The exam you’re thinking of is the hernia check. Let’s start with a quick anatomy lesson.

Your testicles/balls/etc sit inside of your scrotum/ball sack/etc. Your testicles are actually connected to your abdomen by tubes called the epididymis and vas deferens (and by some blood vessels). (If you check out the tools section you’ll find pictures from TCAF.) These tubes and vessels go through a tunnel to pass from your abdomen into your testicle, and the tunnel is usually pretty tightly sealed. However, sometimes the tunnel is a little too open. That’s essentially a hernia, and it’s good to have it fixed before other stuff starts passing through.

That’s one exam that the doctor might do—feel for a hernia. They also might feel your testicles to check their growth (the first sign of puberty) and for any funny lumps or bumps. You should do this, too.

Testicle self-exams are important in finding testicular cancer. While not super common, testicular cancer is very treatable if found early. So get to know the feel of your testicles (you can even feel the epididymis) and let your doc know if you feel something odd. A good once-a-month exam is great practice.