Testicular Torsion?

[brownhound]

During a supported ride this weekend, I had an excruciating experience. I am wondering if anyone has heard of a similar problem.

At about 35 miles in, I stopped at a rest area. I went into the port-a-potty to urinate, pulled down my bibs, and started to do my business. I'd had no noticeable discomfort before this moment.

Suddenly - BAM! I felt an enormous pain in my groin, so much that I essentially collapsed out of the port-a-potty, fell on the ground and started screaming/moaning in pain. A few people started rushing over, thinking I was having a heart attack. I could not speak and had trouble breathing. Writhing, crying, vomiting commenced.

Long story short - the pain started subsiding in a few minutes. I cancelled the rest of my ride (I was not getting back on a saddle), got a lift back to my car, and drove myself to urgent care for CT scan and ultrasound, calling my doctor friends on the way.

It's still unclear whether I had passed a kidney stone or whether I had testicular torsion that was suddenly (and agonizingly) correcting itself. For the un-initiated, testicular torsion is when a testicle twists itself and must be un-twisted. Both ends can be awful.

Nevertheless, thinking it's the latter, is this something anyone has run into with cycling? I NEVER want to feel that again, and am willing to try different clothes or saddles to make sure I don't.

[Steve in SLO]

The situation (urinating) and the abrupt onset/cessation of pain sounds much more like passing a kidney stone. It would be extremely rare for you to torse a testicle at your age (adult), and that would have occurred when there was a shearing force on your testicle, such as riding, rather than sitting in a porta potty. There are some gas pains that can mimic exactly your situation... excruciating sharp pain, then gone. Similarly, there are some muscles attached to urinating that can cramp temporarily and cause excruciating pain.
FWIW, passing a kidney stone and bone pain from metastatic prostate cancer are considered the two worst pains we can experience.

[Jeff N.]

If you were experiencing torsion, I don't think the pain would've subsided like it did. I'm going (guessing) with kidney stone passing. If that IS what it was, be glad that the stone PASSED ! -Jeff N.

[brownhound]

Originally Posted by Steve in SLO

The situation (urinating) and the abrupt onset/cessation of pain sounds much more like passing a kidney stone. It would be extremely rare for you to torse a testicle at your age (adult), and that would have occurred when there was a shearing force on your testicle, such as riding, rather than sitting in a porta potty...
FWIW, passing a kidney stone and bone pain from metastatic prostate cancer are considered the two worst pains we can experience.

If not an un-diagnosed kidney stone, my thought was that I was somehow twisting the testicle while riding, i.e., slowly twisting it with each stroke, then when I pulled down the shorts it un-wound suddenly.

But who knows? Tests weren't conclusive either way.

If torsion, I am trying to figure out how to avoid - tighter shorts or looser? Would a cut-out make a difference?

[redir]

That hurt just to read it.

[polyhistoric]

Sounds like a kidney stone experience (have had the "pleasure" of 5). A CT Scan should tall whether it actually passed or is just moving through the Kidney. Very abrupt onset of intense pain with no trigger. Good luck.

[Aaron O]

Originally Posted by redir

That hurt just to read it.

Seriously. Whatever happened, wishing the OP well and not going through that again.

[Black Dog]

Wow, that must have been a bad day all around . Torsion seems very unlikely given what you have described. Also, the relief of torsion is not like a spring unwinding. A stone seems to be the parsimonious explanation. I hope that if it is a stone it is your first and last.

[YoKev]

Groin pain and vomiting...I'm saying that was a stone.

[Tickdoc]

OMG...when I was in High school a friend of mine's sister printed and passed around this article on testicular torsion....just so she could watch the grimace on a male's face as he read. What a "B".

I hope yours was just a stone as mentioned and best of luck with finding some comfort.

[R3awak3n]

Sounds like kidney stone. Read up on torsion, its not something that goes away after a few minutes.

[mcteague]

I had a testicular torsion about 30+ years ago. Worst pain in my life. I recall trying to think of a way to knock myself out! Come morning, my mother found me ashen white and covered in sweat. Went to hospital and they scheduled surgery to repair. The extreme pain did subside after a couple of hours and I was pretty much feeling better by the time I was taken for the operation. I’ve had many injuries since then but never had that level of pain.

Tim

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by mcteague

I had a testicular torsion about 30+ years ago. Worst pain in my life. I recall trying to think of a way to knock myself out! Come morning, my mother found me ashen white and covered in sweat. Went to hospital and they scheduled surgery to repair. The extreme pain did subside after a couple of hours and I was pretty much feeling better by the time I was taken for the operation. I’ve had many injuries since then but never had that level of pain.

Tim

you are lucky to still have em

[cderalow]

after having gone through torsion as a 20 something college student, including emergency surgery for repair;

i can tell you it is a pain i wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy, and it didn't just go away in 20 minutes.

I've never had a kidney stone, but i've heard that sucks pretty bad too.

I try to keep over hydrated to avoid any potential for that in the future.

[HenryA]

Coulda been worse. You could have fallen inside the porta potty!

Good luck with this!