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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffSigns and symptoms of testicular torsion include:
- Sudden or severe pain in the scrotum — the loose bag of skin under your penis that contains the testicles
- Swelling of the scrotum
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- A testicle that's positioned higher than normal or at an unusual angle
When to see a doctor
Seek emergency care for sudden or severe testicle pain. Prompt treatment can prevent severe damage or loss of your testicle if the cause of the pain is testicular torsion.
You also need to seek prompt medical help if you've had sudden testicle pain that goes away without treatment. This can occur when a testicle twists and then untwists on its own (intermittent torsion and detorsion). Even though the testicle untwisted on its own, you still need to see a doctor because surgery is frequently needed to prevent the problem from happening again.
References
- Barthold JS. Abnormalities of the testes and scrotum and their surgical management. In: Wein AJ, et al. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/booksS/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6911-9..C2009-1-60786-3--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-6911-9&uniqId=314388803-2. Accessed Jan. 24, 2012.
- Somani BK, et al. Testicular torsion. BMJ. 2010;341:c3213.
- Cubillos J, et al. Familial testicular torsion. Journal of Urology. 2011;185:2469.
- Tiemstra JD. Evaluation of scrotal masses. American Family Physician. 2008;78:1165.
- Snyder HM, et al. In utero/neonatal torsion: Observation versus prompt exploration. Journal of Urology. 2010;183:1675.
- Roth CC, et al. Salvage of bilateral asynchronous perinatal testicular torsion. Journal of Urology. 2011;185:2464.
- Nippoldt TB (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Jan. 28, 2012.
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