It is normal for the testicles to rise and hide in the groin area without being palpable. This occurs mostly in children, due to the development of abdominal musculature, but can be maintained even in adulthood, being called a retractile testicle.
This is especially true because each testicle is connected to the abdominal area by a muscle called a cremaster. This muscle can contract involuntarily several times during the day, stimulated or not, causing the testicles to rise.
- Usually.
- The testicles return to their natural position a few minutes after they rise.
- But they can also be repositioned by hand and making gentle movements in the place where the scrotum connects to the abdomen.
- However.
- If the testicle does not come down after 10 minutes.
- It is advisable to go to the hospital or consult a urologist to assess if there are any problems to be treated.
Much of the time the testicles only rise due to an involuntary movement of the muscle that retains them, however, there are other situations that can stimulate this movement, such as:
Sexual intercourse is a moment of pleasure during which several muscles of the body, especially those of the intimate region, involuntarily contract in response to the electrical stimulus created by the feeling of pleasure. One of these muscles is the cremaster and, as a result, the testicles can rise up to the abdominal area, especially during orgasm.
Normally, in these cases, the testicle does not disappear completely, adhering to the upper region of the scrotum, however, many men have a more open channel in the transition between the scrotum and the abdomen, which can cause the testicles to disappear, without this. It being done. a sign of a problem.
To function properly, the testicles must be in an environment 2 to 3 degrees cooler than body temperature and, for this reason, are found in the scrotum and outside the body.
However, when the environment becomes very cold around the body, the temperature in the scrotum region can drop a lot and also affect the testicles. In this way, the body produces an involuntary movement so that the scrotum contracts and the testicles move to the abdominal area, to regulate the temperature.
Because the testicles are located in a bag outside the body and are not protected by any bone, they are more exposed to shocks and injuries that can damage their structure and function.
To prevent this from happening, the body has developed a defense mechanism for the muscle holding the testicles to contract and push them into the abdominal area, to keep them more protected. It is for this reason that the testicles can rise when man feels measurements or hears an impressive story, for example.
The spermatic cord is the structure created by the muscles and small vessels connected to the testicle, which helps it remain suspended in the testicle.
In some situations, especially in young people and children, this cord may not develop fully or may not develop at a very slow pace, which does not follow the growth of the body. In such cases, the testicle will be closer to the abdomen and, depending on the size of the cord, it can reach the belly. This problem is usually solved after adolescence.
The retractile testicle is rarely related to complications, however, as the testicle moves to the abdomen, there is an increased risk of non-descent and may get stuck. If this happens, the risk of developing testicular cancer, fertility problems or testicular torsion is also higher because the testicles do not function at the right temperature.
Most often, the testicle goes up and down, a situation that does not require special attention. However, it is important to go to the hospital or see a urologist when:
Cases where the testicle rises and falls are more common in infants or children and are usually related to a case of cryptorchidism, in which the channel between the scrotum and abdomen does not allow the testicle to descend, surgery may be necessary. See how treatment is performed in these cases.