I remember my first experience with Epididymal Hypertension, also known as Blue Balls. At 19 years old, I didn’t believe the condition was real. It wasnt a new concept by any means as I had heard the term many times. But I was under the impression that it was a made-up condition men used to get their lady friends to put out. I won’t bore you with the details, but this was back in the dial-up days, so I couldn’t just google it. It took me the better part of two days to recover fully, and I remember the experience vividly. Many men have suffered from EH, but luckily there are ways to prevent blue balls, and several home remedies should you find yourself suffering from it.

What is Epididymal Hypertension?

First, let’s talk about what epididymal hypertension is. EH is caused by overstimulation or by being stimulated for extended periods without ejaculation. It can be caused by the use of devices or practices which prevent ejaculation. More commonly, it is prolonged exposure to a sexually exciting experience that doesn’t result in release.

When a male gets sexually aroused, blood flow to the penis and testicles increases, causing an erection. Over time, this can cause the testis to ache, swell, and feel heavy. It can, in some cases, be severe enough to cause testis to look bluish, similar to bruising, though not as intense. Thus, the name blue balls. Luckily symptoms usually don’t last long, and most men recover within a day or so. EH is more common in young men and teens than in older men.

Ways to Prevent Blue Balls.

Obviously, not putting yourself into a situation that can cause EH is the best form of prevention. If you find yourself in a situation that could escalate to EH, excusing yourself to masturbate is always an option (we have a few toys to help with that). Of course, whether or not this is viable is entirely circumstantial. But in my experience, if you are getting close to the point of getting EH and she hasn’t budged towards sex, she probably isn’t going to. It’s hard to know how long it will take before the pain starts until you have experienced it a few times.

Another option is to masturbate before a date. This sometimes helps prevent EH by making it harder to achieve the conditions required to get EH. This option didn’t ever work for me when I was in my 20s, but recovery time has gotten slower as I’ve gotten older.

Distracting yourself by thinking of something else can help in the prevention of blue balls. By not allowing yourself to stay erect for prolonged periods, you can significantly reduce your chances of getting EH.

Remedies for Blue Balls.

Just as there are ways to prevent blue balls, there are also several remedies you can try. Not all of them work for everybody. The obvious solution when you get blue balls is to masturbate. This can prevent your situation from getting worse and also relieves some of the pressure and pain. Even still, it can take several hours or even days to recover fully.

Cold showers are said to help. When the body is cold, blood vessels in the extremities constrict, and blood is reallocated to your core. This might help pull some of the blood out of your genitals and relieve the pressure.

Exercising works in a similar way to a cold shower. The body reallocates blood flow to areas that need more oxygen, thus pulling the excess blood from the genitals.

Trying to lift something heavy is said to help with blue balls. A friend of mine told me that when he experiences EH, he goes out to his car and tries to deadlift the back end a few times, though I have never tried this method myself.

Taking a nap or lying down for a while can help normalize blood flow throughout the body. Taking ibuprofen can also reduce the symptoms of blue balls.

Conclusion

The last option is to let the pain go away on its own. While blue balls can be a painful experience, they usually don’t last long or have any lingering effects. In most cases, symptoms of epididymal hypertension will go away in a few hours. But it can last a few days. If you are experiencing blue balls regularly, it’s probably time to see a doctor. There are several conditions that cause similar symptoms, and it could be something else entirely. If you have any other ways to prevent blue balls, tips, or remedies you would like to share; please leave us a comment below.