How To Deal With Blue Balls: 9 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow 7 Ways to Get Rid of Blue Balls

Download Article Find relief fast with these tips Explore this Article methods 1 Quick Solutions for Blue Balls 2 Blue Balls Symptoms & When to See a Doctor Other Sections Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Co-authored by Cath Hakanson

Last Updated: May 1, 2025 Fact Checked

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This article was co-authored by Cath Hakanson. Cath Hakanson is a global sex educator based in Greater Perth, Australia. With over 25 years of experience, Cath believes that parents should be able to educate their children about sex in a shame-free and fear-free way. As the founder of Sex Ed Rescue and Sex Ed Shop, she is on a mission to equip parents with the tools and confidence to make sex education more comfortable. Cath has helped over 1 million people around the world by creating comprehensive sex ed materials for parents, on topics including sex, gender identity, body diversity, consent, and more. Cath has previous experience as a sexual health nurse, a post-graduate certificate in sexual health and venereology, a master's in health promotion, and a post-graduate diploma in sexology. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, and more. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 230,102 times.

Blue balls (medically known as epididymal hypertension) is a condition where blood accumulates in the genitals during sexual arousal, but is never released due to a failure to orgasm.[1] This results in mild discomfort or pain, but resolves itself within a few hours. The condition is largely harmless, but if you’re looking for relief, this article will show you several easy ways to release the pressure or reduce the pain quickly. We’ll also cover the causes and symptoms of blue balls, as well as when to seek medical attention in case the pain is caused by a more serious issue.

Things You Should Know

Orgasm by masturbating for the fastest and most effective way to get rid of blue balls.
Or, try directing blood flow to other areas of your body through exercise, heavy lifting, or applying a cold compress to your genitals.
Blue balls will resolve itself within a few hours at most. If pain persists, or if you experience pain without arousal, schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 2:

Quick Solutions for Blue Balls

1 Have an orgasm to release the pressure in your genital blood vessels.[2] X Expert Source Cath HakansonGlobal Sex Educator Expert Interview This is the quickest, easiest, and most effective way to get rid of blue balls. Simply excuse yourself to masturbate, or engage in sex with a partner if they’re available and consenting. Once you have an orgasm, all the blood that has built up in your genitals will drain away, which gets rid of the problem.[3] X Research source
- Blue balls and the associated discomfort is the result of prolonged sexual arousal[4] , which sends blood to the genitals. If orgasm isn’t reached, the blood lingers in the genitals and may cause feelings of heaviness, mild pain, or discomfort.
- Sometimes, urination will relax the muscles and blood vessels in your genitals and allow the pressure to subside.
- Never use blue balls as an excuse to pressure your partner into having sex. Take care of the problem yourself if your partner isn't in the mood.
2 Hold a cold compress to your testicles if you don't want to orgasm. Sometimes, it's not the right time to have an orgasm or you don't want to have one for various reasons. Instead, try holding a cold compress against your testicles.[5] X Research source This might be a little uncomfortable at first, but the cold will numb the pain and also restrict blood flow to the area. This should make you feel better until the blue balls pass.
- If you don’t have an ice bag or cold compress on hand, try taking a cold shower and focusing the water onto your testicles.
- If you’re using a cold compress, always make sure to wrap it in a towel so it doesn’t directly touch your skin.[6]
- Alternatively, try taking a warm bath if you don’t like cold showers. The heat may encourage blood flow, but will also relax your blood vessels to allow blood to leave your genitals as well.
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3 Exercise to focus blood in other parts of your body. This method hasn’t been studied medically, but there’s anecdotal evidence to support it.[7] X Research source Try doing a short exercise routine, like going for a run or lifting weights, to drain blood from your genitals and towards muscles elsewhere in your body. At the very least, this may distract you from the discomfort until the blue balls clear up.
- Try lifting something heavy, like large weights or a piece of furniture, to exert physical pressure in a different part of your body and take focus from your genitals.
- If you’re unable to exercise, try simply lying down on your back. This may reroute blood flow away from the testicles.
4 Distract yourself with other activities so you don't notice the discomfort. 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.[8] X Research source Do a hobby you enjoy, watch TV, read a book, or go for a walk for a little while until the blood drains naturally.
- Try something that requires mental concentration, like solving a puzzle or playing a complicated video game, to keep your mind off your blue balls.
- For a quick distraction, pinch your arm or leg a couple of times. Your response to the pain can help take your mind off the discomfort in your genitals.
5 Focus on non-sexual thoughts to help the discomfort fade faster. Unless you’re intentionally working up to an orgasm, sexual thoughts may make the issue worse by keeping you aroused. Try thinking about work tasks, making a to-do list of things to fix around the house, or anything else you can think of to take your mind off of sexual or arousing thoughts.[9] X Research source
- Try meditating or doing some breathing exercises to focus on other thoughts. You may begin to feel relief in as little as a few minutes.
6 Try taking over-the-counter pain medication to relieve discomfort. If other options aren’t working and you want fast relief, take the recommended dose of an OTC drug like acetaminophen (Tylenol) or a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like ibuprofen, aspirin, or naproxen (Aleve). Keep in mind that the discomfort may fade on its own before the drug takes effect, though.[10] X Research source
- Medication isn’t necessary to treat blue balls since the discomfort is typically mild and goes away on its own. If you’re frequently taking pain medicine for testicular or genital pain, see your doctor to diagnose or rule out more serious conditions.
7 Wait it out. The good news is, blue balls is not a serious condition and will go away on its own with time.[11] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source There aren’t many studies on exactly how long this takes—some men report feeling relief in just a few minutes, while others experience slight discomfort for several hours.
- Continue distracting yourself or simply go on with your daily activities while you wait patiently for the issue to resolve itself.

Method 2 Method 2 of 2:

Blue Balls Symptoms & When to See a Doctor

1 Notice an aching heaviness in your testicles during or after arousal. Blue balls only happen when you’re aroused, or after arousal if you didn’t achieve an orgasm. The discomfort might feel slightly different for everyone—some men say their testicles feel heavy or full rather than painful, while others might feel dull or sometimes sharp pains around their genitals.[12] X Research source
- 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.
- The mild pain or discomfort is typically felt in both testicles rather than in just one or the other. If you feel soreness or sharp pain in only one testicle, or if you feel pain or discomfort without having been aroused at all, it may indicate a different problem. See a doctor if the pain persists for more than 1 day.
2 Examine your scrotum for a slight blue tinge, but know this is unlikely. Despite the name of the condition, your balls probably won’t actually turn blue.[13] X Trustworthy Source Cleveland Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source At most, your scrotum might have a slight blue tint or a few blueish areas where the veins are, but it likely won’t be very 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.
3 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.[14] X Research source
- Remember, blue balls is a normal problem. If the pain goes away on its own and isn’t interfering in your daily activities or sex life, you don’t have to see a doctor.
- Notice if the pain is accompanied by a lump or swelling around a testicle. This could indicate a condition like epididymitis (the swelling of the epididymis, a small tube attached to each testicle).
4 Seek immediate medical attention if your testicles hurt without arousal. If you feel pain in your testicles without arousal, then it’s unlikely that blue balls is the cause. See a doctor right away if you experience sudden, severe testicle pain or pain accompanied by nausea, fever, chills or blood in your urine, as this could indicate a serious condition like testicular torsion (the rotating of a testicle along the spermatic cord).[15] X Research source
- While testicular torsion is the most serious possibility, there are a number of less worrying causes for testicular pain including minor infections, fluid buildup, inflammation, or injuries. These are all treatable problems.[16]

Expert Q&A

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Tips

Females can also experience something similar to blue balls as their genitals may be swollen or achy after being aroused for a long time. This condition is known as blue vulva or blue bean, and is generally treated the same as blue balls.[17] Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 0
Some people describe blue balls as a myth or as more of a metaphor for emotional or mental disappointment at a lack of orgasm. Though blue balls can and does happen, it is far more rare than anecdotes and pop culture make it seem. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 5
Since blue balls is largely harmless, there’s been little medical research into treating the condition. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 7

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Warnings

Do not use blue balls to pressure your partner into having sex. Since it’s an unserious issue that resolves on its own or with masturbation, doing so could be seen as sexual coercion or manipulation.[18] Thanks Helpful 14 Not Helpful 6

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References

↑ Cath Hakanson. Global Sex Educator. Expert Interview
↑ Cath Hakanson. Global Sex Educator. Expert Interview
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6DSZa6HLD8
↑ Cath Hakanson. Global Sex Educator. Expert Interview
↑ https://www.issm.info/sexual-health-qa/what-are-blue-balls-and-blue-vulva/
↑ https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=abl3307
↑ https://prioritymensmedical.com/blog/are-blue-balls-real-epididymal-hypertension/
↑ https://www.issm.info/sexual-health-qa/what-are-blue-balls-and-blue-vulva/
↑ https://www.issm.info/sexual-health-qa/what-are-blue-balls-and-blue-vulva/

More References (9)

↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6DSZa6HLD8
↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/blue-balls/
↑ https://www.issm.info/sexual-health-qa/what-are-blue-balls-and-blue-vulva/
↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/blue-balls/
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6DSZa6HLD8
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6DSZa6HLD8
↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6DSZa6HLD8
↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/blue-balls/
↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/blue-balls/

About This Article

Co-authored by: Cath Hakanson Sexual Health Nurse This article was co-authored by Cath Hakanson. Cath Hakanson is a global sex educator based in Greater Perth, Australia. With over 25 years of experience, Cath believes that parents should be able to educate their children about sex in a shame-free and fear-free way. As the founder of Sex Ed Rescue and Sex Ed Shop, she is on a mission to equip parents with the tools and confidence to make sex education more comfortable. Cath has helped over 1 million people around the world by creating comprehensive sex ed materials for parents, on topics including sex, gender identity, body diversity, consent, and more. Cath has previous experience as a sexual health nurse, a post-graduate certificate in sexual health and venereology, a master's in health promotion, and a post-graduate diploma in sexology. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Women’s Health, Cosmopolitan, and more. This article has been viewed 230,102 times. 39 votes - 67% Co-authors: 7 Updated: May 1, 2025 Views: 230,102 Categories: Men's Health

Medical Disclaimer

The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.

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