates for some odd reason (I found this out with my bad gall bladder). You may have nothing at all wrong with your hormones or your testicles, the cramping from the IBS just makes the muscles lower down cramp too or restricts blood flow and causes cramps that way.
Posted 9/22/2006 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
get checked for lyme, I have gential pain.....I was just diagnosed.

justa  thought

 

Posted 9/22/2006 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
Hello I just checked the net and the one thing I saw was autoimmune orchitis defined as pain and swelling in the testicles, frequent urination. could be from a viral and bacterial infection which may explain the inflamation and the excruciating pain. Possibly ask your dr about getting tested for this, since IBS is an immune debilitating disorder if this sounds like you. For information look on the internet for ausoimmune orchitis. Good day phoelona
Posted 9/25/2006 2:30 PM (GMT 0)
Oh honey,i'm not sure if "blood flow restriction" would cause pain however i'm curious if it could cause irritation.Where have you learn about this "flow restriction"? 

Keriamon said...
Well, here’s some semi-related information that may make you feel better (mind you, I’m a woman):

Hormones control the function of the intestines, as well as other parts of the body—not just sexual function. Get those out of whack and you can suddenly have problems with your bowels; I think it would only follow that you might have problems with your sexual organs as well.

Women tend to have worse IBS symptoms around their menstrual cycles because of the change in hormones. There is actually a new theory out that men’s hormones fluctuate on a regular basis too (sometimes jokingly called “Male PMS”)—although I don’t know if it happens every month or not. So if your hormones do fluctuate, that may cause your IBS to get worse and cause pain in your sexual organs.

Women get cramps in the uterus and ovaries partially from a change in hormones. I wouldn’t be surprised if a change in your hormones would cause pain in the testicles. While, obviously, most men never have this, you do have IBS and it goes back to bowel function being regulated by hormones and that your hormones may not be right.

Have you ever had your hormone levels checked? A lot of doctors don’t bother to do this for men unless they are having sexual dysfunction or depression, but you don’t have to have those two things to be out of whack.

And sometimes pain just radiates for some odd reason (I found this out with my bad gall bladder). You may have nothing at all wrong with your hormones or your testicles, the cramping from the IBS just makes the muscles lower down cramp too or restricts blood flow and causes cramps that way.


Post Edited (spasman) : 9/25/2006 8:34:34 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 9/25/2006 3:52 PM (GMT 0)
Sorry, I should have been clearer in saying that I was guessing that severe muscle cramping in one place may restrict blood flow to other places and make them hurt.  You know, I don't think anyone really knows why pain radiates; I think everything is a guess.  But yes, a lack of blood flow can hurt.  When you let your leg "go to sleep", that is due to inadequate blood flow.  Of course at first it gets numb, but when you shift your position so that the blood can resume its flow it hurts like all get out.  I get numb legs from just sitting in the floor, so it doesn't have to take a whole lot to cause some blood flow restriction, and men have a lot of delicate arteries and veins down there to get restricted.

I don't think a blood flow problem can cause skin irritation, but it can cause discoloration (namely becoming white or blue) and it can cause itching.  I know when I was wearing an ankle brace one that my foot about itched me to death all day long.  When I told my mother about it, she said to take it off at once because it was too tight and was restricting blood flow in my foot.  So you could suspect blood flow problems if you experience itching, tingling, skin discoloration and/or numbness before or during your genital pain.  Other men have complained about a burning sensation, which also made me think about blood flow problems, although all of these symptoms could also point to overactive nerve endings.  Men have a lot of those down there too.   

Whatever the cause is, just know that there are other men out there who have this problem and it is related to their IBS, even if no one has figured out why yet. 

Posted 9/25/2006 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Regarding the blood flow restriction in the bowel,it always makes me think of ischemic bowel.Which can cause death.

Relationship Between Colon Ischemia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Serotonergic Therapy of Irritable Bowel Syndrome:

http://http://www.helpforibs.com/messageboards/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=library&Number=115459&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&vc=1
Posted 9/25/2006 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
Oh no, I wasn't talking about restricted blood flow in the bowel, but rather the abdomen muscles cramping/spasming perhaps leading to a blood flow restriction to the gentalia, thus causing them to hurt.
Posted 5/23/2009 10:49 AM (GMT 0)
Hi everyone, i stumbled across this forum as ive been having the same sort of pain in my testicles and started to worry about it, i suffer from ibs and i have been to the doctors and had them checked out with everything come back fine, my doctor put it down to the ibs as he said everything is linked near there and it kinda put my mind at rest. it went away for a while but now it is back with avengance!! the pain is mainly in my left testicle but i find it hard to tell where it comes from? sometimes it feels in the groin, sometimes up slightly where your 'loins' would be or in the sack its self, the epididymis is also tender to touch and the pain moves from left to right but mainly in the left testicle, the pain comes and goes but seems to be there more often than not. Im having a pretty stressfull time at the mo and people have told me that ibs and stress can be related, is this true? coz if so then the pain in the testicles would be a knock on effect?

If anyone can ease my mind it would be a great help, i know ive been to the doc before about it but it seem worse this time.

Many thanks!
Posted 5/26/2009 9:03 PM (GMT 0)

Trapped Gas pressure in the lower gut can pinch the left testie.

Posted 5/30/2009 4:40 PM (GMT 0)
I would ask for an ultrasound of the area and also look for kidney stones, which can cause this symptom.
Posted 6/2/2009 2:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hey guys
I have a IBS too. I think it is since i started smoking. First time i didnt pay attention, but now ( 12 years of smoking) i am really sure about it. Every time i taking a cigarette , even i was defecating 5 minutes ago, i feel a need again.
Also when i worry ( even "good" worry) making me need to defecate.

about pain in Genitals ( testicle,perineum etc..) - as you sure know IBS may be cause of anal fissure , that in its turn may cause prostatitis/chronic prostatitis ,that in its turn responsible for
"pain in genitals".
How it cause prostatitis ? - very simply - excrement bacterias infiltrate throughout fissure to healhy sterile tissue and "finds" you prostate.
Posted 6/7/2009 4:05 PM (GMT 0)
I'm not sure, but it could be referred pain from having inflammation in your intestines? I hope you feel better soon.
Posted 6/24/2009 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
 

Hi everyone

So glad to find this discussion.

When I presented to my doc with a dull ache in my left (and sometimes right) testicle, stomach and anal discomfort and anxiety, he went straight to IBS and treated it with antibiotics, spasmeds etc. Worked well - for a while (like travis111). But here's the kicker - I developed this IB (I leave out the "syndrome" as I understand proper IBS is a condition that requires a longer presence to be clinically diagnosed) within 2 weeks of a particularly extreme and ongoing stressful situation, the details of which are not relevant. The point is that even short term anxiety induced IB and/or other gastrointestinal problems can, and apparently regularly does, cause testicular discomfort exactly as you experience, and apparently also referred penile pain of which I also have a light bout of. I can also identify with spasman's "trapped gas" explanation in some instances.

Pain caused by IB often leads to more anxiety, which causes more IB and pain which... and so on. Imagine someone who's anxiety is std related, albeit unfounded, and who then experiences testicular pain for the first time because they stressed themselves into IBS! It even happens that IB driven anxiety and/or primary anxiety causes some people to release small amounts of urine which, if it stays around the penis/scrotum long enough may cause further burning symptoms. Man, that is the mother of all negative feedback loops! (This probably explains to a lot of the extreme std-fear-related posts on the web where people just keep getting symptoms, despite testing fine.)

Now - I understand that 95% + of serotonin produced in the body is metabolized/produced(?) in the gastrointestinal tract. The Dr. who previously treated me for reflux is studying this link in more detail. (This is apparently also why many people on antidepressants are somewhat prone to diarrhoea as the regular intestinal function is stimulated by serotonin). It is not difficult to see how this all fits together for my type of problem.

My conscious mind knows (strongly suspects) what is going on, but my subconscious is not buying in. So I have to cheat my body into believing it's fine (which is actually is) so that it can believe it too.

No more antibiotics and antispasmodics for me.  In short, I'm now treating my IB, reflux AND TESTICLE PAIN with an antidepressant (which is of the type that is also indicated for anxiety and general body pain or "Fibromyalgia") - I bet it is going to work like a charm.

Your cause and solution may be different, but give this some thought.

Cheers and good luck to all

 

Posted 6/26/2009 5:23 PM (GMT 0)

Pain in the genitals can also be linked to pelvic floor dysfunction. Many of the nerves of the pelvic muscles are connected. For instance, pain in my abdomen would cause sharp pains in my vagina. Totally weird.

It is my assumption that I developed PFD after years of suffering from IBS pain and diarrhea. I was always subconsciously tensing up my pelvic floor muscles. Imagine you flex your bicep all day at work. Then you go home and try to pick up a ten pound weight. Your muscle is weak and it will spasm. It will not know what to do and won't be able to do what you need it to do. That is what PFD is in a way. You tense your pelvic floor muscles to point where you restrict blood flow to the muscles and wear them out so they are unable to react to your "commands" (e.g. release for a BM or tighten up to hold one in.)

I'm not saying that this is what is ailing you. But, through the course of my physical therapy, I learned that many men suffer from PFD as well, usually due to digestive ailments. I did about 5 months of physical therapy and my pain is almost non-existent.

If I were you and it is as bad as you say, I'd start by getting a referral to a urologist first and foremost to rule out anything seriously wrong with your testicles and other male bits. If all is well there, then you can move on and see what else it could be.

Sorry you're in such terrible pain. I sympathize and understand all too well how debilitating and depressing it can be.

Posted 7/21/2009 9:23 AM (GMT 0)
 

Hi belablue

Spot on. My stress and later digestive issues also caused PFD which agrivated the testicular pain and also caused perineum pain, lower back pain and even prostate inflamatory issues. As I thought, the anxiety/depression meds and some counselling (in my case) helped to get me out of the negative thought pattern and I am well on my way to recovery.

Thanks for your insights.

 

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12