It’s a pain that men describe as equal to childbirth, and now we have an explanation for why being kicked in the balls hurts men so damn much.
When contact is made with the testicles, many men can experience pain as far north as the abdomen area, even though the impact isn’t made on this part of the body.
Now YouTube vlogger, Simon Whistler, who runs a channel called ‘Today I Found Out’ has looked into the biology behind the apparent anatomical puzzle.
When the testes are first formed in a baby, this development takes place above the belt, in the abdomen near the stomach and kidneys.
During puberty, the testes drop down, but the nerves and blood vessels connected to them remain in the same location.
Meaning that when they are kicked, or otherwise ‘poorly handled’, the feeling travels up from each testicle into the abdominal cavity - via the spermatic plexus, which is the primary nerve of each testicle.
Causing the painful sensation to be felt in the stomach.
Men can also experience an onset of nausea, which Whistler explains is a result of a massive rush of sympathetic nervous system discharge.
Depending on an individual’s tolerance level this can make them physically sick or just slightly queasy.
In extreme cases, a kick to the crown jewels can cause long-term reproductive problems or even require an operation to remove a testicle.