Check Your Symptoms

Home Treatment

Home treatment measures can help relieve pain, swelling, and bruising and promote healing after a genital injury. These home treatment measures also may be helpful for noninjury problems. But if you think you may have a more severe injury, use first aid measures while you arrange for an evaluation by your doctor.

Home treatment for a minor injury

• Rest. Rest and protect an injured or sore area. Stop, change, or take a break from any activity that may be causing your pain or soreness.
• Ice. Cold will reduce pain and swelling. Apply an ice or cold pack immediately to reduce swelling. Apply the ice or cold pack for 10 to 20 minutes, three or more times a day. A bag of frozen peas or corn may work as a cold pack. Protect your skin from frostbite by placing a cloth between the ice and the skin. After 48 to 72 hours, if swelling is gone, apply warmth to the area.
• Support. While recovering from a genital injury, wear jockey shorts, not boxers, to help support the injured area. You can use a jock strap if it helps relieve your pain.

Home treatment measures may also be helpful for:

• Yeast infections that cause a fiery red rash with a scalloped border and sharply outlined edges in skin folds.
• Jock itch, which is a fungus (ringworm) infection of the skin that may cause a rash and blisters.
• Minor cuts or skin wounds with mild bleeding.
• A lump on the scrotal skin, such as a sebaceous cyst.
• Minor rashes that are red and itchy. These may be caused by contact with a substance (contact dermatitis), such as poison ivy, that causes an allergic reaction.

Symptoms to watch for during home treatment

Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment:

• Signs of an infection develop, such as swelling, redness, fever, or pus.
• Urinary problems develop.
• Swelling develops in the scrotum or lymph nodes in the groin.
• A rash gets worse or has not improved.
• Symptoms become more severe or frequent.