Posted by Abby on June 12, 1999 at 23:16:00
My son recently started screaming in pain from his left testicle. The pain is more in the area directly beside his left testicle. He screamed in pain for about 10 minutes and then the pain subsided. I took him to an urgent care facility and the doctor examined his testicles and said that he could feel both of them. He then pushed on the area where my son has pain and the doctor said he might have a small hernia. The doctor asked my son if it hurt when he urinated and my son said no and then he said sometimes. The doctor took a urine sample and said that there was some protein and blood in the sample and that my son might have a urinary tract infection and he gave me antibiotics for him to take and tylenol for pain. What are the difference in symptoms from a urinary tract infection and a hernia?
Posted by HFHS M.D.-AK on June 14, 1999 at 14:52:14
Dear Abby,
Your son needs to have an evaluation by his family doctor to evaluate for a hernia. A hernia could be seen as a small bulge in the lower abdomen and is often painless. A good physical exam with increased abdominal pressure from a cough would give you this answer.
The signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection, fever, burning with urination, and possibly foul smelling urine. It is important, to have the urine cultured before treatment. If your son did have a documented UTI, a formal work-up should be done. This last statement is the reason your doctor should order the ultrasound and VCUG. This is a standard work-up for UTI’s in children and one that is proven to be the best means of identifying and following any problems. The ultrasound is a painless procedure which is done by passing a probe over the skin overlying the kidneys and bladder. The US tells us if both kidneys are present, if a kidney may be obstructed and if the bladder empties normally. The other test, a VCUG, involves putting a catheter into the bladder, filling it with dye and taking X-rays. This test tells us if urine goes back up into the kidneys(REFLUX). This test is important since reflux cannot be seen on ultrasound. However , passing the catheter may cause momentary pain or a strong urge to urinate. There is usually no long term complications of either test.
If your son did have a documented infection, The above two test are very important to follow the kidneys over time. The most important objective in a kid with UTI’s is to identify the problem and allow the kidneys to grow normally, this involves preventing any future infections.
This information is provided for general medical educational purposes only. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition. More individualized care is available at the Henry Ford Hospital and its satellites (1 800 653-6568).
Sincerely,
HFHS M.D.-AK
*keyword:UTI
