Testicular torsion occurs as a result of bending of the spermatic cord, which provides blood to the scrotum. There is a decrease in blood flow. As a result of all these, the person feels severe pain. Swelling of the area is observed along with the pain. This problem is usually seen in individuals between the ages of 12 and 18. However, it can be seen at any age before birth. The individual should be taken to emergency surgery for testicular torsion. If it can be treated quickly, the testicle can be saved. However, if the blood flow is cut off for too long, the testicle will be damaged and must be removed.
What Are The Symptoms Of Testicular Torsion?
The symptoms of testicular torsion are often encountered with following symptoms;
- There is severe pain in the scrotum that comes on suddenly. (The scrotum is the soft skin bag under the penis that carries it to the testicles.)
- Swelling of the scrotum is observed.
- It causes abdominal pain.
- It causes nausea and vomiting.
- It causes the testicles to sit higher than normal or at a different angle than usual.
- It often causes – to happen frequently – incontinence.
- It causes an increase in body temperature (fever).
How Is Testicular Torsion Diagnosed?
If you experience one or more of the symptoms of testicular torsion, you should consult a doctor immediately. Definitive diagnoses can only be made by doctors. Doctors examine the signs and symptoms that the person is showing. It determines whether all these signs and symptoms are due to testicular torsion or for a different reason. This determination is determined by a physical examination of the abdomen and groin area.
During this examination, the doctor first rubs or gently compresses the testicular area. Under normal conditions, contraction is seen in the testis that undergoes this procedure. However, if the person has testicular torsion, he does not show such a reaction. In addition, urinalysis, scrotal ultrasound, or surgery may be performed for diagnosis.
If the person has pain for a certain period of time and has been diagnosed with testicular torsion as a result of the physical examination, he or she should be taken to the operating room quickly. Otherwise, the testicle of the person may have to be removed.
This problem can be confused with Orchitis, Epididymitis, Appendices testicular torsion, and Appendices epididymis torsion due to similar symptoms. These four problems can be resolved with antibiotic therapy without performing any surgery. However, this does not apply to people who experience testicular torsion. These people need to have surgery within an average of 8 hours.
What Happens If Testicular Torsion Is Not Treated?
This problem causes blood flow to not occur in the testicular part. As a result, the testicle may become inflamed or bruised. After this stage, the decayed testis must be surgically removed. If the individual has testicular torsion, the same problem may occur in the other testis in the future.
The hormone level secreted in this region of people who are not treated and whose testicles are removed is below normal. This situation does not pose a great threat to the person. However, losing a testicle can lead to psychological problems.
The intact testis of the operated individuals is fixed and the other testis is removed. As a result of this surgery, the same problem is eliminated in the intact testis. However, individuals with this problem should be followed in terms of infertility.
As we mentioned earlier, this problem is often seen in individuals between the ages of 12 and 18. These individuals should be followed in terms of infertility. The individual should be informed about sperm analysis. Because this problem can reduce the sperm quantity and sperm quality of the intact testis.