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Blue
balls
"Blue balls"
is a slang term referring to testicular aching that may occur when the
blood that fills the vessels in a male's genital area during sexual
arousal is not dissipated by orgasm. When a man becomes sexually
excited, the arteries carrying blood to the genital area enlarge, while
the veins carrying blood from the genital area are more constricted than
in the non-aroused state. This uneven blood flow causes an increase in
volume of blood trapped in the genitals and contributes to the penis
becoming erect
and the testicles becoming engorged with blood. During this process of
vasocongestion the testicles increase in size 25-50 percent.
If the male reaches
orgasm and ejaculates, the arteries and veins return to their normal
size, the volume of blood in the genitals is reduced and the penis and
testicles return to their usual size rather quickly. If ejaculation does
not occur there may be a lingering sensation of heaviness, aching, or
discomfort in the testicles due to the continued vasocongestion. This
unpleasant feeling has popularly been called blue balls, perhaps because
of the bluish tint that appears when blood engorges the vessels in the
testicles.
The condition usually
does not last long and the level of pain associated with blue balls is
usually minor and can be exaggerated. Most men have been socialized to
ejaculate when they get an erection during sexual activity. Failure to
ejaculate and to feel orgasm often adds frustration and disappointment
to the reality of the physical sensation. Men who believe that they
should ejaculate every time they have an erection are likely to exert
pressure on their partner to proceed with sex without taking her
feelings into consideration. Some men find that masturbation is a viable
solution and some men are realizing that ejaculation is not a
requirement in every sexual situation. This attitude allows both men and
their partners to relax more and to learn that pleasure and meaning can
exist without having to reach ejaculation and orgasm during every sexual
encounter.
Men are not alone in
experiencing the discomfort of unrelieved vasocongestion. Women's
genitals also become engorged with blood during sexual arousal and, like
their male counterparts, women can experience pelvic heaviness and
aching if they do not reach orgasm.
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Sex
