Cock and Ball Torture | The Importance of Playing Safe 

November men's health month (aka Movember) has come around again, and this time we want to talk about those ovoid dangly bits that often accompany penis owners - and along with them, the prostate gland. Because while these anatomical features can be sexually arousing to stimulate, overdoing it within a cock and ball torture context can result in various unpleasant injuries.

 

A brief look at cock and ball torture (CBT)

Despite the word 'torture' at the end of the term, CBT is less about actively trying to hurt someone and more like an overly dramatic way to describe the range of things that someone can do to a person's genitalia. 

What CBT can be is a remarkably exhaustive list that ranges from testicular torsion (where a person's balls are pulled or twisted) to light impact play on the shaft and head of the penis. However, there are far too many things within CBT to try and cover in the limited space we have here. If you're curious to learn more about CBT or genital torture in general, take a look at some articles and threads here on Fetish.com or whatever else you might find on other sites - or in person by taking classes at BDSM events. 
 

The risks and rewards of CBT

Why someone would want their testicles tugged or compressed or their penis tightly restrained is due to the nerves that go straight to the sexual arousal part of many people's brains.

Then there's the psychological aspect, as in a Dominant receiving consent to exert control over another person's genitalia or a submissive finding erotic pleasure in relinquishing control of their bodies.

No matter the reason (and despite what those porn videos may have lied to you about) the penis and testicles are incredibly fragile. If damaged, there's a high probability that they won't fully heal, thus affecting achieving and maintaining an erection or resulting in permanent changes to their appearance.

Even somewhat innocuous toys like cock rings, which gently constricts the penis's blood flow and aids in getting and keeping an erection along with decreasing sensitivity, if worn for too long or if it's too tight, can harm this delicate body part. If twisted or pulled excessively, the same can happen to testicles, including damaging the blood vessels. If not immediately treated, it may require the removal of the testicle.
 

Prostate precautions

For those with born penises, inside the anus is the prostate - a gland that creates the fluid that allows ejaculation to do its wet and sticky thing. When stimulated with a finger or a specially-designed sex toy, this gland can also help produce a special kind of orgasm (sometimes called an anal orgasm) or provide a regular one with an extra-powerful boost.

Like the testicles, the shaft and head of the penis didn't evolve to take a lot of punishment, similarly, with the anus - which brings us to another harsh reality: overly rough anal play has a good chance of seriously injuring someone. And since the anus is pretty much constantly at work, it can take a long time to heal—and if there's an open wound, as from tearing, there's also the risk of infection.
 

Play safe, play for a long time

There are simple ways to avoid or considerably diminish the possible risks from engaging in these BDSM-play activities. Beginning with education—and, no, we don't mean watching porn videos, as while entertaining, they are not how-to lectures on the subject. Find someone who knows the good and the possible bad things about whatever you may want to do, and from there, learn some more—then repeat until you have both eyes open to what you're about to do.

Next is preparation. Ensure your toys, lubes, and whatever else is high-quality and were designed and built for these kinds of play. A leading cause of injuries from BDSM is a combination of ignorance coupled with using cheap or inappropriate toys or lube.

Finally, maintain clear, precise communication at all times so that anyone involved can ask that the play slow down, stop, or anything else that's important to share. By the way, if a Dominant/submissive dynamic should get in the way of this, then ditch it until everyone feels that they can share without hesitation.
 

Look after your testicular health  

The human body and all its sexy bits can undoubtedly be a whole lotta fun. But that doesn't mean you should be ignorant or dismissive of the risks involved, or you should allow your erotic fantasies to override common sense. 

And if you have testicles (regardless of whether you indulge in CBT or not), the importance of doing a regular testicular self-exam is also crucial. It's a simple way to check that there aren't any unusual lumps or bumps, which can be the first sign of testicular cancer. 

But above all, understand that you can never learn too much or play too safely.

M. Christian is a respected author and BDSM educator, having taught classes on everything from polyamory to tit torture for venues such as the SF Citadel, Good Vibrations, Beat Me In St. Louis and many others.
 

Into cock and ball torture? Find other players here on Fetish.com.
 

All images (unless otherwise stated): model released from Shutterstock.com