Urgent symptoms

Topics to discuss

• You cannot urinate at all, or have severe pressure in the lower belly
• An erection that lasts more than 4 hours
• Sudden, severe pain or swelling in a testicle
• Fever or chills with painful urination or pelvic pain
• Chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting, including during sexual activity
• If any of these happen, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Choosing the next step

Use the warning signs above to decide when emergency help is needed. This page cannot check your symptoms or tell you that it is safe to wait. If symptoms are severe, sudden, or getting worse quickly, seek urgent medical help. A routine appointment request is not an emergency service, and a message may not be read right away.

For a life-threatening emergency, call 911. Do not drive yourself if you feel faint, confused, or unable to travel safely. If possible, have someone stay with you while help arrives. Bring your medicine list and allergy information if they are easy to reach, but do not delay emergency care to collect records.

Sources

• Erectile Dysfunction — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
• Enlarged Prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
• Prostate Cancer: Screening — U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
• Testosterone Deficiency Guideline — American Urological Association (AUA)
• Testosterone Levels Test — MedlinePlus (NIH)
• Erectile Dysfunction — MedlinePlus (NIH)