Recovery

Recovering from a vasectomy

It is common to have testicle pain and swelling for around a week after a vasectomy. Taking a painkiller such as ibuprofen or paracetamol should help.

At first, getting an erection may feel painful and there may be some blood in your semen. These symptoms should quickly pass.

There is no evidence that having a vasectomy affects long-term sexual performance or enjoyment.

You should be able to return to work within 24 hours.

Do

wear tight-fitting underwear for about a week to support and protect your testicles
avoid sport or lifting anything heavy for as long as the doctor or nurse advises - this is usually 1 to 2 weeks
use another method of contraception until a doctor confirms that the vasectomy has been successful - this usually takes around 12 weeks

Don't

do not take part in sexual activity, including masturbation, for at least 2 to 7 days after having a vasectomy
do not drive until you can safely do an emergency stop - check with your insurance company

Sexual Health Advice

Throughout this series we have help and advice on staying healthy, dealing with Sexually Transmitted Infections, the risks of each type of the most popular gay sex and what to do if the sex you have is not consentual. The topics covered in this series include:

	This item was in brought to you association with NHS website. Follow the links above for more information and don't forget to check out OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health which features items on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. This week our topic is: L - Lung Cancer.
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