It’s Testicular Cancer Awareness Month – does your guy check his nuts?

This Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, Movember, the world’s leading men’s health charity, has unveiled new research that shines a spotlight on young men and their testicles, as part of their new campaign to encourage men to regularly check themselves and ‘know thy nuts’.

The research commissioned by Movember, across 1,000 men in Ireland, revealed that more than two thirds (62%) of men weren’t aware that testicular cancer is the most common cancer among young men aged 15 – 40.

Nearly half of men in Ireland (43%) admitted that they were only “somewhat” confident about knowing how to check their nuts, with just 21% saying they probably wouldn’t go to a doctor unless their testicles were really painful.

When asked about the barriers to why men wouldn't openly go and seek help from a doctor if they noticed something out of the ordinary, almost a fifth of men admitted they don’t go to a doctor until it gets really serious, with, a staggering 46% of men in Ireland said they wouldn’t be due to embarrassment.

Movember CEO, Michelle Terry said, "The reality is that 62% of boys and men are unaware that testicular cancer is the number one cancer in young men, with nearly a third (30%) of men are not confident they know how to check their own testicles. Through Movember's dedication to raising awareness of testicular cancer, we want to continue to encourage and empower men with the knowledge and resources they need to Know Thy Nuts. We want men to get to know their nuts, know when something changes and seek help. While the testicular cancer is very treatable, early detection is critical. No pair is exactly the same. Getting to know what is normal is the first step and young men should make sure they take the time to get to know their nuts. A hot, steamy shower is a great place to start."

Step 1: Steam

Warm up in a steamy shower. This relaxes and loosens your nuts, getting them ready to be checked.

Step 2: Roll

With your thumb and finger, roll one testicle to get to know what’s normal for you. Check for any changes or anything painful.

Step 3: Repeat

Now repeat with the other nut.

Men should carefully and gently roll each testicle, one at a time between their thumb and finger, checking for any changes or anything that doesn’t feel normal for them. If something hurts or feels different like a lump or swelling, it’s important to make the time to get it checked out by a doctor.

Movember’s globally leading digital resource, created by experts called Nuts and Bolts is specifically aimed at providing boys and men with the resources and tools to confidently handle their cancer journey.