What happens if you twist your testicles

However, this procedure can be painful and often not successful. An operation is usually still needed afterwards to fix the testis in place. If you are worried about your appearance after you have had a testis removed, it may be possible for a surgeon to put a false testis into the scrotum.

Some boys and men have warning pains in a testicle testis every now and then, before a full-blown twisting torsion. These occur suddenly, last for a few minutes, then ease just as suddenly. These pains occur if a testis twists a little and then returns back to its normal place on its own. An operation to fix the testes in place is usually advised if these warning pains occur. This is because it is likely that at some point a testis will twist fully and emergency surgery will be needed.

A planned operation to fix the testes is preferable to waiting for a full-blown torsion to occur. Both how badly the testis has twisted and how long it stays twisted for are important in the outcome. If correcting surgery happens within six hours of torsion, 9 or 10 out of 10 testes will be saved on average. If surgery is delayed until hours then only one testis is saved out of If a testis cannot be saved and has to be removed, then an implant can be inserted later to restore the appearance of the scrotum to normal.

Research suggests that early treatment is most likely to preserve the ability to father children. Longer delays to treatment and removal of a testis may reduce that ability.

J Pediatr Surg. Epub Aug Now is at the stage now of the pain being unbearable sometime to a level I have Disclaimer: This article is for information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions. Egton Medical Information Systems Limited has used all reasonable care in compiling the information but make no warranty as to its accuracy. Consult a doctor or other health care professional for diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions. For details see our conditions.

In this series. In this article Symptoms of testicular torsion What else might it be? Treatment of testicular torsion Partial torsion and warning pains Outlook prognosis. In rare cases, your doctor may be able to untwist the spermatic cord by hand. Surgery is performed as quickly as possible to restore blood flow to the testicles. If blood flow is cut off for more than six hours, testicular tissue can die. The affected testicle would then need to be removed.

Surgical detorsion is performed under general anesthesia. Your doctor will make a small incision in your scrotum and untwist the cord. Tiny sutures will be used to keep the testicle in place in the scrotum. This prevents rotation from occurring again. The surgeon then closes the incision with stitches.

As with any surgical procedure, you may have discomfort after surgery. Your doctor will recommend or prescribe the most appropriate pain medication. After surgery, you can expect your scrotum to be swollen for two to four weeks. You can use an ice pack several times a day for 10 to 20 minutes. The incision made during surgery may also ooze fluid for one to two days. Make sure to keep the area clean by washing gently with warm, soapy water.

Your doctor will recommend refraining from certain types of activities for several weeks following surgery. These include sexual activity and stimulation, such as masturbation and intercourse. Make sure to get plenty of rest to allow your body to fully recover.

Walking a little bit each day will help increase blood flow to the area, supporting recovery. Testicular torsion is an emergency requiring immediate care. When not treated quickly, or at all, this condition can result in severe complications. Gangrene is a potentially life-threatening infection. It can spread rapidly throughout your body, leading to shock. If damage occurs to both testicles, infertility will result. The loss of one testicle can create a cosmetic deformity which may cause emotional upset.

This can, however, be addressed with the insertion of a testicular prosthesis. Untreated testicular torsion can result in testicular atrophy , causing the testicle to shrink significantly in size. An atrophied testicle can become unable to produce sperm. If left untreated for more than several hours, the testicle may become severely damaged, requiring its removal. After 24 hours, the chances of saving the testicle drop to 10 percent.

Other conditions affecting the testicles may cause symptoms similar to those of testicular torsion. They can rule out testicular torsion or help you obtain any necessary treatment. This condition is typically caused by a bacterial infection, including sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea. Orchitis causes inflammation and pain in one or both testicles as well as the groin. It can be caused by either a bacterial or a viral infection.

The appendix testis is a small piece of normal tissue located at the top of the testis. It serves no function. If this tissue twists, it can cause symptoms similar to testicular torsion, such as pain, redness, and swelling. Instead, a doctor will observe your condition. However, if treatment is delivered 24 hours or more after the pain starts, an estimated 90 percent do require surgical removal of the testicle.

Removal of a testicle, called orchiectomy, can affect hormone production in infants. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Testicular torsion Open pop-up dialog box Close. Testicular torsion During testicular torsion a testicle rotates, twisting the spermatic cord that brings blood to the scrotum, the loose bag of skin under the penis that contains the testicles.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Testicular torsion. Merck Manual Professional Version. Accessed March 31, Walls RM, et al. Selected urologic disorder. Philadelphia, Pa. Accessed March 1, Ferri FF. Testicular torsion.