The term "blue balls" has been around for quite some time now. And most sexually active men will have experienced the phenomenon at least once during their life. The term relates to that horrible sensation and pain that occurs when a man nears climax, but stops just before it happens.
Believe it or not, there is a female equivalent, and it's called "pink balls".
Foreplay often involves someone teasing a woman's clitoris until the point of climax, before stopping and doing other things. This is thought to heighten anticipation and deliver a more intense orgasm.
However, some women talk of an uncomfortable, almost painful sensation - a result of not being allowed to climax at the appropriate moment. Of course, the "balls" are metaphorical, relating to the male equivalent.
This isn't a state of mind or a metaphor for frustration, either. There is some sound medical reasoning behind the sensation.
While pink balls isn't a formal medical condition, physicians believe they know what causes it. When men build up to an orgasm but fail to achieve it, a build-up of blood around the groin can occur - and a similar process occurs in women during the same scenario.
Blood flows to the clitoris during stimulation, which causes it to harden. In addition, the labia and the walls of the vagina also get filled with blood.
In most cases, this advanced state of arousal would lead to an orgasm, which would physically relieve the pressure caused by the accumulation of blood. However, when the blood isn't released via an orgasm, it remains there.
In fact, it can continue to accumulate, which is what causes the unusual sensations and considerable pain.
Fortunately for women, the labia, the vaginal walls and the clitoris are constantly being filled and drained of blood. So when a build-up occurs during stimulation, the pain isn't usually as bad as it is for men with "blue balls".
If you experience this unusual condition, it's important to make adequate time for sex. Running out of time can leave you frustrated, and susceptible to the pain pink balls can cause.
Whenever you're having your clitoris teased, insist on climaxing. And if your partner can't do the job, you can always do it yourself.