What advice should be given to patients regarding activity and sexual health following a diagnosis of epididymo-orchitis?

For patients diagnosed with epididymo-orchitis, the following advice should be provided regarding activity levels and sexual health:

• Activity Levels:
  • Patients should be advised to rest ¹.
  • Scrotal support, such as with supportive underwear, is recommended ¹.
  • Analgesia, including paracetamol and/or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), should be used until symptoms improve ¹.
• Sexual Health:
  • If a sexually transmitted infection (STI) is confirmed or suspected, the patient should be advised to abstain from sexual contact until they and any partner(s) have completed treatment and follow-up ¹.
  • If an STI is the most likely cause, urgent referral to a local specialist sexual health clinic for STI testing, treatment, and possible contact tracing should be advised ¹.
  • Patients diagnosed with an STI should be informed about the importance and benefits of partner notification, the possibility of sex partners being infected even if asymptomatic, and the risk of reinfection ⁴.
  • They should be encouraged to engage in partner notification, regardless of where they were tested, and different methods of notification should be discussed with them ⁴.
  • Assistance should be provided to help patients decide how to notify their sex partners, including discussing ways to have potentially difficult conversations and suggesting methods to deliver this information ⁴.
  • If a patient feels unable to inform their sex partners about the STI or is struggling with their diagnosis, they should be referred to specialist sexual health services for additional support with partner notification ⁴.