Female Blue Balls: What is the Blue Bean, How It Feels & How to Fix It ASAP

We know guys can get blue balls, but what about girls? Do female blue balls exist? Do the old ‘blue vulva’ stories have truth to them? Let’s find out!

Fellow females! Have you ever been on a date with someone really hot, gone home, made out, started to get it on… and something interrupted? It could have been a family emergency, a cat jumping on the bed, or an important call from your boss. But whatever it was, it was extremely inconvenient.  It forced you to stop whatever you were doing, and left you with this uncomfortable, throbbing feeling all over your body – particularly down there. Yep, you’ve got female blue balls, AKA blue vulva or blue bean.

Most of you probably have had this experience. It’s not anything serious, and will fade within a couple of minutes, but it does have a name. And boy, does it have a lot of names! For the time being, let’s call it blue vulva. [Read: The biggest blue ball facts every girl’s got to know]

Female blue balls? Really?

We loved looking for the right name for this. Not because we call it the blue vulva, but also because of the many, many, many funny names that people have invented to describe female blue balls!

You’ve got:

pink balls *we’d say most of the ones owned by men are a tad pinkish*

blue bean *HAHAHA*

blue ovaries *not scientifically reliable*

blue walls *hmm, acceptable*

blue lips *strange, but still reasonable*

And probably many other names popping out of the creative and amazing world that is the Internet.

To give you a better understanding of how the phenomenon came to be, let’s take a look at its etymological predecessor: blue balls. [Read: A full guide to blue balls and experiences from real guys]

What’s the difference between female blue balls, and male?

Scientifically, blue balls is known as vasocongestion, or fluid congestion in the testicles accompanied by testicular pain.

Blue balls is usually caused by prolonged sexual arousal or interruption of ejaculation. It can be relieved by sexual release. In layman’s terms, your boy didn’t get any tonight. [Read: The most common health reasons why sex can be really painful for men]

For women, it’s quite different. Women don’t usually complain of pain; however, they can experience a heavy feeling in the pelvic area when sexual stimulation is interrupted before they reach climax.

For others, there may also be resentment, insecurity, and disappointment in their partner’s lack of effort to get them off. We’re kidding… Maybe.

So, what happens when girls get blue balls?

Again, before tackling what happens during female blue balls, let’s take a peek at male blue balls.

The physiology of male blue balls

Blue balls occur when ejaculation is prevented or interrupted. Before this can happen, the seminal vesicles need to produce semen during stimulation. These vesicles are located inside the pelvis, a little behind the urethra and the prostate.

Contrary to popular belief, the testicles do not carry semen. They actually contain the seminiferous tubules, which produce the sperm, and the epididymis, where the sperm matures. So, it is not true that men are walking around carrying two bags of jizz – they are technically carrying two bags of sperm. [Read: The amazing facts about semen you probably didn’t know]

This means guys don’t get blue balls because the testes are backed up with semen. The reason why their balls look enlarged with a bluish tinge is because of the blood that accumulated in the vessels during stimulation.

The increase in pressure causes the pain that they feel in their scrotum. It’s just the same as when they have a boner.

Experts believe that the only way to relieve this pressure immediately is through sexual release. Otherwise, guys just have to bear the pain until their boys start to relax. We recommend deep breathing exercises. [Read: You need to calm down – Instant hacks to chill out fast]

What about the girls already?!

As for women, the physiology of blue bean happens in a different body part – the clitoris. The ovaries are not mechanically involved in sexual arousal, so female blue balls doesn’t happen there. Their purpose is purely hormonal.

With women, the discomfort that comes from interrupted sexual release is due to the same mechanisms that caused it for men – backed-up blood in their lady bits. The clitoris is the counterpart of the man’s penile head and shaft. Just like with a penis, arousal causes the clitoris to enlarge and fill up with blood. [Read: Female masturbation – 17 facts about this naughty secret]

If a woman orgasms, the pelvic contractions will release this blood from her reproductive system, and back into the rest of her body.

However, when a woman does not climax, the blood will take a while to dissipate, leaving her girly bits feeling heavy, lonely, awkward, and uncomfortable – the way women usually feel when they’re PMS-ing.

Signs of female blue balls

Do you think you’re suffering from a case of blue vulva? These are the signs and symptoms to look out for. If you’re suffering from more than two, it’s time to relieve that pressure!

1. Aching clit

You have aching or fullness in your clit. Due to the fact that the clitoris has some of the most nerve endings out of any female body part, this will feel much worse than it actually is.

It may throb, pulse, feel overly sensitive, or even hurt slightly when touched.

2. Sore uterus

You feel a heaviness, pressure or even cramping pain throughout your abdomen *the part between your belly button and vagina*. This is because you have increased blood flow to the region.

The smooth muscles around your vagina – such as the pubococcygeus muscle – are also preparing to contract when you climax, meaning they are more tense than usual.

3. Uncomfortable feeling of fullness

Your clit, vagina and/or vulva are darker in color and feel uncomfortably full. This fullness can extend throughout your pelvic region, on the inside too. This is because the area is full of blood that hasn’t yet been released.

[Read: Feminine energy – How to release it, increase it, and embrace it]

How common is blue vulva/blue bean?

It’s clear that female blue balls exists. There’s tons of anecdotal evidence, and it’s likely you’ve experienced it too if you’re reading this feature. However, scientists haven’t ever conducted proper large-scale studies on the phenomenon. It’s not easy to track, as all the physiological changes occur invisibly within a woman’s body – unlike a man’s erection.

The most accurate way to measure how common female blue balls is, is by measuring how many women don’t experience orgasm in their sexual encounters. [Read: Are you having bad sex? All the signs to look for]

According to sex therapists, almost a third of women don’t orgasm during vaginal sex. It’s likely that all these women will experience some form of blue vulva – especially if their partners don’t make the effort to bring them to climax afterwards.

That means up to 1 in 3 women will regularly suffer blue vulva. That’s not even counting the girls going solo! [Read: How to masturbate right – 23 quick and sexy self pleasure tips for women]

Although it’s very common, female blue balls is not a significant problem. On average, the uncomfortable heavy sensation will dissipate within 15 to 20 minutes.

How uncomfortable is female blue balls?

Usually, female blue balls is uncomfortable rather than painful. It feels just like a heaviness or pressure, causing you discomfort – especially when you sit down.

However, the discomfort increases according to how aroused you’ve become, or how your specific body responds to sexual stimulation. For some women, orgasm can be a full-body experience!

Sometimes, only the clitoris will have become engorged with blood. However, if you’re more aroused *or your body just responds that way*, the clitoris, vulva, vaginal walls, and even uterus can become engorged.

This will be more uncomfortable for you, and usually takes a little longer to go down. You’ll experience a throbbing, pulsing or painful sensation throughout your whole pelvic region. Ouch!

How do I treat blue balls or blue vulva?

Usually, you don’t need to. There are no verified accounts of harmful effects of either blue bean or blue balls. It is not a medical emergency, unless the blood refuses to dissipate even after an inordinate amount of time.

If the clitoris or the penis and balls do not relax or continue to feel painful after an hour, you need to go to the hospital immediately.

Really, only erectile dysfunction drugs like Viagra will cause this issue. With a normal case of blue balls and blue bean, a trip to the emergency room is highly unlikely.

That means that it is okay to have blue bean or blue balls. It sucks, but at least nothing’s going to fall off – that is a different medical condition altogether! Seriously, go to the hospital if that happens. [Read: Problems ‘down there’ that you shouldn’t ignore]

How to handle blue vulva

Of course, even if it’s not a medical emergency, sometimes you just want a way to relieve the discomfort. If you can’t wait 20 minutes for your female blue balls to go down, here are our top tips on how to handle blue vulva.

1. Masturbate to reach orgasm

There’s no scientific evidence that masturbation is the best cure for female blue balls, but it usually seems to work!

Try stroking your clit or playing with a favorite sex toy to bring yourself to orgasm. This will release the tension of female blue balls, and make you feel better.

Masturbation done right can be extremely healthy, too; it releases the ‘happiness hormones’ dopamine and oxytocin, relieves stress, and strengthens your pelvic muscles. These can all help prevent the aggravation of blue vulva in the future! [Read: The 37 health benefits, drawbacks and must-knows of female masturbation]

However, be aware that blue bean can sometimes make your clitoris oversensitive, and painful to touch. The extra blood engorging the area can also make the skin slightly more fragile, so it bruises and irritates much more easily.

Always go gently when masturbating to relieve your female blue balls. You don’t want to hurt yourself.

2. Rest and let time go by

Doctors describe female blue balls as a self-resolving condition. This means that if you’re willing to wait that golden 15-20 minutes, the issue will resolve itself. Even without reaching orgasm, your body will naturally disperse the blood over time, and your genitals will return to normal.

Of course, you will have some discomfort for those couple of minutes. So make sure you sit back, relax and take care of yourself. [Read: Calming ‘me-time’ ideas for better self-care]

3. Try to distract yourself

Distract yourself by doing nonsexual things. Try doing something involving like reading a book, drawing or playing a video game. The less sexy the activity, the better! This will take your brain out of sexual mode, and encourage it to reverse your arousal process.

4. Exercise

You could also try doing some exercise. When you exercise, it raises your heart rate and gets your blood pumping, in the same way as when your body becomes aroused.

However, exercise increases blood flow around your whole body, rather than just to your genitals. This is called normalizing the flow, and helps redistribute your blood to relieve the pressure down there.

Exercise is especially useful when you want to hide that you’ve been turned on. Going for a run or doing some jumping jacks will not only help with your blue vulva, but also give you a good excuse for being so hot and sweaty! [Read: Work it out – 28 motivating ways to exercise more]

5. Jump into a cold shower

A low-temp shower will slow down the blood flow to your nether regions. When the cold water hits your genitals, it will also desensitize your nerve endings, and make you less receptive to stimulation. This cuts blue bean dead in its tracks! Cold showers are also an excellent way to clear your head post-sex.

Never let someone guilt you using blue balls as an excuse

Sometimes, guys or girls will use blue bean/blue balls as an excuse to convince you to have sex when you don’t want to.

If they do think that’s a valid reason, send them to a doctor – a head doctor – because you are not a toy to use as they please for their sexual desires. [Read: Sex buzzkill – 23 remarks that will kill the mood for sex instantly]

Don’t be afraid to get blue bean, either, if you don’t feel comfortable going all the way. You have the right to experience sex at your own pace; don’t ever feel pressured to go further than you want to. After all, blue bean is temporary, mistakes are forever.

As for being interrupted before you finish, it can happen to anyone. Take it as a lesson. A lesson that tells you to prepare for any eventuality in the bedroom, be it a premature ejaculation, an amateur sex partner, a neighbor banging on your door during sex, or even an unexpected visit from your parents.

Blue bean is a part of life. It’s an annoying part of life, but you’ll get over it.

On the bright side, getting blue bean just means that you’re going to get another chance to get that problem off your clit – er, balls – we mean, chest! [Read: 33 absolutely fascinating facts about sex you never knew!]

Have you ever experienced female blue balls or blue bean yourself? Do you think it’s really possible? Tell us in the comments below!