Blu Balls
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Blu Balls
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The scrotum is the sac that protects the testicles and keeps them cool
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Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Ⓒ 2022 Dotdash Media, Inc. — All rights reserved
Verywell Health is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
Rod Brouhard is an emergency medical technician paramedic (EMT-P), journalist, educator, and advocate for emergency medical service providers and patients.
Jamin Brahmbhatt, MD, is a board-certified urologist and Chief of Surgery at Orlando Health South Lake Hospital.
Blue balls is the colloquial term for pain or a heavy feeling in the testicles caused by prolonged sexual arousal without orgasm in males. Blood vessels swell during arousal, and that subsides after ejaculation . If ejaculation is withheld or delayed (impaired), fluids build up, resulting in blue balls.
The condition itself—also known as epididymal hypertension—is uncomfortable, but not dangerous. It is common in newly pubescent boys, but it can also affect adult males. 1
This article discusses what blue balls mean, what happens in the body to cause them, and how you can get relief.
Blue balls is not a diagnosis, per se, but rather a way to characterize pain in the scrotum associated with prolonged sexual arousal without ejaculation. 1
Of course, the term is one you're more likely to hear in casual settings, rather than a healthcare provider's office. While most males will never need to see a healthcare provider about blue balls, as they are acutely aware of their cause, scrotal pain that is chronic or occurs independently of sex should be evaluated. 2
Medical providers will more often use the term acute scrotal pain. Prolonged sexual arousal is a very likely cause, but there are many other possible reasons for pain in the scrotum, testicles , epididymis (the tubes behind the testes that transport sperm ), and spermatic cord. 2
Whatever blue balls are called, the term acts as a placeholder until the doctor investigates the cause and ensures that a more serious condition is not involved. 2
Symptoms of blue balls can include: 1
Despite its name, blue balls doesn't cause the scrotum or testicles to turn blue. If bluish or purplish discoloration occurs with acute pain and swelling, this may be a sign of a medical emergency known as testicular torsion . 3
Blue balls is thought to be caused by the excessive accumulation of fluid in the epididymis during prolonged arousal. Without ejaculation, the "back up" of fluid can cause the epididymis to expand, causing discomfort or pain. 1
Blue balls may be also the consequence of:
Because the symptoms are non-specific, doctors investigating blue balls will almost always investigate other possible causes of acute scrotal pain. These include: 2
Blue balls may be differentiated from other types of acute scrotal pain in that the discomfort doesn't prevent sex. 6 By contrast, scrotal pain caused by trauma will often interfere with the ability to have sex.
If you truly have blue balls, the symptoms will typically resolve on their own. If you can't tolerate the discomfort, there are a few remedies that may help:
People with blue balls should never pressure their partners to engage in any sexual activity without full consent or engage in any form of coercion.
Blue balls is a phenomenon that definitely affects some people. It can be temporarily painful or uncomfortable, but it is serious or a threat to your health. It typically resolves on its own with some time.
However, if your symptoms recur, are chronic, or impact sexual activity, contact your healthcare provider. This may be a sign of another, more potentially serious problem. 7
If the pain is severe and accompanied by fever, nausea, vomiting, scrotal swelling, abdominal pain, and frequent urination, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room. 3
Typically, blue balls resolve on their own within one or several hours. The condition generally doesn't require medical attention. 2
Blue balls is a term that was coined as far back as 1916. 8 Despite its name, it rarely causes blue testicles.
A cold compress applied to the testicles may alleviate pain due to blue balls. Over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may also help. 2 Masturbation has been described as a remedy for blue balls in some older medical journals, although few doctors today would recommend masturbation as a medical treatment.
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Velasquez J, Boniface MP, Mohseni M. Acute scrotum pain . In: StatPearls [Internet].
Schick MA, Sternard BT. Testicular torsion . In: StatPearls [Internet].
Parnham A, Serefoglu EC. Retrograde ejaculation, painful ejaculation and hematospermia . Transl Androl Urol . 2016;5(4):592-601. doi:10.21037/tau.2016.06.05
Ayad BM, Van der Horst G, S Du Plessis S. Revisiting the relationship between the ejaculatory abstinence period and semen characteristics . Int J Fertil Steril . 2018;11(4). doi:10.22074/ijfs.2018.5192
Rockney R, Alario AJ. Blue balls . Pediatrics. 2001;108(5):1233-4.
Leslie SW, Sajjad H, Siref LE. Chronic testicular pain . In: StatPearls [Internet].
Dalzell T, Victor T. Sex Slang . London: Routledge; 2008. doi:10.4000/lexis.1889
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Have an orgasm to release the pressure. This is the quickest, easiest, and probably most enjoyable way to get rid of blue balls. Once you have an orgasm, all the blood drains away from your genitals, which gets rid of the problem. The sooner the better, so get started! You can do this alone through masturbation, or with a partner by having sex. As long as you have an orgasm and ejaculate, the method doesn’t matter. [1]
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Never use blue balls as an excuse to pressure your partner into having sex. You can take care of the problem yourself if your partner isn't in the mood.
Women can also feel something similar if they get aroused without having an orgasm, and the solution is the same.
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Hold a cold compress on your testicles if you don't want to have an orgasm. Sometimes, it's not the right time to have an orgasm or you don't want to have one. Luckily, you also have some other choices to get rid of blue balls. Try holding a cold compress against your testicles. [2]
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This might be a little uncomfortable at first, but it numbs the pain and also restricts blood flow. This should make you feel better until the blue balls pass.
A cold shower might seem like a cliché, but this works too! Try to focus the water on your testicles.
If you’re using a cold compress, always make sure you wrap it in a towel and don’t let it directly touch your skin. [3]
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Exercise to focus blood to other parts of your body. There is no real evidence that this works, but some men say it helps them. [4]
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Try doing some exercise to drain blood away from your genitals and towards other parts of your body. At the very least, this can distract you from the pain until the blue balls clear up.
This might be uncomfortable for a little while until the blood drains away from your genitals.
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Distract yourself with other activities so you don't notice the pain. Even if you do nothing, blue balls will eventually go away on their own without any problems. In the meantime, anything can distract you from the pain until it passes. [5]
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Do something you enjoy for a little while until the blood drains naturally.
Something that requires mental concentration, like solving a puzzle or playing a complicated videogame, could work well as a distraction.
You might find physical activities like sports more distracting. These work, too.
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Focus on non-sexual thoughts so the problem doesn't get worse. Unless you’re working on having an orgasm, then sexual thoughts won’t help your blue balls. Instead, they’ll keep you aroused and the blood won’t drain from your genitals. Clean out your dirty mind and focus on non-sexual thoughts while you’re trying to distract yourself. [6]
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Notice an aching heaviness in your testicles when you’re aroused. Blue balls only happen when you’re aroused. If you were aroused without having an orgasm and notice some pain or aching in your genitals, then it’s a good bet that you have blue balls. [7]
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You can get started trying to relieve the pain now.
This might feel slightly different for everyone. Some men say their testicles feel heavy or full, rather than painful. Some might feel dull or sharp pains around their genitals.
Remember that blue balls aren't harmful, so you don’t have to worry about seeing a doctor unless the pain doesn’t go away.
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Don’t rely on your testicles turning blue to identify blue balls. Despite the name, your balls probably won’t actually turn blue. [8]
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At most, your scrotum might have a slight blue tint or a few blueish areas where the veins are, but it probably won’t be too noticeable. Don’t rely on this sign to diagnose blue balls.
Your scrotum might look more red or pink instead of blue. This is from the blood building up in the area.
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See your doctor if your testicles hurt for more than a few days. In almost all cases, blue balls clear up on their own within a few hours and you won’t have any lasting problems. However, if the pain doesn’t go away, even after having an orgasm, then you might have an underlying issue. Wait a few days to see if the pain goes away, and if not, make an appointment with your doctor to get to the bottom of it. [9]
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On the other hand, you don’t have to see your doctor for blue balls as long as the pain goes away. It’s a normal problem that doesn’t cause any harm.
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Make a doctor’s appointment if your testicles hurt without being aroused. You might assume that any pain in your testicles means you have blue balls. However, if you feel pain in your testicles and you haven’t been aroused recently, then you probably don’t have blue balls. This might be from a separate issue, so if your testicles start hurting without a cause, then it’s best to see your doctor for an exam. [10]
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All kinds of things can cause testicular pain, and luckily, most of them aren’t dangerous. They range from minor infection
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