New research has debunked many myths surrounding 'blue balls'. Here's what we've learned.

It's the phrase so many of us have heard since our adolescence — men referring to their 'blue balls' in a tone that tries to garner sympathy or sexual gratification from another person. 

But is there any validity to it?

The term 'blue balls' is seen as 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. 

The irony is that there is very little record of the term epididymal hypertension in textbooks or medical journals. The legitimacy of epididymal hypertension, therefore, remains relatively unproven.

As for the blue reference, some medical professionals say that when the oxygen-deprived blood stays trapped in the testicles, it develops a light bluish hue — hence the name blue balls. 

Ultimately though, medical experts have confirmed that blue balls are not dangerous. So fear not penis owners!

Anecdotally speaking, many feel that some men tend to use the idea of blue balls as a way to pressure their partner into sexual activity.

Watch: Addressing gender inequities in healthcare. Post continues below.

As one woman shares with Mamamia: "When I was in my 20s, my then-boyfriend would pressure me into having sex with him all the time. He claimed he would get blue balls if he didn't have penetrative sex every two days. Looking back on it, I feel I was completely duped."

This week, new research has come out — and it sheds a lot of light.

A new peer-reviewed paper led by scientists at Queen's University appeared in the Sexual Medicine Journal, aiming to evaluate the general understanding and frequency of blue balls. They also sought to find out whether individuals have ever been pressured to continue sexual activity because of a partner's fears of experiencing pain without orgasm.

First and foremost, one of the findings that's made news — is that if the symptoms of blue balls are true, then the same can be said for women and 'blue vulvas'. 

While the clitoris doesn't change colour, it's equally prone to feeling discomfort when excess blood remains in it for a long time without release.

Out of those surveyed, men/those with a penis were asked when they've approached orgasm, but didn't ejaculate, whether their testicles or the area around them ever hurt. 

Interestingly, over half said yes. As for the ladies/those with vaginas, they too felt something like the 'blue balls' phenomenon, with 49 per cent saying yes to the same question. 

For those wondering, what is the solution for those who feel as though they are experiencing blue balls or a blue vulva? Simply to masturbate if you so wish. 

So why do many with a penis tend to pressure their sexual partner into 'fixing' their blue balls problem for them?

According to Wendy Zukerman — a science journalist and podcast host of Science Vs — more individuals with a vagina than a penis have reported being pressured into a sexual act due to a partner's fear of experiencing pain without orgasm.

Amazingly, it was an initial survey of listeners from Zukerman's podcast that sparked these subsequent scientific findings. It indicated there is often pressure and expectations put upon those with a vagina to act sexually to prevent their partners' experience of blue balls.

"It's been 20 years since a paper has been published on blue balls," Wendy Zukerman said this week on Science Vs. "It has become this useful tool for some men to use to get sex. One listener said she'd been called a tease — others said they were made to feel really guilty about not making their partners ejaculate."

Stories like these have recently been flooding TikTok, predominantly women talking about their encounters with heterosexual men and the unfounded claims some men have made about their testicles.

@killljoyy

never let boys (or girls) use 🔵🔵 as an excuse to pressure u into something lol

♬ original sound - haylohayley™

@pipslip like stop being so dramatic and manipulative smh #pain #women #fyp #men ♬ Comical and a little silly carefree music(831995) - Etsuo Kawasaki

With these findings in mind, Mamamia spoke to four women about the pressure they have felt from their male partner regarding blue balls —  and how they reflect on it now.

"With hindsight, I feel like the sexual frustration I felt after sex (where I had no orgasm because my boyfriend had no clue what female pleasure was, let alone the clitoris) could be on par with his claims of blue balls. I believe that he experienced 'blue balls' in terms of discomfort sometimes and a desire for a release, but that experience isn't just exclusive to one gender."

"One guy told me he absolutely NEEDED to masturbate if he didn't have enough sex within the week, otherwise his balls would be extremely painful. He also claimed it would be potentially harmful to his fertility/swimmers. To now know that was a fair amount of bullsh*t coming from him has me irritated."

"My ex-husband used to make this very claim of blue balls. When I found out he had cheated on me, his reasoning was that I hadn't given him enough sex and that he had needed to look elsewhere for that. Not that it should matter, but we were having sex once a week to once a fortnight. I didn't believe his excuse then, and now with this study front of mind, I feel even stronger in my belief."

"I have such vivid memories of being in a sex ed class in high school. We had been separated by gender, and then when we came back together as a group, one of the boys yelled across the classroom: 'Did you girls learn about our blue balls?' The teacher then was put on the spot to clarify what the boy had said, but chose to back up the boys and say that often sex is the best way to relieve it. That thinking stuck with me for a long time."

Have you ever experienced blue balls/a blue vulva, or felt coerced into sexual activity due to someone's claims of blue balls? Let us know in the comments below.

Feature Image: Canva/Mamamia.