Blue balls
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Blue balls is a slang term for a temporary fluid congestion in the testicles and prostate region caused by prolonged sexual arousal in the human male. It is most commonly associated with adolescents but can occur in any sexually mature male. It is often accompanied by a cramp-like ache of prostatic congestion and pain/tenderness of the testes. While the term is sometimes applied to women, the female homologue is usually referred to by the more general term "pelvic congestion".
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[edit] Cause
The main cause of blue balls is prolonged sexual stimulation of the erect penis, either by direct or indirect contact, that does not result in orgasm and ejaculation.
During arousal in a sexually mature male, the sympathetic nervous system decreases its inputs to the genital tissues, resulting in increased blood flow to the testicles and prostate areas. As this happens, other fluid outflow muscles constrict, causing more bodily fluid to enter the area than leave, ensuring a high enough regional blood pressure to allow a sustained erection for penetration during sexual intercourse.
If orgasm is not achieved, blood and lymphatic fluid tend to pool, and the blood becomes oxygen deprived. The technical term for this is vasocongestion. In some men, this pooling of oxygen-starved blood may result in a bluish tint to the scrotum. It can be very painful, like a hit to the testicles except from the inside.
Men with priapism or orchalgia may experience an extreme, prolonged form of blue balls, which may require medical attention.
[edit] Treatment
The easiest way to relieve the symptoms of blue balls is through an orgasm either by masturbation or sexual intercourse. The resultant ejaculation jump-starts the sympathetic nervous system, which increases blood flow through the groin area, dissipating the fluid buildup. Even without orgasm, the symptoms of blue balls usually subside within an hour of onset, but they can also last much longer. While well known in folklore, there was scant information in the medical literature until an article by Chalett and Nerenberg in Pediatrics [1] 2000 which found little formal data regarding the condition but concluded that "the treatment is sexual release, or perhaps straining to move a very heavy object — in essence doing a Valsalva maneuver." Simply lying down can also sometimes help the pain associated with blue balls.
One folk remedy for blue balls is the cold shower. Putting cold substances (such as ice) on the crotch region significantly helps. One source [2] 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 fluid to leave the congested areas. On the other hand, soaking in a hot bath can help as well. Also, physical exercise like walking, climbing stairs etc, can ease the engorgement. Sometimes drugs containing pseudoephedrine can help quicken the process; however, availability of medicine containing pseudoephedrine is limited in some countries. Analgesics do not generally help as they do not involve prostaglandins.
[edit] In women
Women can also experience discomfort due to unrelieved vasocongestion as their genitals also become engorged with blood during sexual arousal. They can experience pelvic heaviness and aching if they do not reach orgasm. The general term pelvic congestion refers to such pain as it occurs in either sex.
[edit] References
Chalett, J.M., & Nerenberg L.T. (2000). "Blue balls": A diagnostic consideration in testiculoscrotal pain in young adults: A case report and discussion. Pediatrics, 106, 843. PMID 11015532
