What is testicular torsion?

Testicular torsion – just the name of it sounds menacing enough to make a grown man want to curl up in a ball protecting his manhood.  And just like it sounds, testicular torsion is a “twisting of the testes” that usually occurs suddenly with severe pain, enlargement of the affected testicle, tenderness, and swelling.  Other symptoms of testicular torsion can include nausea, vomiting, blood in the semen, and abdominal pain.

What is testicular torsion?

Within the scrotum, the testicles are secured at one end by a structure called the spermatic cord.  Sometimes, this cord gets twisted cutting off the testicle’s blood supply.  Because the spermatic cord has rotated and is cutting off blood flow to the testicle(s), eventually the testes will have significant damage without sufficient blood flow.

No matter at what age, from infancy to the elderly, any male who is experiencing strong pain in their testicles needs to take it seriously.  This medical condition most commonly occurs in boys and young men between the ages of 10-25, however it can occur before birth or later in life.  Generally the reason for this condition to even occur is usually due to an injury to the testicles or from strenuous activity.  It can also occur for no apparent reason.

Risk factors of testicular torsion

There are certain factors that can increase the chance of testicular torsion:

·      Age – It is most common in males aged 10-25 years of age.  It can occur at any age, but it is rare over the age of 30 years.

·      Previous testicular torsion – If the torsion occurs once and resolves without treatment, it is likely to happen again in either testicle, unless surgery is performed to correct the underlying problem.

What can be done to treat it?

Testicular torsion is a rare condition (1 out of 4000 males under the age of 25 per year) but even so, it is important to be aware it is considered an emergency as it does require surgical treatments right away in order to save the testes.  If blood flow isn’t restored to the testicle within approximately 6 hours, the testicle can become permanently damaged and may need to be removed.  In fact, the most common cause of testicle loss with testicular torsion is delay in treatment. 

For a proper diagnosis of testicular torsion, a health care provider will perform a clinical exam by checking or signs of swelling, redness, or pain within the testicle.  An ultrasound may also be required that can show whether or not the blood is flowing correctly to the testicles.

If testicular torsion is the diagnosis, then a man will need to have surgery right away. During surgery, the surgeon will untwist the testicle checking to see if it can be saved.  If so, then they will place stitches around both testicles to repair the twisted on and to prevent torsion from happening to the other testicle.  But if the testicle cannot be saved, then it will be removed and stitches will be placed around the other remaining testicle to prevent future torsion.

Can testicular torsion be prevented?

There is really nothing a man can do to prevent testicular torsion from happening.  However, any boy or man who is playing sports should wear proper protection to avoid any kind of injury to the testicles.