1) It's mentioned as a risk factor, but generally, it's far more common with Orchitis (infection/inflammation of the actual testicle itself) or other issues that are immediately at the testicles -- that's the only way to directly affect the sperm themselves.

EP can affect the quality and chemistry of your ejaculate (semen) by causing problems with the "mixing" process during ejaculation -- and that can cause reduced chances of conception -- but my understanding is that once you are no longer an acute case, the chances of this are fairly low....and you should be able to heal 85-95% of the way once you recover from EP.

In short, I wouldn't worry about it. There's not really much you can *do* about it other than try to get better, and it's not a common problem anyhow.

2) I have chronic EP on the left side, and I have often (more when I was acute) felt pain along my waistline, from the top of my left hip to my pubic bone, and down in a triangle almost down to my prostate/perineum along the left groin/leg crease.

EP has a huge amount of lymphatic involvement, particularly in some cases like mine. I had swollen lymph nodes all up and down my left side when I was acute (even in my jaw/ear/neck area!) and I believe lymphatic stress/pressure/blockage accounts for a significant amount of my discomfort, even now.

Back when I was acute, I think it was half or more of my pain.

The lymph nodes in your waist/hip/torso/reproductive/groin area are buried somewhat deeply and you'd really have to dig around to notice even fairly severe swelling of the nodes.