An itchy sensation in the genital region ( around your scrotum or testicle, or the skin sac that holds your balls) is not an uncommon issue and can be a cause of worry as well as a source of discomfort. When it becomes persistent, you just might begin to wonder if it’s a medical condition or an issue of poor hygiene.
Some of our everyday activities such as morning workout that causes sweating can make that area itch more than usual, even staying a few days without having a bath can cause you to scratch till you finally get a shower.
However, asides the two examples above, some other medical and physical conditions can cause itching in the genital region. Some of the cause may require you to see your doctor so you can discuss a treatment plan.
What are the possible causes of itchy balls?
Some of the causes of itchy balls include;
1. Irritation and Chaffing
If you walk around in dry heat often, having dry skin around your genital region becomes almost inevitable. If you exercise for a long period, it may cause your skin to experience chaffing. There have been cases of the surface rubbing together too hard during workout session that it leads to bleeding.
Some common signs of irritation and chafing include; Surface level cut or opening on your skin, your skin feeling raw to the touch, and rash or redness on the skin.
2. Fungal infection
Most fungi are usually almost too tiny for the eyes to see. These creatures live in very huge colonies that are also invisible to the eyes even though they are present on your skin. If you have bad personal hygiene or engage in unprotected sex, you can easily develop a fungi infection in your genital region.
Candidiasis infection is one of the most common fungal infection that can affect your genitals. The candida fungi are naturally in your intestine, lives in your skin, or on your body.
They cause an infection when they grow in large proportions. When this overgrowth happens, it can make you experience itchiness in your balls.
Another kind of fungi called dermatophyte is also a culprit that can lead to serious itching in the genital area. When you get infected by the dermatophyte fungus, the infection is called a jock itch.
Other symptoms of a fungal infection include Abnormal odour, swelling of the scrotum or penis, burning around your penis or scrotum, pain while urinating, the reddish skin around your scrotum or penis.
3. Genital herpes
Herpes is not an uncommon infection, and genital herpes is just one of the different types of herpes.
The genital herpes is a viral infection and can be contacted during any form of physical contact with infected skin or from unprotected sex with an infected person. When you have a genital herpes outbreak, Your ball sack can become extremely itchy and very uncomfortable.
Other symptoms of genital herpes include; itchiness or burning around your genital areas, feeling of exhaustion or sickness, pain during urination, blisters around your genital areas that can become open sores when they pop.
4. Gonorrhoea
Gonorrhoea is undoubtedly one of the most popular sexually transmitted diseases, and it is caused by a bacterial infection. It affects your genital area, but there is also a strong possibility of it affecting your rectum, mouth, and throat.
Engaging in unprotected sex with an infected person is the easiest way to get this infection. Gonorrhoea can cause your balls to become itchy and swollen.
Some other common signs and symptoms of gonorrhoea include; experiencing a leak of coloured discharge from the penis, this cooked discharge could be yellow, green, of white. Burning or pain during urination is another symptom as well as testicular pain that occurs mostly in one ball at a time.
5. Genital warts
Genital warts are known to be caused by human papillomavirus. Genital warts might be difficult to notice even when you are having an outbreak because they can be very small in size.
Just like warts on other body parts, warts in the genitals appeared too small and discoloured bumps that may itch or may not itch.
They are usually shaped like cauliflower and appear in groups together with other warts in large groups. Genital warts can show up on your scrotum or be far away on your inner thighs. If you have a genital warts infection, you may experience swelling in the affected area or even bleeding during sex.
6. Chlamydia
Chlamydia is another sexually transmitted diseases that are spread by bacterial infection. Even if you do not ejaculate during sex, chlamydia can still be spread. Just like a host of other sexually transmitted diseases, chlamydia can be spread through anal and oral sex.
Your balls can get itchy and swollen if you have Chlamydia and it can make one of your testicles feel swollen and painful. The swelling and pain are usually one of the signs that you have been infected.
Other symptoms of chlamydia are; pain and burning while urinating discoloured discharge from the penis which usually appears green, white, or yellow. You may also experience discharge, pain, and bleeding in the rectum.
7. Pubic lice
Pubic lice mostly called crabs is a type of insects that love to make home off people’s pubic hair or in areas with hair as coarse as those in the pubic region.
Just like other kinds of body lice, the pubic lice feed on blood and isn’t capable of jumping or flying. Pubic lice can easily be spread by body contact with a person who has them.
Which means that when you touch someone who has this louse, or you engage in unprotected sex with them, you are in danger.
Pubic lice can’t easily spread disease as they feed on your blood, but they can make you feel uncomfortable and itchy as they crawl around your balls.
You may notice some tiny red or blue spots on your skin that forms after a louse bite and also some white powdery substance falling on to your shorts.
Other medical conditions can cause your balls to itch, and treatment for itchy balls depends on the cause of the itchiness. Discuss with your doctor to find the right method of treatment for the itchiness before you purchase any treatment product.
