Expect about a week of soreness and swelling, a quick return to desk life, and 1 to 2 weeks off sport and lifting.
The NHS describes common testicle pain and swelling for around a week, recommends painkillers and tight supportive underwear, and advises avoiding sport or heavy lifting for usually 1 to 2 weeks. MedlinePlus adds that you go home the same day, most men return to work within 2 to 3 days, and normal physical activity resumes in 3 to 7 days, with bruising settling within 2 weeks. An ice pack and acetaminophen cover most discomfort. Sex waits 2 to 7 days, and crucially, another contraceptive is needed until a semen test confirms the vasectomy worked, usually around 12 weeks.
What to do
Common questions
What is vasectomy recovery like?
Vasectomy recovery is short and unglamorous. The procedure is done under local anaesthetic and you go home the same day. The NHS says testicle pain and swelling are common for around a week, helped by ibuprofen or acetaminophen, tight-fitting supportive underwear for about a week, and an ice pack over the trousers in the first couple of days. MedlinePlus says most men are back at work within 2 to 3 days, and back to normal physical activity in 3 to 7 days. Sport and heavy lifting wait 1 to 2 weeks. Erections can sting at first and there may be a little blood in your semen; both pass quickly. Two things surprise people. First, the bruising can be dramatic and still be normal. Second, you are not sterile yet: sperm already in the system takes time to clear, so you need another contraception method until a semen test confirms success, usually around 12 weeks. Call the clinic for fever, spreading redness, a wound leaking pus, severe swelling, or pain that keeps worsening rather than easing.