'Blue balls' is the popular slang term for vasocongestion in the male genital area, characterized by a dull pain in the lower body. The testicles do not actually turn blue. Instead, a bluish tint appears on the skin of the scrotum (although this may not happen in every case).
Cause and Symptoms
When a sexually-matured male is aroused, the following happens:
- His parasympathetic nervous system increases its inputs, causing an increased flow of blood and lymphatic fluids to the genital area.
- Concurrently, muscles that control fluid outflow constrict, resulting in a net increase of fluid concentration.
- These actions combine to ensure that regional blood pressure is high enough to sustain an erection for penetration during sexual intercourse.
- During this process, the testicles also increase in size by about 25 - 50 percent.
When the male reaches orgasm and ejaculates, the constricted muscles relax and the additional fluids flow out from the genital area. The penis and testicles then return to their normal size.
However, when there is prolonged sexual arousal without eventual ejaculation, the bodily fluids will pool, causing congestion in the testicles and the prostate region. The blood becomes oxygen-deprived and turns bluish, giving the condition its moniker.
The technical term for this condition is vasocongestion, which is often accompanied by a cramp-like ache at the lower abdomen, pain and tenderness of the testes, and a lingering sensation of heaviness and discomfort in the lower body.
The female homologue is usually referred to by the more general term 'pelvic congestion' or 'pink ovaries'.
Treatments
Vasocongestion does not cause any short- or long-term physical harm to the person, and neither is it contagious or infectious. Although it can be very uncomfortable, it is definitely not life-threatening or an emergency. Even if nothing is done, the symptoms usually subside within an hour of onset.
If one is eager for a quick relief, the easiest way is through ejaculation. That will jump-start the parasympathetic nervous system, increasing blood flow through the genital area and dissipating the build-up of fluids.
While this condition has been well known for a long time in folklore, there was scant documentation in medical literature until an article by Chalett and Nerenberg in Pediatrics 2000. Even so, the article contained little formal data, and simply concluded that "the treatment is sexual release".
One folk remedy is to simply lie down, which helps to alleviate the pain and discomfort. Another folk remedy is to take a cold shower. Placing an ice pack (or other cold objects) on the genital area supposedly helps too.
Coolnurse.com states that "the cool water of the shower would stimulate new warm blood to the scrotum", but local cooling might instead work by causing arterioles in the scrotal skin to constrict, thus decreasing blood flow to those tissues and allowing fluids to leave the congested areas.
In some circumstances, stimulation without ejaculation can be a consensual sexual act (as part of erotic sexual denial), or for the purpose of prolonging the duration of sexual activity. If that is the case, massaging the testes with the fingers or a vibrator may prevent the blood from pooling and prevent or decrease the severity of ‘blue balls’.
As explained above, 'blue balls' is normally not a serious condition. However, if the symptoms last for several hours or days after sexual arousal has ceased, then do consult a health care professional to confirm the underlying cause(s).
Kris Lee Wai Loon - Kris Lee has made a mid-career switch to freelance writing, and does not have any published/printed works to-date. Prior to this, in ...
