Edging: Can delaying ejaculation be bad for your health?

What is edging?

In order to stop ourselves succumbing to pleasure a little too soon, some men participate in a practise called edging,where they increase sexual stimulation and stop just before the point of orgasm. Many believe that this practice can help increase the intensity of their orgasms or even make them last longer in bed. But this technique does sound a little risky, so it's understandable that you'd want to know if there were any long term consequences.

What are the long term consequences of edging?

As it turns out, edging is actually a relatively harmless way to make sure your fun lasts just that little bit longer. Medical News Today reports that in the worst-case scenario, edging may result in a bit of blue balls, otherwise known as epididymal hypertension (yup, blue balls really exists!). This condition is characterised by pain in the testicles from sexual arousal that doesn't end in orgasm and is caused by restricted blood flow to the penis. But as the condition suggests, there is a surefire way to fix it.

Rest assured, when you edge your sperm won't get backed up into your body and get expelled into your bladder, kidneys or elsewhere. If you end up not reaching orgasm the body will actually breakdown and recycle components of the ejaculate.

Don't get edging confused with Delayed Ejaculation

The article also assures that edging is in no way a cause of erectile dysfunction.In fact, the practice has its roots in helping individuals treat and even prevent premature ejaculation. Some may also get edging confused with delayed ejaculation (DE). However, the two are actually completely different. DE, or anorgasmia is a condition in which the man can't ejaculate or may need up to 30 minutes or more to reach orgasm. This kind of condition can be caused by a number of different physical and psychological conditions. So, if you believe you may have DE then make sure you check with your doctor.