How to relieve the pain of varicocele?

The incidence of varicocele in the male population is very high, and the treatment of varicocele is also quite troublesome clinically. The clinical manifestations of varicocele are quite obvious, among which pain is the most typical symptom. Pain relief methods, while helpful, do not address the underlying problem.

Varicocele is the abnormal dilation, elongation, and tortuosity of the intravaricanal venous plexus. The disease occurs in about 20% of the general male population and about 40% of infertile men. Patients may experience pain, which can be relieved by applying cold compresses to the affected area.

Cold compress method

For cold compress, you can soak a small towel in cold water or ice water, wring it half dry, and apply it to the local area. Change it every 1-3 minutes and continue for 15-20 minutes. You can also wrap an ice pack in a towel and apply it to the local area, but be careful to avoid frostbite.

The effect of cold compress

Applying an ice pack or a cold, wet towel to the skin of the affected area is mainly intended to promote local vasoconstriction, control bleeding from small blood vessels, and reduce pain from large, tense lumps, thereby achieving the effect of reducing swelling and relieving pain. Cold compress can cause capillaries to contract, relieve local congestion, reduce the sensitivity of nerve endings and relieve pain, reduce temperature and fever, reduce local blood flow, and prevent the spread of inflammation and suppuration; it can dissipate heat conduction in the body, increase heat dissipation, and lower body temperature. It is suitable for patients after tonsillectomy, varicocele, nosebleed, early local soft tissue injury, high fever and heat stroke, toothache and brain trauma.

Cold compress precautions

The cold compress should not be applied for too long, and should be stopped every 20-30 minutes before being applied again. Observe skin changes frequently, once every 10 minutes. If the skin is found to be pale, cyanotic, or numb, it indicates venous blood congestion, and the cold compress should be stopped, otherwise frostbite will occur.