'Blue balls': There’s no evidence they’re harmful, and they shouldn’t be used to pressure partners into sex
Most people — health-care providers included — are familiar with this term referring to scrotal discomfort experienced in response to prolonged sexual arousal without orgasm.
- Most people — health-care providers included — are familiar with this term referring to scrotal discomfort experienced in response to prolonged sexual arousal without orgasm.
- Although no one knows how the pain of blue balls develops, most implicate the slowed drainage of blood from the testicles in the absence of orgasm during sexual arousal.
- One of the key physiological aspects of sexual arousal is increased blood flow to areas of the body, including the genitals.
Anyone can get ‘blue balls’
- Let’s first clarify a major issue assumed by the term “blue balls” related to who can experience this phenomenon, based on the results of this study.
- The term assumes that discomfort resulting from sexual arousal without orgasm only exists in “balls,” referring to the scrotum.
- This is consistent with the lack of medical research and clinical attention to this topic.
Concerns about coercion
- Pressure to engage in sexual activity is sexual coercion, which is associated with negative outcomes in terms of health and well-being, such as increased risk of depression and anxiety, low self-esteem and negative sexual self-perceptions.
- Sexual activity in response to coercion certainly does not conform to enthusiastic and freely given sexual consent.
- A recent discussion about sexual coercion in response to “blue balls” gained much attention in response to a TikTok, which has since been deleted.
Gendered expectations
- It will take effort to change ideas related to sexual expectations in our society, many of which are gendered.
- The traditional sexual script — guidelines for “appropriate” sexual behaviour in heterosexual couples (for example, the “steps” to sexual intercourse, such as kissing and genital touching) — emphasizes heterosexual men’s pleasure.
- Sexual coercion in response to pain due to sexual activity without orgasm, is another example.