Help my right nut is swollen and hurts

[Fluffpaw38]

I totally agree with gumbi 8) well said. My EMT instructor always said that when you assess a patient use, hearing, smell, (obviously) looking, and TOUCH

[hammerpcp]

Do you have to examin the testicles to suspect testicular torsion? How about vag prolapse?

[Fluffpaw38]

:shock: wow that makes my guess sound horrible. I said water. My brother had that problem when he was young, he had a testicle that filled with water and every few months he had to go to the hospital to get it removed...but this is just a sudden onset....so that takes my guess out any way

[spenac]

I have checked the the testicles and penis of patients that complained of problems. I have checked females complaining of problems. I do touch, I do look. That is my job. I am then in a better position to give an accurate report of what is going on. If we do not do an in depth exam we are nothing more than taxi drivers. IMHO do your job right or quit.

[spenac]

So would you have touched this guys privates :?:

http://www.snopes.com/risque/penile/pool.asp

[Eydawn]

Yes, because he was in the position of losing his appendage if intervention was not tendered immediately.

I see where you guys are coming from... and believe me that I'm not squeamish about touching testicles (that came out differently than I intended... ? ...) rather I'm concerned with causing as little pain as humanly possible if my examination/intervention will not immediately benefit my patient.

I didn't see where an exam would expedite anything.. but perhaps it may, so I stand corrected.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[chbare]

Do you have to examin the testicles to suspect testicular torsion? How about vag prolapse?

Many things can lead us to suspect torsion; however, the physical exam can provide evidence to support our theory or provide evidence to disprove our theory.

For example, a prepubescent male complains sharp and intense scrotal pain. This information alone would lead us to suspect torsion. However, during the exam we appreciate a small hair follicle scrotal abscess. This changes the entire course of treatment and urgency of the patients condition.

While you could argue that this does not directly effect your care, it in fact does. You fail to perform the assessment and provide the ER with an incomplete picture. The patient ends up filling a bed that should have been filled by a patient experiencing an emergency. It is difficult for some of us to appreciate; however, the assessments and decisions initiated in the field do ultimately effect the disposition of our patient and other patients. We must look beyond our little box and realize that we are part of a much larger picture.

In addition, we can appreciate problems such as phimosis, para-phimosis, penile fracture, and priapism with a physical exam. All of the following problems require urgent treatment and your field assessment of the findings can help these patients receive the care they require.

Take care,

chbare.

[spenac]

I hear so many complaints here on the city that we are looked down on by other healthcare professions. Perhaps it is our fault because it seems many are refusing to do complete exams, thus giving incomplete information to the hospital. While our findings may not change our care it might change hospital care. There have been many instances that I have given information that according to the hospital they have never before been given by medics and because of that information they had moved my patient to the first place. I have given description and not even known what it would indicate and been met by doctors at the ambulance bay because it indicated something very serious.

For myself I will continue to examine my patients in detail. I will continue to look, listen, feel, etc.

[hammerpcp]

Many things can lead us to suspect torsion; however, the physical exam can provide evidence to support our theory or provide evidence to disprove our theory.

For example, a prepubescent male complains sharp and intense scrotal pain. This information alone would lead us to suspect torsion. However, during the exam we appreciate a small hair follicle scrotal abscess. This changes the entire course of treatment and urgency of the patients condition.

While you could argue that this does not directly effect your care, it in fact does. You fail to perform the assessment and provide the ER with an incomplete picture. The patient ends up filling a bed that should have been filled by a patient experiencing an emergency. It is difficult for some of us to appreciate; however, the assessments and decisions initiated in the field do ultimately effect the disposition of our patient and other patients. We must look beyond our little box and realize that we are part of a much larger picture.

In addition, we can appreciate problems such as phimosis, para-phimosis, penile fracture, and priapism with a physical exam. All of the following problems require urgent treatment and your field assessment of the findings can help these patients receive the care they require.

Take care,

chbare.

Many of my pt's experience priapism when I examine their genitals.

Don't get me wrong I appreciate a good prapism as much as the next guy, but there was no information I could not have obtained just by asking the fellow. And when was the last time you had an ingrown hair present like testicular torsion with or without exam? Puhlease.

As far as the pt getting better care in the hospital, that is pretty much the murses and moctors job isn't it.

[spenac]

As far as the pt getting better care in the hospital, that is pretty much the murses and moctors job isn't it.

Actually what you provide can dictate how aggressive the doctors and nurses are in treating patient. W/o proper assessment your report might not trigger any red flags so they place them in waiting room instead of starting immediate care.