Do I have cancer?


dashb78
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I recently found a pebble sized lump on the bottom of my left testicle. It feels like a rock that got lodged in there .It feels tender to the touch too. I have back pain down in my lower back but I have always had back problems and can't really say what has caused this recent onset. I am panicing! I have no insurance and no money either. What do I do? How do I get insurance? If I can't get insurance, then how do I pay for the obviously vital examinations and what not?

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I did a quick search on WebMD using the words lump testicle back pain. The first article that came up was "Understanding Testicular Cancer." THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN YOU HAVE IT!

What Are the Symptoms of Testicular Cancer?

The earliest warning signs of testicular cancer usually include the following:

* A change in size or shape of a testicle

* Swelling or thickening of a testicle

* A firm, smooth, initially painless, slow-growing lump or hardness in a testicle

* A feeling of testicular heaviness

Other symptoms of testicular cancer may include:

* Testicular pain

* A sudden gathering of fluid in the scrotum

* An abdominal mass or abdominal pain

* Loss of weight or appetite; fatigue; lower-back pain; tenderness in the nipples or breast enlargement

* Infertility

Call Your Doctor If:

You detect any sort of unusual lump, nodule, pain or swelling in either testicle. You should have a thorough physical examination as soon as possible in case the abnormality is cancer. Remember, testicular cancer discovered early has the highest likelihood of a cure.

I'll ask you a series of questions, but you don't have to answer them to me.

(1) How long ago did you first notice it?

(2) Has it changed size/shape/hardness since you first noticed it?

(3) Are you having any testicular pain?

(4) Are you having any other symptoms besides back pain?

(5) Do you have a family history of cancer (testicular or otherwise?)

(6) Do you check yourself regularly?

When I do a monthly breast self-exam, if I feel something that doesn't really feel very familiar, I make a note of it, and wait until the next month to see if it's still there, or if it's changed or gone. If it's gone, I don't call the doctor. I haven't had to yet.

Also, in women, the "time of the month" can affect whether or not you have lumps in your breast. Progesterone can cause lumps to form, which dissolve later, once those levels go back down. For this reason, women are encouraged to do their self-exams on the same day of their cycle each month. Note: Not necessarily on the same day of the month, but on the same day of the cycle.

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I agree with everyone- see a doc.

Lumps don't always indicate cancer- I know I have had my share of crazy lumps, one of which was on a testicle. The initial cause was epididymitis which was easily cured by cipro, but there was some scaring which I noticed months later as a nice hard pea-sized lump. Talk about freaky when you're in your mid-20s and a prime candidate for testicular cancer.

My other scary lump story is when I discovered my own lymph nodes....

So to recap, go get some piece of mind, go see a doc.

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