A testicular hydrocele is a painless collection of fluid around the testicle. It forms slowly, like a water balloon inside the scrotum, and is usually noticed before it is felt.

The first sign is a heavier or lower-hanging sac on one side. Pants fit differently, and the weight can pull when you walk.

Swelling appears over weeks. The scrotum looks puffy but feels smooth, and the testicle inside seems to float in a small water bed.

Heaviness grows by day’s end. Long standing or warm weather makes the sac feel fuller; lying down overnight often shrinks it.

Pain is absent or dull. There is no knife-like hurt, only a dragging ache after exercise or sex.

If the hydrocele grows large, the penis may appear shorter or push forward, and tight underwear becomes uncomfortable.