The First Steps With Testicular Self-Checks
Testicular Self-Checks: the few things that matter most, and the mistakes that catch people out early.
Examining your own testicles regularly enough to notice a change.
Key takeaways
- Peak age range: 15-49
- How often: about once a month, after a warm bath or shower
- Most useful single change: Check monthly so you know your own normal.
- Commonest mistake: Waiting to see whether a lump goes away.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Why bother
Testicular cancer is most common between 15 and 49, which inverts the usual mental model of who gets cancer, and survival is very high when found early.
Start here
These two first. Everything else is easier once they are habit.
- Check monthly so you know your own normal
- Roll each testicle gently between thumb and fingers, feeling the whole surface
Then add these
When those have settled in, these are worth adding.
- See a GP about any new lump, firmness change or persistent ache
- Mention any history of an undescended testicle
The numbers, in one place
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Peak age range | 15-49 |
| How often | about once a month, after a warm bath or shower |
| Normal structure often mistaken for a lump | the epididymis, at the back and top |
| Most common presentation | a painless hard lump on the front or side |
| Overall survival in the UK | above 95 per cent |
Common early mistakes
- Waiting to see whether a lump goes away
- Assuming a painless lump is less serious; painless is typical
- Confusing the epididymis with a lump without getting it checked
Where to go next
- Testicular Self-Checks: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- Understanding Testicular Self-Checks: A Plain-English Explainer
- Testicular Self-Checks — the reference entry
- Prostate Health: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- Erectile Dysfunction: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
When to speak to a doctor
See a GP promptly about any lump, swelling, change in firmness, size difference or persistent ache in a testicle. Go to A&E or call 999 for sudden severe testicular pain, particularly with swelling, nausea or vomiting: testicular torsion is a surgical emergency and the testicle can only be saved within a few hours.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
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