The term “blue balls” is slang for epididymal hypertension, which is thought to occur when you get sexually aroused for an extended period of time but don’t have an orgasm or ejaculation. It’s not dangerous and it’s not a reason to pressure a partner into sexual activity. Anecdotal evidence suggests it’s fairly common but there’s almost no research available or much of a medical consensus on the condition. Here’s what we know about blue balls and how to take treatment into your own hands. What is blue balls? Blue balls or epididymal hypertension refer to scrotal pain or a feeling of heaviness after sustained sexual arousal without orgasm and ejaculation. The symptoms of blue balls include mild pain, discomfort, aching, heaviness, and sometimes — as the name suggests — a faint bluish colour in your testes (also known as testicles). What causes blue balls? “When things are getting hot and heavy, the body channels blood into the penis a...