Why does my scrot cuddle with my taint when I'm ill?

March 23, 2010 12:05 PM

Man-filter: Why does the scrotum tighten and pull up close against the body when you have stomach problems?

I've noticed this with any type of G.I. distress, personally, and have always wondered about the physiological reasoning behind it.

posted by anonymous to Health & Fitness (6 answers total)

I've noticed that my scrotum tends to respond most drastically to changes in my body temperature. If it is true that GI trouble is the cause, then possibly increased blood flow to your stomach/intestines has rendered your extremities colder, causing your scrotum to get in closer to maintain its preferred temperature. Compare with what happens when you have a fever and your balls try to get as far away from you body as possible, and you start accidentally kicking them.
posted by greekphilosophy at 12:09 PM on March 23, 2010 [2 favorites]

It is probably this variant of the cremasteric reflex.
posted by TedW at 12:21 PM on March 23, 2010

I've never noticed this. I'm not sure you can generalize the behavior of your man-bits to all man-bits.
posted by chairface at 12:55 PM on March 23, 2010

I'm with chairface on this one (well, other than the whole calling them "man-bits" thing).
posted by JaredSeth at 2:09 PM on March 23, 2010

So they don't get shotgunned when your G.I. distress becomes explosive.
posted by Barry B. Palindromer at 4:58 PM on March 23, 2010

...in a similar vein, I have been curious why it does that when I shiver (not from cold) or sometime sneeze.

but interesting to learn the reflex has a name, thanks TedW.
posted by lundman at 7:26 PM on March 23, 2010