Varicocele commonly occurs on the left of the scrotum. You may not notice any symptoms of the condition, but you may experience the following:
1. Discomfort
You may experience a dull ache or pain in the scrotum, especially when standing or during any physical activity. It may increase over the day. However, the pain subsides when lying down.
2. A mass on the testicle
The enlarged veins may lead to the formation of a bundle on the testicle. This resembles a lump. A smaller varicocele may not be visible, but it can be noticed with touch during physical examination.
3. Change in the size of the testicle
An affected testicle may also appear smaller than the other testicle. This may occur due to testicular atrophy, or shrinking of the testicle.
4. Low sperm quality
Varicocele may lead to difficulty in achieving pregnancy as it affects sperm production and sperm quality. This happens due to the increase in the temperature in and around the testicle. However, not every varicocele causes infertility.