Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) Support Group

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a progressive, genetic disorder of the kidneys. It occurs in humans and other organisms. PKD is characterised by the presence of multiple cysts (polycystic) in both kidneys. The disease can also damage the liver, pancreas and rarely the heart and brain.

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LPenrod 09/06/2011

3-4 times a year, I will start having testicular pain and then shortly after, the kidney on the same side will hurt. I never have one without the other. It usually lasts 7-10 days.

I've had a few tests and my doctors are just scratching their heads.

The pain can get quite bad (more so the testicular).

Any other male PKD patients experience this?

deleted_user 09/08/2011

I dont have PKD, and I am not sure that there could be a link between PKD and testicular pain. But adding a bit of common sense and what many have written here, I guess it could be possible that someone could develop cysts in the testicles due to PKD and these could cause some pain. I actually have 2 small cysts in one testicles and cause occasional pain. These cysts were found by self-screening. Scary as hell when I noticed them. Went to the urologist and had an ultrasound. According to the results, the cysts are normal and the urologist assured me there was nothing to worry about as long as I didnt notice that they became larger. I sometimes wonder about these cysts.
Other things can cause pain in the testicles, including something common in men called varicocely (I am not sure about the spelling). I had this in my 20s. Dont remember the details of the condition but I do remember the urologist saying it was common and not serious at all.
PKDAD

LPenrod 09/08/2011

Thank you. I have had ultrasounds and they are all normal with no cysts. I've had a little history with Epididymitis. But I am taking antibiotics for chronic kidney infection that would/should squash that. And if it were Epididymitis, I don't see how the kidney would always hurt at the same time.

Thank you for your response.

CHeatherS 09/08/2011

Are you on dialysis? I don't recall. I remember my PD nurse telling me that she found that both males and females could find that those nerves could be stimulated in a painful way, probably from the catheter. For me, it felt like it was a screw driver on my bladder, and often I couldn't tell if I had to pee or not from the pressure.

LHanley 09/08/2011

Maybe the antibiotics are not working? Why would it affect your kidneys? Don't men just have one long tube that connects everything? Wouldn't an infection be able to travel that road? Any anatomy experts out there?

LPenrod 09/08/2011

I am not on dialysis.

I usually tell the antibiotic isn't working when I start running fevers and I am not right now.

Male anatomy:
Kidneys -> Ureter -> Bladder -> Prostate -> Urethra

LHanley 09/08/2011

I looked it up - you forgot "and the vas deferens transports the sperm from the epididymis to the urethra." So, if the epididymis were infected, theoretically, the infection could travel to the kidneys. Glad you don't have a fever, but, worth asking your doc about?
Ok, enough from me, how about the men out there?

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