Does this Sound Like Your Baby Boy?

A new mother calls to ask if Homeopathy can help undescended testicles. She went on to tell me that her now 4-month-old baby boy had been diagnosed with a left undescended testicle since birth. The pediatrician was not able to feel the testicle in the scrotum or in the inguinal canal. The doctor said the testicle may be higher up in the boy’s intra-abdominal area. The doctor told her that if her son’s testicle doesn’t come down into the scrotum by the time, he is 6 months-old, he will have to have Orchiopexy (surgery to bring the left testicle down in its proper place).

The mother stated that her son is not developing at the same pace as other children his age. She said “I know the main reason my son is behind in development is because he was born prematurely and weighed only 4.5 lbs. at birth.” She explained that he is developing, but very slowly. He is just starting to smile when she talks to him, he isn’t cooing, or moving his arm to swing at any toys. I asked if she or the doctor noticed that he has any enlarged glands (i.e., tonsils or lymph nodes).

After talking with the mom about her son’s other developmental and health characteristics along with the undescended left testicle, I selected the Homeopathic Remedy Baryta Carbonica 6c to be given daily at his bedtime. I explained to the mom that we will be looking at the whole picture she shared with me about her son’s development, to know that we have selected the correct Homeopathic Remedy. The fact that he was premature and was under 5 lbs. at birth is the reason why at 4 months old he is not at the stage of growth and development we would expect a full-term baby to be. In most cases, the left testicle will not start to descend until we see her son developing in other areas first (i.e., start cooing more, smiling when she talks to him, and his weight increasing). The Baryta Carbonica will help jump start her son’s development, and in time we will see the left testicle start to move down towards the scrotum.

The mom calls me 2 1/2 weeks later excited to tell me her son is smiling more when she talks to him and he is cooing more, too. I told her to continue giving Baryta Carbonica daily, and to watch for new developments in her son over the next few weeks. The best way to see the testicles have descended is in a warm bath, where you will see the testicles in the scrotum.

The doctor was amazed at how much her son’s development had progressed at his 6-month check-up. The doctor was able to feel the boy’s left testicle in the inguinal canal. Since the doctor was now able to feel the testicle in the inguinal canal, the mother spoke to the doctor about continuing to monitor if the left testicle drops into the scrotum. The doctor agreed to watch for the next month or so, since the baby has made some progress developing in other areas. The doctor stated that if the testicle does not drop down, then he highly recommends having the surgical procedure to help avoid any complications later in life.

Six weeks later, the left testicle finally dropped down in the scrotum into its normal position.

Each baby will have their own accompanying symptoms and developments, and each occurrence of an undescended testicle must be dealt with individually when selecting a Homeopathic Remedy.

What are Undescended Testicles?

An undescended testicle, also known as Cryptorchidism, is a testicle that hasn’t moved into its proper position in the scrotum (the bag of skin hanging below the penis) before birth. As a baby boy grows inside his mother’s womb, his testicles form inside his abdomen and move down (descend) into the scrotum shortly before birth. However, in some cases, 1 or both testicles do not drop down into the scrotum by the time of the baby’s time of birth. Shortly after the birth, the doctor examines all boys to see if the testicle(s) have descended into the scrotum. The majority of the time, the undescended testicle(s) moves down into the scrotum on its own, within the first few months of life. An undescended testicle is uncommon in general; however, it commonly occurs in baby boys born prematurely or weighing less than 5 lbs. at birth. There is a slim (1-3%) chance that full-term boys can have an undescended testicle(s).

There Are 4 Different Types of Undescended Testicles

There are several different conditions of undescended testicles, a boy may have:

1. Congenital – The testicle never descended into the scrotum at the time of birth.
2. Acquired – The testicle(s) have descended into the scrotum at birth, but the later testicle is pulled up into the groin and appears to be missing. This can occur in infants to pre-adolescent boys. The acquired undescended testicle cannot be easily led by hand into the scrotum.
3. Vanishing Testicle – The testicle is completely absent, not in the scrotum or in the abdomen. Having only 1 testicle usually doesn’t cause and hormonal or fertility problems.
4. Retractile Testicle – The testicle has descended into the scrotum at birth and temporarily slips up into the groin. Which is caused by a muscle reflex. The retractile testicle, moves back and forth between the scrotum and the groin, and is common during cold temperatures. The testicle can be easily moved into the scrotum during a physical exam. A retractile testicle often does not require surgical treatment.

What Can Cause Undescended Testicles?

• Conditions of the fetus that can restrict growth, such as Down syndrome or an abdominal wall defect
• Alcohol use by the mother during pregnancy
• Cigarette smoking by the mother or exposure to secondhand smoke
• Parents’ exposure to some pesticides

Undescended Testicle Symptoms

In most cases, boys with undescended testicle(s) have no pain or discomfort. However, they may have some other characteristics along with the undescended testicle(s):

• The scrotum may appear small and underdeveloped
• The scrotum may look asymmetrical – With only 1 testicle is descended, the scrotum may look full on one side and empty on the other
• The boy may be mentally and emotionally affected – An asymmetrical or empty scrotum may cause a boy worry and embarrassment

Complications that Can Arise from Undescended Testicles

• Testicular Cancer – Increased risk of testicular cancer in men who’ve had an undescended testicle(s)
• Fertility Problems – Having low sperm counts, poor sperm quality, and decreased fertility are more likely to occur among men who’ve had an undescended testicle
• The testicle rotates and twists the spermatic cord that brings blood to the scrotum. Occurs more often in undescended testicles than in normal testicles

• Trauma to Undescended Testicle – From the testicle becoming damaged from pressure against the pubic bone
• Inguinal Hernia – Boys with undescended testicle(s) can sometimes develop an inguinal hernia

How Does a Doctor Treat Undescended Testicles?

If the baby boy’s undescended testicle(s) do not drop down on their own by the time the baby is 6 months old, they will likely need surgery called an Orchiopexy to relocate the testicle(s) into the scrotum. It is rare for undescended testicles to drop down into the scrotum after 6 months of age. Doctors usually do Orchiopexy within the first 18 months of the baby’s life.

How Can Homeopathy Help Undescended Testicles?

When selecting a Homeopathic Remedy for undescended testicles, you want to look for other

characteristics (symptoms) the baby has that match the Homeopathic Remedy needed to help bring down the undescended testicle(s). In Homeopathy, atrophy (testicles decrease in size and may lose function) of the testicles is commonly used to describe the testicles as undescended. The selected 6c Homeopathic Remedy will be given daily at bedtime. Look for improvement in the other characteristics that helped you select the Homeopathic Remedy first, before seeing results in the testicles dropping down into the scrotum.

• Antimonium Crudum – Atrophy of undescended testicles and penis. Gastric derangement (disturbance of normal bodily functioning) with a thickly – coated white tongue. Baby vomits curds of milk soon after nursing and refuses to nurse afterwards
• Agaricus Muscarius – Retracted testicles that are painful from touch. The baby is hyperactive and clumsy without any fear (fearless)
• Aurum Metallicum – Atrophy of undescended testicles, especially with epididymitis (inflammation of the coiled tube, called the epididymis, at the back of the testicle). Baby is sleepless after midnight and worse from sunset to sunrise
• Baryta Carbonica – Has small retracted testicles from a delay in development, retarded development of testicles (undescended testicles), especially the left testicle. The baby doesn’t grow or develop, may be dwarfish in size. Difficult in making connections between words and objects, communication problems, slow in learning, speech, walking and coordination, delayed in teething (dentition). Prone to enlarged glands, especially left tonsil
• Calcarea Carbonica – Undescended testicles, late in walking due to bone weakness along with slow to crawl, cut teeth, and talk
• Clematis Erecta –Testicles are partially descended and painful
• Conium Maculatum – Atrophy or shrinking (shriveled) of testicles, which may be hard (indurated).
• Iodum Purum – Shriveled and atrophy of testicles from failure to thrive. Infants with emaciation and are always hungry, with swollen glands. The lack of growth affects the tissues, causing them to waste away
• Pulsatilla – Retractile testicles (moves up and down from groin to scrotum). Pulsatilla is often selected for changeable or moving around of symptoms (i.e., such as retractile testicles). The baby is very clingy and always wants to be held. Wants to sleep with someone, doesn’t like to be alone, and fears abandonment
• Rhododendron Chrysanthum – Testicles are drawn up from the spermatic cord into the abdomen. Testicles and epididymis are intensely painful to the touch, especially the left testicle. The scrotum shrinks, and the testicles retract or are swollen and drawn up. The testicles swell, especially at night
• Thyroidinum – Retraction of testicle (undescended testicles) from arrested development
• Zincum Metallicum – Atrophy of the testicle, which is swollen and drawn up. The baby has difficulty teething (dentition). They are restless, especially their legs and feet

While waiting to see if your son’s testicle(s) will descend, why not take a Homeopathic Remedy to see if you can help the testicle drop into the scrotum naturally?