Pelvic Floor Symptom
Testicular Pain
By Dr. Anthony J. Gordon, Doctor of Acupuncture | Last reviewed September 2026
One or both testicles ache, throb or feel sore, sometimes spreading into the groin or lower abdomen. The ultrasound was normal, you were checked for infection, and there is no hernia. Chronic testicular pain with normal tests is common, and it often comes from nerves and muscles that supply the testicle rather than the testicle itself.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (516) 597-5400. Most new patients are seen within one to two weeks.
Overview
Understanding Testicular Pain
Testicular pain has important causes that must be ruled out by a physician, including torsion, infection, tumors, hernias and varicoceles. Sudden severe pain is an emergency.
When pain is chronic and tests are normal, the source is often referred. The testicles share nerve supply with the groin, lower abdomen and pelvic floor. The ilioinguinal, genitofemoral and pudendal nerves can all produce testicular pain when irritated. Trigger points in the pelvic floor, adductors and lower abdominal wall commonly refer pain to the testicle, and the cremaster muscle, which lifts the testicle, can stay tight and sore.
Dr. Gordon assesses the nerve and muscle sources of testicular pain and coordinates with your urologist.
Testicular Pain at a Glance
Also called
Chronic testicular pain, orchialgia, scrotal pain
Emergency signs
Sudden severe pain, swelling or nausea need immediate care
Causes to rule out
Torsion, infection, tumors, hernia, varicocele
Common referred sources
Groin nerves, pelvic floor, adductors, abdominal wall, cremaster
Often seen with
Chronic prostatitis, post-vasectomy pain, groin pain
The Gap in Care
What Tests Check, and What They Can Miss
Testicular pain is evaluated with ultrasound and exam, which is essential. When results are normal, Dr. Gordon looks for referred sources.
What routine testing is looking for
- Torsion
- Infection
- Tumors
- Hernia or varicocele
What often keeps symptoms going
- Ilioinguinal, genitofemoral and pudendal nerve irritation
- Pelvic floor trigger points that refer to the testicle
- Adductor and abdominal trigger points
- Cremaster muscle tension
- Sitting and training load
These are found by tracing the nerves and muscles that supply the testicle.
Signs & Symptoms
Does This Sound Like You?
Symptoms vary from person to person. These are the patterns Dr. Gordon sees most often.
Aching testicle
A dull ache in one or both testicles.
Pain spreading to the groin
Pain traveling into the groin or lower abdomen.
Pain with sitting
Discomfort sitting.
Pain with activity
Flares with exercise or lifting.
Pain with ejaculation
Discomfort during or after orgasm.
Testicle pulling up
A tight, pulling sensation.
Root Causes
The Four Drivers Dr. Gordon Looks For
Most people have more than one of these in play. Finding which one leads makes treatment more efficient.
Groin nerve irritation
The ilioinguinal and genitofemoral nerves supply the scrotum and refer pain when irritated.
Pelvic floor trigger points
The pelvic floor refers pain to the testicles.
Adductor and abdominal trigger points
Trigger points in these muscles commonly refer to the testicle.
Cremaster tension
The muscle that lifts the testicle can stay tight and sore.
Your First Visit
How Dr. Gordon Evaluates Testicular Pain
The initial evaluation runs 60 to 75 minutes. You leave with a clear picture of what is driving your symptoms, a written plan, a realistic timeline, and in most cases your first treatment.
Records and history review
Dr. Gordon reviews your ultrasound, urology notes and history.
Groin and nerve mapping
Assessment of the groin, abdomen, inner thighs and hips along the nerves supplying the testicle.
External pelvic floor assessment
The pelvic floor muscles are examined from the outside, with no internal exam. With you draped for comfort, gentle pressure around the perineum, sit bones, tailbone and inner thighs checks tone, tenderness and trigger points.
Activity review
Dr. Gordon reviews sitting, training, sex and work.
Plan and coordination
A clear plan, plus communication with your urologist or pelvic floor PT when that helps your care.
When to see a physician first
- Sudden, severe testicular pain, which can be torsion and is an emergency
- A new lump in the testicle
- Rapid swelling, redness or fever
- Visible blood in the urine or semen
- Nausea and vomiting with testicular pain
- Inability to urinate
If you have any of these, contact your doctor or go to the nearest emergency department.
Bring to your first visit
Records
Recent lab results, imaging reports and specialist notes. These can also be faxed ahead.
Treatment history
A short list of what you have tried and what did or did not help.
Clothing
Something comfortable and loose fitting.
Treatment
How Dr. Gordon Treats It
These are the tools Dr. Gordon uses most often for testicular pain, chosen from your exam findings.
Primary approach
Intrapelvic & Extrapelvic Dry Needling
Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in both intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling. Treatment releases pelvic floor, adductor and abdominal wall trigger points that refer pain to the testicle. The needles go in through the skin of the buttock, perineum or inner thigh, never through the vagina or rectum.
Learn about pelvic floor treatmentNerve focus
Neuro-Functional Acupuncture
Electro-acupuncture along groin and sacral nerve pathways to calm nerve irritation.
See servicesBetween visits
Activity Plan & Team Coordination
Support, training and sitting guidance, coordinated with your urologist.
Referring provider? Contact the clinicWhat to Expect
A Typical Recovery Arc
Visits 1 to 3
Find the main driver
Dr. Gordon confirms which muscles and nerves are behind your symptoms and starts calming the most reactive areas. Many people notice early changes between visits.
Visits 4 to 8
Lower the baseline
Day-to-day symptoms ease, flares become shorter and less frequent, and normal routines start to feel more manageable.
Visits 9 to 12 and beyond
Build resilience
Visits are spaced out as improvement holds. You leave with a maintenance and early-flare plan.
Most patients are seen weekly or every other week during active care. Individual results vary with how long symptoms have been present and how reactive they are. Progress is reassessed at every visit.
Not sure how to describe it? Put your pain or discomfort into words before your visit
"I went there because my wife made me to. I'm glad she did it was a very positive experience. Dr Anthony and his nursing staff are top-notch extremely friendly very thorough and actually care about your comfort."
Steve B, Google Review
Testicular Pain Questions
Answers About Testicular Pain
Still unsure whether this is the right fit? Reach out before you book and Dr. Gordon will talk through your history with you.
Sudden severe pain, swelling, or nausea and vomiting need immediate medical care.
Nearby muscles share nerve supply with the testicle and refer pain to it.
No. Treatment focuses on the groin, hips, abdomen and pelvic floor.
Possibly. Post-vasectomy pain is a common cause.
Many men need eight to twelve sessions.
Usually with adjustments.
Before You Book
General Questions
The clinic is an out-of-network practice. The initial evaluation is $300 and follow-up visits are $250. After each visit you receive a detailed superbill to submit to your PPO plan for possible reimbursement. FSA and HSA cards are accepted, and the clinic can run a complimentary benefits check before your first appointment. The check is a courtesy, so please confirm your coverage with your plan. See Insurance & Fees for details.
The first evaluation is 60 to 75 minutes and usually includes treatment. Follow-up visits run 45 to 60 minutes.
Yes. Call (516) 597-5400 or send a message through the contact page. This is especially helpful if your case is complex and you want to understand the approach before committing to a full evaluation.
1508 Union Turnpike, Suite 133, North New Hyde Park, NY 11040, with free parking on site. The clinic is an easy drive from Manhasset, Great Neck, Garden City, Lake Success, Floral Park and Mineola. Early morning, evening and weekend hours are available.
Most people feel a quick muscle twitch or a deep ache that lasts a few seconds. That twitch is a normal sign the trigger point is releasing. Mild soreness for 24 to 48 hours afterward, similar to a hard workout, is common. Depth, angle and stimulation are adjusted to your comfort.
Both use the same fine, sterile, single-use needles. Dry needling targets specific trigger points and tight bands in muscle based on your exam. Neuro-functional acupuncture targets nerve pathways, often with gentle electrical stimulation, to calm nerve sensitivity. For testicular pain, Dr. Gordon commonly uses both.
When performed by a trained, licensed provider with detailed knowledge of anatomy, it has a strong safety record. Tell Dr. Gordon if you take blood thinners, have a bleeding disorder, are pregnant or have a weakened immune system so he can plan accordingly.
It is a technique that reaches the internal pelvic floor muscles, including the levator ani, obturator internus and coccygeus, to release trigger points and restore normal muscle function. Dr. Gordon holds ASE certification in this technique, which few practitioners in New York have.
Yes. Your privacy and comfort come first. When undressing is needed for the area being treated, you are fully draped, and nothing internal is done without your clear consent. You can pause or stop at any time.
Yes. Many men put off care for pelvic and genital symptoms because the topic feels awkward. Dr. Gordon keeps things straightforward and clinical, explains every step, and treats adults of all genders and identities in a respectful, welcoming setting.
It helps to have had a medical workup so serious causes have been checked. If you have not seen a urologist for these symptoms yet, call the clinic to talk through the best order of steps.
About Dr. Anthony J. Gordon
Dr. Anthony J. Gordon is a Doctor of Acupuncture licensed in New York and board certified. He holds ASE certification in intrapelvic and extrapelvic dry needling, along with advanced certifications in Functional Dry Needling and Neuro-Functional Acupuncture. With more than 18 years of clinical experience and over 3,000 complex cases treated, he focuses on pelvic, spinal and orthopedic conditions that have not responded to standard care, and works closely with each patient's physicians and physical therapists.
Read Dr. Gordon's full bioBook an Evaluation for Testicular Pain
Book a full evaluation with Dr. Gordon and find out which nerves and muscles are behind your pain.
Early morning, evening and weekend appointments available. Free on-site parking.
Further Reading
Pain After a Vasectomy: When It Does Not Go Away
From the blog: Most men heal well after a vasectomy, but a small number have pain that lasts. What your urologist checks first, and the nerve and muscle side of lasting pain.