What is epididymitis? The Rocks testicle health scare explained

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently got a scare that would rattle just about any man.While showering one Friday night, the 54-year-old actor and professional wrestler discovered a painful lump on his left testicle, sending his mind racing.Days later, his doctor told him it could be one of two things: epididymitis, a common inflammatory condition, or cancer.

But with a full day of “Jumanji” promotional appearances on his schedule, Johnson had to wait until the following morning for an ultrasound.Until then, all he could do was wait.“I had to live with that for those twenty-four hours, not knowing — and I had to be on all day, joking around, making speeches,” the “Moana” star told Esquire in a recent interview.“By the way: I’m fine,” he said.

“But I didn’t know that then, and the thing was really painful.”Fortunately, the lump turned out not to be cancer.Johnson was diagnosed with epididymitis, which affects roughly 600,000 men in the US every year.Here’s everything you need to know about the condition — and what to do if you notice a concerning change down below.It’s an inflammation of the epididymis, a small coiled tube behind the testicle that stores and transports sperm. While it’s relatively common, experts say most men have never heard of the condition.“When they develop pain, swelling or feel a lump, many guys immediately worry about testicular cancer or another emergency like torsion,” Dr.

Jamin Vinod Brahmbhatt, a board-certified urologist with Orlando Health, told The Post.“I’ve had epididymitis myself, and the pain can be pretty intense, so it’s understandable why people get concerned.”“The most common symptoms are pain, swelling and tenderness on one side of the scrotum or ball,” Brahmbhatt said.“It may feel like a worm around your testicle.”Some men experience urinary symptoms, including pain while urinating or a frequent urge to go.

Others may notice discharge from the penis or even blood in t...