Testicular torsion, hernia or something else?

[LivelyRaven]

DS has complained about painful groin and my immediate thought was could it be testicular torsion? I tend to over-worry though. Other thoughts have been hernia, random age related growing pains or unknowing injury. He says he hasn’t been kicked or hurt etc, this pain/uncomfortableness started 2 days ago when he told me and he says it feels worse today

Get him seen. If it is a torsion it's a surgical emergency

Got an appointment booked, was thinking about A&E but from what I’ve read torsion is severe pain which it isn’t and DS said he didn’t want to go

How old is your child? Make sure he's aware that some doctors will need to check over his bits to make sure he's not really sick.

This is one instance where I would be overriding his wishes about A&E. How old is he?

If it is testicular torsion then this isn't just about future fertility, if both twist then puberty becomes affected too. It can be severe pain but it can decrease and also be painless too. I would be wanting him checked out asap. And yes, my own child had testicular torsion but was a baby, he lost that testicle.

He’s 12, yeah I’ve spoke to him about it and whilst he doesn’t like strangers checking he knows they’re doctors and need to

Thanks, I initially wanted to override but upon reading more about torsion it seems that the pain is more sudden and swelling occurs, which didn’t match. His appointment is tomorrow but I am still on the fence, he says the pain comes and goes. Do you think I should call 111? I feel guilty not going straight away but it’s also not easy to get to a hospital where I am. I’m really sorry to hear about your son that sounds awful

Sadly he is in the prime time for testicular torsion to occur which is puberty and 12-18 years or 10-25 depending which medical site you read.

Hopefully you have explained that women have smear tests to check for cancerous cells so he understands that medical checks are necessary. Prostate cancer runs in Dh's side of the family so both my sons know about those checks that will need to be done.

It is good he has come to tell you. Mine check their balls for any lumps or bumps every month too.

Yes I would be calling 111.

My son is 21 and completely fine, healthy and has a good attitude to only having one ball. It was harrowing handing over a baby for surgery.

I did read that yeah that he is in the bracket for a higher chance of getting it. I’m sorry to hear about the prostate cancer in the family, my mum had breast cancer so I have to check and my anxiety means I check constantly. This may sound really ignorant, but do lumps/bumps appear in the balls for just prostate cancer or could there be other health reasons?

@LivelyRaven Both my boys have have small lumps in their testes which have been scanned and turned out to be nothing to be concerned about. But we have taught them to examine their bodies, know what feels right and what feels off for them and that sorting things out earlier is better than being embarrassed and having much bigger issues down the line.

This monitoring of their bodies includes when they wee which is usually where the symptoms of prostate cancer start. There is breast cancer and cervical cancer on my Mum's side so my Mum, Mum's sisters and their daughters and my own sister so we are vigilant. Re the breast cancer, my lovely friend has had it twice before the age of 50, they recommend not constantly checking as you won't notice changes so I do it once a month.

That must have been stressful, what did the lumps end up being if they weren’t a concern? Yeah I agree I’m just glad DS told me when he did and not keeping it secret for weeks or months until it got worse.

As with all cancers I assume prostate is extremely rare at younger ages but can’t help to be certain and get checked. That’s awful but I’m glad you’re so aware and vigilant with it, I know many who brush off health issues and then it comes back to bite them. I’m just trying not to panic re: ds

Id take him to a and e in circs u describe. He could lose testes if it is torsion. Not a thing to wait about tbh.

Yeah 2 months is a bit long to leave it.

It’s definitely worth getting checked quickly. My little boy is 9 and had a very very painful groin a few months ago. It turned out to be an intestinal spasm (and if it’s not muscular it’s worth thinking about it being digestive) but the doctor did say that if it had been testicular it would have been a medical emergency. Hope he’s ok x

Is get him seen. My ds is 17 and found a small lump nearly 4years ago on scan a hydrocele was found aswell but not mentioned to us at the time but has grown and has a surgery booked. It took me a while to talk him round initially but told him if it's not normal it needs checking just incase
Due to this he doesn't think twice to ring me and ask me take him a and e when he suspected a torsion. Thankfully it wasn't a

We phoned 111 when DS had pain in a testicle. They treated it as an emergency and we went straight into a&e. He was seen immediately.

It wasn't a torsion but something that is relatively common, left over from when they are developing in the womb.

Definitely needs to be checked.

Hi all thanks for your messages and advice. I did get him seen not long after my last post, nothing major but also led to something cropping up medically which has me stressed out although don’t feel comfortable saying on a public forum. However thank you for all of your input

Oh gosh I hope he’s ok. Sending you strength x