Discharge Instructions - Epididymitis

As discussed in the Emergency Department prior to discharge, you have been diagnosed with epididymitis.  Epididymitis is the term doctors use when the epididymis gets inflamed.  The epididymis is a small structure that sits on top of the testicle.  The epididymis stores sperm and moves it along the male reproductive tract.

Different infections and conditions can cause epididymitis.  In teens and men who are having sex, epididymitis is commonly caused by chlamydia or gonorrhea.  These are 2 different infections that people can catch during sex.

Epididymitis can also be caused by other conditions or infections that people don't catch during sex.  These things are more likely to cause epididymitis in older men.

Epididymitis causes pain in the testicles or scrotum.  Besides pain, epididymitis can also cause swelling of the scrotum or testicles, redness of the scrotum, and fever.

You may have received an antibiotic in the Emergency Department as an injection.  Over the next 6 hours watch the site of this injection for evidence of redness, swelling, or worsening pain.  These may indicate an allergic reaction to the medication given.

You may have been discharged home with antibiotics to treat the infection causing epididymitis.  Be sure to complete the full course of antibiotics – do not stop early.

If you were directed to follow up with your primary care provider for further testing of sexually transmitted infections, it is important that you do this.  The testing done in the Emergency Department for chlamydia and gonorrhea can take up to several weeks to come back, so you will need to follow up with your primary care provider to check results.  These infections can be associated with other sexually transmitted infections, so it is important that you get additional testing done.

To help with the pain and swelling, you can:

-Put a cold gel pack, bag of ice, or bag of frozen vegetables on the area every few hours, for 15 minutes each time.

-Wear a jock strap to support your scrotum.

-Take an over-the-counter medicine to treat your pain.  Over-the-counter medicines include Acetaminophen (Tylenol), Ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), and Naproxen (Aleve).

Return to the Emergency Department for worsening pain, fever (≥38.0 °C or 100.4 °F) after 2 days of antibiotics, inability to pass urine for 6 hours after multiple attempts, or any new or concerning symptoms.