Overview
Varicose leg is a common condition that causes the veins in your scrotum to expand. Your scrotum is a pouch of skin where your testes (testicles) are normally located, it is behind your penis. Varicoceles are similar to varicose veins. Varicose veins cause the veins in your legs to enlarge and become disfigured.
Although varicoceles are often painless, they can result in testicular pain that may come and go. A varicocele may contribute to infertility in some individuals. You may not need therapy if a varicocele bothers you.
How serious is a varicocele? The condition poses no danger to life. However, if you’re trying to conceive a biological child, a varicocele can be considered very serious.
Varicoceles affect 15% to 20% of all men and people assigned male at birth in the United States, which is about 1 in 5. The condition is more likely to occur in the left side of the scrotum because of the differences in how blood drains from your left teaticle back into the major veins of the body. Less commonly, it can affect the right side or both sides.