You’ve probably heard of the phrase “blue balls” before or used it yourself when sexually frustrated. But is there any truth behind it or was it just made up by a man who really wanted to get some? 

Turns out blue balls are very real, so the excuse you’ve been using to get laid actually has some credibility behind it. But it’s not life-threatening like the myth (obviously made up by a man) says. 

At worst blue balls are uncomfortable, but you’ll survive. Women are beginning to catch on to this phenomenon, so your days of guilt-trip sex are over. You’ll have to go back to the old-fashioned way of landing a woman, like a gentleman. 

What Causes Blue balls?

Not only are blue balls a real thing, but your balls do actually turn blue (in extreme cases). When you get erections and you don’t ejaculate, all these fluids build up and basically clog your pipes. The blood vessels in the area become engorged due to all this stimulation and when the blood is drained of all oxygen, it turns blue.

“Blue balls, known medically as epididymal hypertension (EH), is a condition that can affect people with testicles and a prostate,” says Dr. Evan Goldstein, Sexual Health Expert, Founder and CEO of Bespoke Surgical, and Co-Founder of Future Method. He assures us it’s not serious, but causes pain and aching in the testicles after having an erection and then not orgasming. 

“When men become turned on, blood flow to their penis and testicles increases, causing growth in both,” says Dr. Joshua Gonzalez, Resident Sexual Health Adviser at ASTROGLIDE. “This extra blood is typically released when a man orgasms as the body returns to an unaroused state.” If orgasm doesn’t occur, the blood remains in the testicles, which increases pressure and can sometimes cause pain.

Dr. Goldstein says that some people actually avoid orgasms on purpose, otherwise known as edging, the practice of stopping yourself from ejaculating just before you’re about to climax which can lead to more intense orgasms later on (which takes some serious self-control). “And others may get stimulated without the intent to ejaculate (like watching Elite or Bridgerton on Netflix).”