Quick Answer: Yes, genital herpes can cause testicle pain, especially through nerve irritation, inflammation near the epididymis, or referred pelvic pain. This is more common in men and may occur even without visible sores.
Why This Happens: Herpes Isn’t Always Skin-Deep
Jake, 27, first noticed a dull ache in his right testicle after a weekend hookup. No sores. No redness. Just this dragging, persistent pain. He brushed it off as friction. Two days later, the ache turned sharp and throbbed after peeing. Urgent care told him it might be epididymitis. A few rounds of antibiotics later and nothing changed, until a herpes IgG blood test came back positive for HSV-2.
Herpes doesn’t play fair. It’s a virus that loves nerves, especially in the pelvic region. Once inside your body, it travels down nerve pathways and camps out near the base of your spine. During an outbreak, even if you don’t see a sore, the virus can cause inflammation or nerve pain (called neuralgia) that radiates into the testicles or groin.
This is why some men report burning, aching, or stinging sensations in one or both testicles even when there’s no visible lesion. Others feel pressure behind the scrotum, near the anus, or along the inner thigh. These are real symptoms, and yes, they can all be linked to herpes.
How Herpes-Related Testicle Pain Feels (And Why It’s Misdiagnosed)
Most guys expect herpes to show up like a movie STD: obvious, painful, unmistakable. A blister you can point at. But real life isn’t always so cinematic. Herpes symptoms vary wildly, and testicle pain is one of the most misunderstood.
Some describe it as:
- A dull ache that comes and goes, especially after ejaculation
- A sharp sting near the top or back of the testicle
- A deep-seated “heaviness” on one side
- Tingling or burning that starts in the groin and radiates downward
- A crawling or electric feeling in the scrotum or perineum
These symptoms often overlap with other conditions like epididymitis, prostatitis, or even referred pain from a spinal disc issue. That’s why herpes isn’t always the first thing doctors test for, especially if you’re not showing sores or a rash.
But make no mistake: herpes can absolutely cause testicular pain. In some cases, it’s the only symptom a man notices. And because the virus hides in nerve cells, the pain can linger or return during times of stress, illness, or lowered immunity.
People are also reading: Connecticut’s Hidden Epidemic: Why STIs Are Rising Among High-Income Adults
Comparing Conditions: Herpes vs. Other Causes of Testicular Pain
When testicle pain hits, herpes is just one piece of the puzzle. Here’s how it stacks up against other potential causes. This comparison isn’t about self-diagnosing, it’s about understanding what else might be going on and why herpes is often overlooked.
| Cause | Key Symptoms | Typical Triggers | STD-Related? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herpes (HSV-2) | Pain, tingling, nerve discomfort, possible sores | Sexual contact, stress, immune dips | Yes |
| Epididymitis | Swollen, tender testicle; fever; urinary pain | Bacterial STD (often chlamydia or gonorrhea) | Often |
| Testicular torsion | Sudden, severe pain; high-riding testicle | Trauma, unknown | No |
| Prostatitis | Pelvic ache, pain with ejaculation, urinary issues | Bacterial infection or chronic inflammation | Sometimes |
| Inguinal hernia | Groin bulge, ache during lifting | Straining or physical exertion | No |
Table 1: Comparing herpes-related testicle pain to other common causes. Herpes symptoms may be less obvious, but they can still have a big effect, especially when they affect the nerves.
How Does Herpes Even Get to the Testicles?
Let’s break it down: herpes doesn’t need to directly infect the testicle to make it hurt. The virus lives in nerve cells, and during an outbreak, it reactivates and travels along the nerves branching out from your spinal cord. For men, those pathways often include the groin, inner thighs, buttocks, and yes, the testicles.
The result? Pain, pressure, or burning that feels like it’s coming from the testicle itself, even though the source is deeper. Think of it like this: the wires are frayed, and your body is getting scrambled pain signals.
In some cases, especially in primary outbreaks, herpes can also cause inflammation in nearby tissues. This includes the epididymis, a coiled tube on the back of each testicle where sperm matures. Inflammation here is called epididymitis, and while it’s usually bacterial, HSV can play a role too. Especially when other infections are ruled out and the pain keeps flaring up.
The big takeaway? You can have testicle pain from herpes even when the testicle itself isn’t infected. That’s the trickiest part, and why so many men don’t get diagnosed until much later.
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When Does Testicle Pain from Herpes Start?
Here’s the hard truth: there’s no universal timeline. But based on clinical patterns and patient reports, here’s what often happens:
Primary outbreak (first infection): Testicular pain may begin 3 to 7 days after exposure. It can be dull or intense and may last for a week or more. In many cases, it's accompanied by fever, swollen lymph nodes, or pelvic pressure. Visible sores might appear a few days later, or not at all.
Recurrent outbreaks: Pain often shows up before any visible symptoms, this is called the prodrome. It can last a few hours to a couple days. Some men report this as a recurring ache in the same spot: groin, thigh, or testicle.
Without visible symptoms: Some men never get blisters. Their outbreaks are entirely internal, nerve irritation, slight fever, mild flu-like symptoms, or just that nagging ache in one testicle they can’t explain.
Herpes is unpredictable, but there’s a rhythm to it. The more you track your symptoms, the clearer the pattern becomes.
Case Study: “They Said It Was Nothing, Then It Came Back”
Leo, 34, had his first scare after a Tinder date ended with a condom slip. Four days later, a strange burning started in his left testicle. No discharge, no swelling, just a soreness that came and went. Urgent care ran tests for chlamydia and gonorrhea, both negative. He was told it was probably minor inflammation and sent home.
Two weeks passed. The ache faded, then returned after a long run. This time it burned near his anus and inner thigh. Still no sores. He started googling, reading Reddit threads at 3AM, and saw mention of herpes causing nerve pain. A week later, small red dots appeared on his scrotum. His HSV-2 test came back positive.
“No one mentioned herpes when I first showed up,” Leo said. “If they had, I would’ve tested sooner and maybe avoided spreading it.”
This isn’t rare. In fact, many herpes cases are missed in men precisely because symptoms don’t look classic. Pain may come first. Blisters may never show. But the virus is still active, and early diagnosis is key, for you and your partners.
What Type of Test Can Confirm It?
If you’re wondering whether herpes is behind your symptoms, the test you choose matters. There are two main ways to get answers, and both have tradeoffs.
| Test Type | What It Detects | Best Use Case | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| HSV-2 IgG Blood Test | Antibodies to HSV-2 | No visible sores; want to confirm exposure | May take 2–12 weeks to turn positive |
| HSV Swab PCR | Viral DNA from a sore or lesion | Visible symptoms present (blister, sore) | Useless if no open sore to swab |
Table 2: Herpes testing methods and their pros/cons. Blood testing is best for identifying silent infections. Swab tests work only during active outbreaks.
Worried but don’t want to wait in a clinic? You can use an FDA-approved at-home herpes test to get discreet, lab-accurate results from home. No need for visual symptoms. No judgment. Just answers.
Don’t wait and wonder, this at-home herpes test is a confidential way to find out what’s really going on.
Why Testicle Pain from Herpes Gets Misdiagnosed So Often
If you're reading this, chances are you've already searched the words “testicle pain no STD” or “STD with no sores.” Maybe you’ve even seen a doctor who ruled out the usual suspects, chlamydia, gonorrhea, torsion, UTI, but you're still in pain. That’s the trap many men fall into: assuming herpes only counts if there’s something visible. It doesn't.
Because herpes can trigger nerve pain and inflammation, it’s often mistaken for other conditions, especially when that pain is centered in the testicles, groin, or lower pelvis. Men are frequently told it’s “nothing serious,” or worse, just anxiety. But if it keeps coming back, flares after sex, or shifts between burning, tingling, and aching, herpes is worth considering.
Some physicians may hesitate to test for herpes without clear visual signs. Others might assume you're not high-risk if you’re in a monogamous relationship or recently tested negative for other STDs. But HSV-2 doesn’t always show up early on tests, and it can still be active and painful during that window.
People are also reading: Why UTIs Get Mistaken for STDs (and How to Tell)
Herpes Nerve Pain vs Inflammation: What’s the Difference?
This is where it gets nuanced. Herpes can cause both types of pain, but they feel very different.
Nerve pain (neuralgia): Usually described as burning, tingling, shooting, or electrical. It might come and go, appear on one side only, or move from groin to thigh to testicle. You may not see any redness or swelling. This is your body reacting to herpes in the nervous system, not the skin.
Inflammatory pain: Tends to be achier and more constant. You might feel it near the base of the testicle or in the scrotum. This type often mimics epididymitis or prostatitis and can occur during the initial outbreak when the immune system is fighting the virus.
In some men, both types overlap. That’s why describing your symptoms accurately, what it feels like, when it comes on, how long it lasts, can help you and your provider figure out what’s really going on.
| Symptom Location | Possible Herpes-Related Cause | Other Conditions to Rule Out |
|---|---|---|
| One testicle (usually left or right) | Localized nerve irritation or referred pelvic pain | Epididymitis, torsion, varicocele |
| Groin crease or inner thigh | Prodromal herpes nerve activity | Muscle strain, lymph node swelling |
| Perineum or rectal pressure | Herpes sacral nerve involvement | Prostatitis, hemorrhoids, pelvic floor dysfunction |
| Low back or buttocks | Reactivation near spinal ganglia | Sciatica, slipped disc |
Table 3: Mapping testicle and pelvic pain symptoms to herpes and non-herpes causes. Symptom location can offer important diagnostic clues.
The Emotional Toll of Not Knowing
Ravi, 31, called it “death by a thousand questions.” He’d been to urgent care three times in six months for testicle pain. No STI showed up. No lumps. Just a shadow of pain that came and went. “I started wondering if it was in my head,” he said. “But then I got tingling in my thigh. And my ex texted me that she had herpes.”
This story isn’t unusual. Not knowing what’s causing the pain, especially in a part of the body tied to masculinity, sex, and fertility, can spiral into anxiety and shame. Some men stop having sex. Others become hypervigilant, checking themselves multiple times a day. The uncertainty becomes the real burden.
That’s why clarity matters. A herpes diagnosis doesn’t mean the end of your sex life or your health, it means you have information. And with that, you have options: treatment, prevention, better communication with partners, and peace of mind.
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Waiting, Wondering, and Finally Testing
Let’s be honest, getting tested for herpes when you don’t have a classic symptom like a blister feels… weird. Especially when the only thing happening is a vague ache in your balls. It’s intimate. It’s invisible. And for a lot of guys, it’s embarrassing to even bring up.
Travis, 29, told us he Googled "STD that causes testicle pain" over 50 times before he booked a test. “I kept thinking maybe I’d pulled something at the gym. Or it was just in my head. I’d psych myself up, then cancel the appointment. When I finally did the at-home kit, I cried opening the box, but in a good way. Because I was finally doing something about it.”
That moment, when you finally stop spinning and just decide to test, is powerful. Not because it gives you all the answers immediately, but because it puts you back in control. You’re not guessing. You’re not Googling at 3AM. You’re gathering real data about your body.
And guess what? Even if it is herpes, you’re not doomed. You’re informed. You can treat it. You can protect your partners. You can take back the parts of your sex life you were putting on hold.
The shame around STDs, especially herpes, makes people wait too long. It keeps them in the dark when they could be healing, planning, and thriving. But testing doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong. It means you’re taking your health seriously.
If you're here, wondering if testicle pain might be something more, consider this your sign: get tested. Quiet the spiral. Know for sure. Order a discreet combo test kit that screens for the most common STDs, including herpes. It’s simple, private, and you don’t have to explain anything to anyone. Just you, your results, and your next step forward.
FAQs
1. Can herpes really make your balls hurt?
Yep. It’s not just a skin thing. When herpes reactivates, it messes with your nerves, and those nerves go straight into your groin and testicles. Some guys get burning, others feel a weird ache or pressure. It’s real, and it’s not all in your head.
2. What does herpes testicle pain actually feel like?
For some, it’s a dull, annoying ache that won’t go away. For others, it’s a zingy nerve pain, like your testicle caught a static shock. Some men feel it after sex, during stress, or when they’re getting sick. No two stories are the same, but if it feels weird and keeps coming back, don’t ignore it.
3. But I don’t have any sores, can it still be herpes?
Totally. Lots of men with herpes never get visible blisters. Instead, they feel tingling, sensitivity, or deep pelvic discomfort. In fact, herpes without sores is way more common than people think. If you’ve got unexplained testicle pain, it’s worth testing anyway.
4. How long does the pain usually stick around?
It depends. A first outbreak might bring a week or more of symptoms, including ball pain. Later flares tend to be shorter, maybe a couple of days. But nerve pain doesn’t always follow the rules, so if it lingers, talk to a doctor about managing it.
5. Can I still pass herpes to someone if I only have testicle pain?
Yes. Even without sores, herpes can shed from the skin. That means you can get it through sex, especially if you're in the prodrome phase, which is when symptoms are about to start. Condoms help, but testing and communication help more.
6. What if my doctor said it’s “just inflammation” or epididymitis?
They might be right, but here’s the catch: some herpes outbreaks mimic epididymitis. If antibiotics don’t help, or the pain keeps coming back in the same spot, herpes could be behind it. A simple blood test can clear things up.
7. Do I need to stop having sex if I feel this pain?
If there’s a chance it’s herpes (especially during a first outbreak), it's smart to hit pause. That doesn’t mean forever. Get tested, figure out what’s going on, and then decide how to move forward with your partners, safely, honestly, and without shame.
8. Will this pain come back again?
It might. Herpes is a sneaky virus, it reactivates when your immune system is down, you’re stressed, or your body’s under pressure. But many men go months or even years without a flare. Knowing your triggers helps you stay ahead of it.
9. Is there any treatment for herpes-related ball pain?
Yes. Antivirals like valacyclovir can calm the outbreak. If it’s nerve pain, some people find relief with lidocaine creams or even gabapentin (a nerve med). Don’t suffer in silence, there are ways to make it manageable.
10. Do I have to tell future partners if I test positive?
Legally? In many places, yes. Ethically? Definitely. But this isn’t about ruining your dating life, it’s about owning your health and letting your partner make informed choices. And you’d be surprised how many people have herpes too, it’s more common than you think.
You Deserve Answers, Not Assumptions
If your pain doesn’t match the textbook, and doctors dismiss it, you’re not broken. You’re human. Herpes doesn’t always show up with a neon sign. Sometimes, it whispers through nerves, lingers in the groin, and keeps you second-guessing everything. But knowing the truth helps you get on with your life.
Don't let shame, silence, or symptoms that don't make sense keep you from getting clarity. This at-home combo test kit quickly and discreetly checks for the most common STDs. You can get peace of mind with just one click.
How We Sourced This Article: We combined current guidance from leading medical organizations with peer-reviewed research and lived-experience reporting to make this guide practical, compassionate, and accurate.
Sources
1. CDC – Genital Herpes Fact Sheet
2. Planned Parenthood – Herpes
4. Herpes — STI Treatment Guidelines (CDC)
5. Genital herpes - Symptoms and causes (Mayo Clinic)
6. Epididymitis - Symptoms and causes (Mayo Clinic)
7. Genital herpes - InformedHealth.org (NCBI Bookshelf)
8. Herpes Simplex Type 2 (StatPearls, NIH)
9. Epididymitis — STI Treatment Guidelines (CDC)
About the Author
Dr. F. David, MD is a board-certified infectious disease specialist focused on STI prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. He blends clinical precision with a no-nonsense, sex-positive approach and is committed to expanding access for readers in both urban and off-grid settings.
Reviewed by: Dr. Melanie Tran, MPH | Last medically reviewed: February 2026
This article is for informational purposes and does not replace medical advice.
