orgasm

The title of this article is ambiguous. Further meanings are listed under Orgasm (disambiguation) .

Female orgasm during masturbation , portrayed by a photo model

The orgasm (after ancient Greek ὀργασμός orgasmos , violent agitation 'to ὀργάω órgão , bursting, glow, fierce demand'), fachsprachlich also climax (after ancient Greek κλῖμαξ climax , stairway, ladder, increase ') is the culmination of sexual pleasure experience , often occurs during intercourse or masturbation .

procedure

Shortly before orgasm, the blood flow to the genital organs increases to the maximum. During the climax there are rhythmic involuntary muscle contractions in the genital area , in which the sexual tension is released . This is usually followed by relaxation of the genital area, often the entire body. Men usually ejaculate ( ejaculate ) during orgasm . Analogous to male ejaculation, women can experience a pleasurable effusion of liquid during an orgasm, which is known as female ejaculation . In addition to the physical reactions, the orgasm expresses itself in an individual experience of intoxication and overwhelming that is often perceived as pleasant . The intensity and depth of experience can differ from time to time and from person to person; it can be influenced by mental or physical stimuli .

Background and anthropological theories

The orgasm can be described in the physiological sense as a central nervous process and thus  clearly differentiated from other sexual functions - such as ejaculation , fertilization or ovulation . The processes in the brain during the sexual climax can be compared well with “ neural fireworks”. This neural activity has its origin in the limbic system , and it mainly involves certain regions of the hypothalamus and the amygdala .

Limbic system - control center of the orgasm

Various messenger substances are involved in the increase in sexual arousal and the triggering of orgasm , the interaction of which has not yet been well researched: the neurotransmitters dopamine , noradrenaline and serotonin and various hormones , especially androgens , endogenous opioids , but also others.

These processes can sometimes lead to a kind of skipping reaction between neighboring areas of the brain. This can be used to explain supposedly paradoxical sexual reactions that can occur, for example, when experiencing pain or fear (see chapter Orgasms and orgasm-like experiences outside of sexual acts ).

During the increase in pleasure up to the climax, the sensation of pain as well as the activity of the cerebrum as a judgmental authority is significantly reduced. Therefore, stimuli are often perceived as stimulating that would be perceived as unpleasant in the non-excited state and would be rejected. The latter could explain why forms of dirty talk or practices of BDSM are perceived relish from the start of sexual arousal.

Developmental background

Evolutionary biologists research the phylogenetic causes of action. They assume that modes of experience and behavior always have a genetically formative history, including human sexuality. Evolutionary acquisitions often attribute them to the fact that they increase the viability and reproduction rate of a species .

From this point of view, it makes sense to have sexual interactions repeated as often and as often as possible. In the course of evolution, genetic selection resulted in corresponding biological and neurological changes, from which the ability to orgasm results. Sexual forms of expression that do not serve the purpose of reproduction, such as homosexuality , are seen in this context as a “by-product” of the processes that are selectively favored with regard to species conservation.

See also : Proximate and Ultimate Causes of Behavior  and Evolutionary Emotion Research

Animals

It is proof that in many mammals a reflex during mating to ovulation triggers, so especially for predators , rodents and lagomorphs . However, it has not yet been scientifically proven whether orgasm can occur in animals. However, there is evidence that suggests certain animals may experience orgasm.

The reaction of domestic cats and black cats is well known and often screams loudly when sexually stimulated. The screaming is not necessarily a sign of orgasm, however; it could also express pain caused by the male's thorny and barbed penis. Sounds also accompany the act of mating in some other vertebrate species . The sounds of the wide-brimmed tortoise and the hedgehog are particularly impressive, sometimes reminiscent of human screams or human moans.

In addition to vocalizations, other processes were observed in various animal species that could indicate an orgasm, such as rhythmic twitching of the body, short-term freezing of facial expressions , subsequent relaxation - so also with the closest relatives of humans, the genus chimpanzees . This applies in particular to the type of bonobos whose sophistication in making love is in some ways comparable to that of humans (see here Bonobos: Sexual Interaction ). The same has also been observed in less human-like vertebrates, for example in certain species of birds (see Buffalo Weaver: Sexuality )

From a neurological point of view, experiencing orgasms in certain animal species cannot be ruled out: The sexual center with the “orgasmic reflex ” is located in the phylogenetically older parts of the central nervous system (cf. limbic system , hypothalamus , amygdala ); it is present in humans as in all vertebrate species in a similar form. If other physiological requirements are added (e.g. genitals that are equipped with sensitive nerves ), an orgasm experience is conceivable in the corresponding animal species.

Simplified representation of the neurobiological circuitry that controls reproductive behavior in non-primate female mammals

Put simply, the sex hormones regulate the activity of innate neuro-humeral circuits in female non-primate mammals. They activate the secretion of pheromones ( vomeronasal organ , organon vomeronasale ) and disinhibit the lordosis reflex . Male pheromones are recognized and processed by the olfactory circuits (2 - red arrows). They trigger sexual arousal in the female via the hypothalamus and facilitate the triggering of the lordosis . During mating vis a tergo , the male stimulates the female rear, which strengthens the lordosis reflex (4 - orange arrows) 12. The curvature of the spine causes exposure of the vulva . The stimulation of the clitoris activates the reward system (7 - blue arrows), induces a sexual learning behavior and increases the motivation to stay close to the partner.

The development of important sexual stimulations in primates in relation to the development of the neocortex

See also : Sexual Practice - Sexual Practices in Mammals

Early human mating behavior

According to some researchers, biological processes during orgasm allow conclusions to be drawn about the sexual behavior of early humans . There are anthropological attempts to explain the multiple orgasms (also known as "multiple orgasms") that some women experience , based on the assumption that early human females usually mated several males in quick succession and only the males with the most fertile one Sperm could cause fertilization.

Research results from 1995 by Robin Baker and Mark Bellis, evolutionary biologists at the University of Manchester , seem to support this assumption: It was observed and documented how the sperm threads of different men destroyed each other. The sperm of men, as well as of various mammals, are not all biologically equipped to fuse with the egg cell . In fact, this kit has a relatively small percentage of the total sperm volume in male ejaculate . Some of the sperm that cannot be fertilized should be able to kill foreign sperm through certain substances on the surface, while others should be suitable as a mechanical barrier due to their thickness and special shape, which, as a slower rearguard, makes the way to the egg cell more difficult for any subsequent foreign sperm ( see article sperm competition ). Based on their observations and analyzes, the research team assumes that these are specific mechanisms to defend themselves against competitors.

Critics question this thesis: The supposed defense reaction is probably more of an erroneously initiated fertilization reaction. They are of the opinion that the mutual destruction of the sperm could rather be an indication that the meeting with a foreign gamete (here the foreign sperm) is sufficient to trigger the fertilization reaction in each individual sperm. In addition, the external structure of the sperm speaks against a mechanism specifically designed to defend itself against competitors, since it is uniform in humans and the most diverse sperm-producing animal species, both in the polygamous and the primarily monogamous species.

According to Elisabeth Lloyd (2005) and Donald Symons (1979), a woman's orgasm is not an evolutionary adaptation , but an evolutionary by-product, similar to the male nipple . According to Lloyd, this is supported by the fact that there is no correlation between female orgasms and fertility or the frequency of sexual intercourse. The popular “upsuck hypothesis”, which ascribes a fertility-increasing effect to the contractions of the female orgasm, is by no means empirically confirmed. The maintenance of other theories is also not justified by empirical knowledge. Surveys show that only 25% of women normally orgasm during intercourse, and that these women often need clitoral stimulation for this too. In addition, around a third of women rarely or never have an orgasm. These facts cast serious doubts on adaptive theories.

A comprehensive literature search published in 2011 could not confirm the hypothesis that female orgasm promotes sperm transport.

According to a twin study (2005), the heritability of female orgasm ability is 34% during sexual intercourse and 45% during masturbation.

Findings from behavioral research (on great apes)

In the animal kingdom it comes in various types of Harem sbildung in which a dominant male ( Silberrücken etc.) from a Harem females controlled ( Polygynie on herd animals with male lead animal such as apes , seals , etc.). The copulation process of these lead animals is more time-consuming and lasts longer (observed in chimpanzees by Jane Goodall ). A copulation process up to the female orgasm (after extensive arousal phase) and the necessary "delayed" ejaculation of the lead animal make such older lead animals more attractive and promote the bond with the horde of this clan chief. A strong male offers protection and helps survive.

Other males are then forced to populate the terrain alone or in hordes of bachelors, whereby the formation of cohorts (group formation) in hunting and foraging tends to lead to success. If such a sexually agile (young) male from the bachelor gang wants to mate a female guarded in this way, this will only lead to success if the mating process takes place as quickly as possible (also observed in chimpanzees).

The so-called “ premature ejaculation ” and a “delayed” ejaculation of the lead animal up to the female orgasm and the female orgasm, which promoted the herd bond, would therefore be relics of this kind of social behavior of an ancient human herd . Since all variants (harem guards with delayed ejaculation, females willing to bond and quick lovers) led to offspring, they would have survived evolutionarily . An evolutionary adaptation suggests that premature ejaculation can be partially inherited and there are doubts as to whether a physiological reaction such as "premature ejaculation", which affects 20 to 30% of humanity, should even be classified as a disorder (it is more common, for example as left-handed , see there ).

Partnership bond

"Standing lovers", Otto Mueller , 1919

Shared pleasant intimate experiences promote a partnership-like bond because they invite repetition and require and strengthen trust and empathy . The manifold possibilities with which people can reach an orgasm, and the associated experience possibilities, challenge an important typical human characteristic: creativity . It enables people to expand their limits and challenges diverse and intensified experiences. From the point of view of evolutionary biology, the orgasm is therefore an important selection tool , through which creativity as an empathic performance was rewarded early on with partner loyalty.

The partners binding in turn favored by the circumstance looser way to repeated sexual intercourse , the reproductive and also constituted an appropriate basis to supply the next generation optimal to protect and educate .

In this context, anthropologists also consider the average longer lead time for women to reach orgasm as an important selection tool for choosing a partner : By striving for the sexual satisfaction of the woman, the partner shows valuable characteristics such as empathy, willingness to perform and patience , which are essential for a bond and to raise children together.

On the other hand, creativity in reaching sexual climaxes enables the detachment from the mere act of reproduction and opens up other sexual practices that are not causally related to reproduction and alternative forms of partnership, such as same-sex relationships or the so-called open relationship .

Gender similarities and differences

Both men and women have individual preferences for sexual stimulation and can experience orgasms in different ways. According to some scientists, there is a connection between female and male orgasmic ability, including male potency, and well-trained pelvic floor muscles , especially the PC muscle .

Studies show that an increased number of immunoglobulins in the blood and saliva can be detected in both sexes after orgasm (possibly to counter foreign germs from a potential partner), and that it leads to a deeper night's sleep through the release of the hormone oxytocin and in general an increased relaxation , which increases the regeneration of the body and counteracts aging . However, there were clear differences with regard to the effect on physical condition : while the orgasm in women has a positive effect on fitness through increased testosterone release, it reduces the level of this performance hormone in men, which leads to a short-term decline in athletic performance.

The man's orgasm

General

The orgasm of mature man or young person is accompanied by neurophysiologically from the sexual center in the midbrain triggered, rhythmic muscle contractions of the genital ducts and associated organs such as the vas deferens , seminal vesicles and the prostate to continue the urethra , the muscles of the pelvic floor, so that those at the base of the penis, and and finally the contractions of the penis itself. This usually causes direct and immediate ejaculation, with the sperm entering the urethra and being thrown out through the opening in the glans . The sperm in this ejaculate is made up of different secretions ( seminal plasma ), most of which are released by the so-called accessory sex glands . The proportion of secretion containing sperm, contributed by the testes and epididymis , is only 3–5% (the amount of sperm is a much smaller proportion). Instead of ejaculation, the climax in some men can be associated with so-called injecting , which is already a sexual art form in the ancient Chinese scriptures of Taoism and is touted in our time as a method for achieving male multiple orgasms . Before puberty and the attainment of sexual maturity that goes along with it, the majority of boys experience the so-called dry orgasm , an orgasm with rhythmic muscle contractions of the genital ducts, but without actual ejaculation in the sense of excretion of an effusion without semen. Dry orgasms are also possible for men who have had a prostatectomy .

Winged phallus surrounded by three vulvae , National Archaeological Museum (Athens) , plate around 450 BC Chr.

In contrast to many women, most men can experience orgasm during vaginal intercourse without additional explicit stimulation. In order to stimulate the intravaginal, erogenous zones through penile penetration during vaginal intercourse, on the one hand a corresponding level of sexual arousal is necessary in the woman and, on the other hand, the penetration depth or angle of the penis is important.

Men often need a longer recovery period than women to build up the sexual tension for another orgasm, while some women are capable of multiple orgasms . Through targeted training of the PC muscle in the pelvic floor area, according to instructions in various guides, men should also be able to increase or achieve the ability to experience several climaxes at short intervals. The initially short recovery breaks would become longer and longer from climax to climax, which does not have to be the case with multiple orgasms in women.

Ejaculation without orgasm is a rare deviation and neurologically not yet conclusively recorded. Erwin J. Haeberle already described it, after which further research was apparently omitted because of "insignificance". In German-speaking countries, only the Hamburg professor for men's health Frank Sommer is named as appropriately competent.

With a repeated ejaculation, the amount of ejaculate (the sperm) is reduced, since the accessory sex glands can only deliver a steadily reduced amount of secretion, and the testicles also need a certain time to produce again sperm and the associated secretion. These processes usually require a certain recovery phase, the so-called refractory phase .

Some men can experience an orgasm through ( rectal ) stimulation of the prostate , which differs in the way it is experienced from an orgasm caused by irritation of the penis. Such stimulations are particularly widespread among homosexuals , cf. Anal sex .

Relationship between orgasm and ejaculation in men

→ Main articles : Injaculation , Karezza  and Daoist sexual practices

The male orgasm is usually accompanied by the reflex to ejaculate. While, according to Masters and Johnson, the male orgasm was equated with ejaculation, it is now considered to be proven that these are two different neurophysiological processes that mostly, but not always, run in parallel. Likewise, the ejaculation strength and the amount of sperm say nothing about the orgasm, contrary to the still widespread view that men achieve the highest levels of sexual pleasure and satisfaction through ejaculation . In this context, the man's ability to orgasm is often underestimated and measured against the wrong conditions.

However, by controlling ejaculation by tensing the pubococcygeus muscle , it becomes possible to experience orgasm without ejaculating. Learning the technique requires some practice. The resulting orgasm is described not only as more intense, but also as "whole-body" (i.e. not limited to the genital region). In addition, the orgasm is supposedly not accompanied by a refractory phase , i.e. a decrease in pleasure and erectile function. Thus, the love game should be continued indefinitely and a man should be able to experience several orgasms in a row.

The control of ejaculation to increase pleasure can be found in Tantra and Daoism: Yab-Yum representation from the 13th century, Odisha , India

Such ideas BE REDUCED sexual techniques Hindu Tantras basis, with the orgasm not outer here in an explosive discharge of the sexual energy, but with certain breathing techniques in other forms of experience transformed will, resulting in a quite physical Talorgasmus and long lasting state of high ecstasy expressed.

Parts of the ancient Indian writings of the Kamasutra , which are popular in the West today, also bear witness to an early examination of techniques intended to increase sexual pleasure, and they also set a remarkable counterpoint to the prudish approach to sexuality that is widespread in India today.

In Hinduism and Buddhism, however, the focus is not on enhancing the sexual pleasure experience, it is simply a by-product of the spiritual act. According to the traditional Hindu view, the sexual techniques of tantra rather aim at establishing a closeness to the gods , in particular the double deity Shiva / Shakti, and to become this oneself through the orgasmic experience of a dissolution of the ego boundaries , or according to the view of tantric Buddhism the experience of the unity of bliss and emptiness . According to individual tantrics, this experience is a special samadhi that cannot be achieved with other meditation methods or is only much more difficult to achieve. The willingness to give up on oneself presumably favors the depth of experience - and vice versa.

Some Far Eastern ideas regard orgasm as “bathing the body in Qi ” (Qi can be roughly translated as “life energy”). This view is represented in the modern form of mantak chia .

The translation of Far Eastern terms and ideas into rational scientific terminology is usually problematic. From a scientific point of view, trying to explain the lust-preserving effect (Daoism) with the seminal fluid remaining in the prostate and seminal vesicle is inappropriate. Even if a male orgasm succeeds, by (finger) pressure (“Saxon grip”) on a genital point ( million dollar point , Saxonus , also Jen-Mo point ) between the scrotum and anus or through tension of the pubococcygeus muscle (PC muscle) to prevent outward ejaculation , all other muscle contractions and hormone releases associated with orgasm and ejaculation take place. Only the sperm is not excreted immediately. The rapid lowering of adrenaline and noradrenaline and the increase in oxytocin and prolactin , which usually occur during sexual arousal and subsequently during a male orgasm , are therefore not prevented by an injection, however induced. Since there are clear indications that such hormonal changes cause the refractory phase in men , from the point of view of medical science, no prevention of the refractory phase can be achieved through an injection, and thus a pleasure- and erection-maintaining effect is questionable.

Health effects

Some studies show a link between regular sexual satisfaction with ejaculation and the prevention of certain prostate symptoms . However, other studies found no connection between ejaculation frequency and prostate or urinary tract problems. Ejaculation of fertile semen is not a prerequisite for orgasm, which is important for sterilization . The sperm are a proportion of the ejaculate that can only be measured under laboratory conditions and cannot be subjectively determined, and which can vary considerably depending on the individual situation.

A retrospective analysis of data from three studies found that during orgasm through sexual intercourse a four times greater amount of the hormone prolactin was released than during orgasm through masturbation. The authors of this retrospective study emphasize that the results are correlations . Statements about possible causes, in particular the role of possible third factors such as feeling of satisfaction, do not allow the results.

Some men experience symptoms of Postorgasmic Illness Syndrome after ejaculation . The most common symptoms include flu-like symptoms such as increased body temperature, sweating and chills, as well as unspecific symptoms such as poor concentration, extreme tiredness, exhaustion and irritability.

The woman's orgasm

Within the central nervous system , specific neuronal structures in the hypothalamus , hippocampus and the limbic system are activated. The sexual arousal or orgasm is mediated on the vegetative level through the interaction of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system.

So-called non-cholinergic, non-adrenergic neurotransmitters ("NANC"), such as the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and the gasotransmitter nitric oxide ("NO"), are particularly important. These cause a relaxation of the smooth muscles and thus an increase in blood flow in the genital area. In addition, various hormones influence a woman's sexual function in the long term. Estrogens are crucial for maintaining the structure of the vaginal mucosa as well as for sensitivity, blood flow and lubrication in the genitals. Androgens, in turn, mainly increase sexual libido , desire, arousal , orgasm and general psycho-physical well-being.

The vaginal wall has more sensory receptors in certain zones ; therefore, many women orgasm when these particular erogenous regions are stimulated. In addition to the extravaginally lying clitoris , there are regions inside the vagina (see G-spot , A-spot, etc.). The male “ corpus spongiosum penis ” is embryologically homologous to them. The existence of G and A points as clearly defined centers is not scientifically proven, rather they are erogenous zones. Nevertheless, the so-called Halban's fascia or septum vesicovaginale could be detected histologically between the vagina and the urinary bladder . It represents a mesenchymal lamella, which is equipped with a fibroelastic layer made of collagen fibers, elastic and smooth muscle fibers, an abundant blood supply and a nerve supply with Krause bodies and pseudocorpuscular nerve endings. The Graefenberg zone (G point) and the Anterior Fornix Erogenous Zone , or AFE zone for short (A point), are to be located here. When this connective tissue space or local structures are stimulated, vasoconstriction and pleasant erotic sensations occur.

The excitation and plateau phase is dominated by the nervous activity of the parasympathetic nervous system. Its effect on the vascular system leads to vasocongestion of the genital erectile tissue (of the clitoris and vaginal vestibule ). This vegetative reflex arc has sensitive afferents in the mechanoreceptors of the erogenous genital zones, for example in the clitoris or in the anterior vaginal area, and parasympathetic efferents.

The orgasm phase is dominated by the sympathetic nervous system. Sympathetic efferents from the area of ​​the spinal cord segments Th6 to L1 lead to the uterus, uterus and fallopian tubes, tubes and from L1 to L2 to the cervix , cervix , vagina, clitoris and labia minora . The activation of the sympathetic efferents causes vasoconstriction and contraction of the smooth uterine and vaginal muscles during orgasm.

Schematic representation of the excitation phases before, during and after the female orgasm and the corresponding organs; Sagittal plane

Paraurethral gland (" Skene gland") with the G-spot located in the (ring-shaped) periurethral connective tissue, which play a role in fingering alongside other vulvar and intravaginal erogenous zones (such as A-point , C-point ); Sketch in the sagittal plane

The terms "clitoral orgasm" and "vaginal orgasm" and their anatomical and physiological peculiarities are discussed in some scientific publications. Some scientists assume that in the most common cases the female orgasm originates from the clitoris , the nerve-rich center of sexual arousal in women: According to more recent findings, the clitoris is a much larger organ than is generally assumed and published; in fact, its length is around Eleven centimeters and their nerve endings extend into the vagina and into the thighs . The externally visible clitoral tip, generally regarded as the clitoris, would thus only be a part of the organ. Thus, the orgasm can be triggered clitorally in more diverse ways than previously assumed, for example by vaginal stimulation. The distinction that is often made between clitoral and vaginal orgasms is based, in their opinion, on the common misjudgment of the size of the clitoris. There is no evidence that the clitoris can only be stimulated at either its front or only its rear, inner end (vaginally). Corresponding to simultaneous stimulation of the penis on the glans, on the shaft and on the penis root, all areas of the clitoris can also be stimulated from the outside and inside at the same time, which increases the likelihood of an orgasm.

Changes also occur extragenitally, in the rest of the body, during sexual arousal and its phases. A certain amount of muscle tone and the associated feedback via so-called proprioceptors seems to be useful for sexual arousal and initiation of orgasm, because this information is passed on to central parts of the brain and then experienced as arousing. Some women put a lot of muscle tension and a. in the area of ​​the gluteal muscles , in the pelvis, in the thigh muscles in order to increase their sexual arousal.

The ability of women to orgasm tends to increase up to a certain age and increasing sexual experience. Over time, women notice which stimulations can best bring them to orgasm and gain experience of which helps to represent their own sexual desires. With increasing experience, gradations in the stimulation possibilities can be tried out, which can expand the sexual experience potential.

Beyond our own influence, the ability to perceive and the localization of the perceptions are subject to individual and life cycle fluctuations that are hormonally and anatomically conditioned. After the first (vaginal) birth, some women report an increase in sexual pleasure and more intense sensations in the area of ​​the anterior vaginal wall, the area around the G-spot. According to some information, with increasing experience and through targeted stimulation, the female prostate gland ( prostate feminina or Graefenberg zone , G-spot for short) can also emerge more strongly from the surrounding vaginal tissue, which increases and lighter sexual pleasure with vaginal stimulation can bring an orgasm.

Before and especially during the orgasm, sexual secretions are secreted in the vagina, which increase the lubricating effect during the act of love and can promote fertilization through their properties. If, for example, the sperm is too thick or the amount is too small, the vaginal secretions formed during sexual arousal are able to improve the reduced mobility of the sperm from a certain amount. They also influence the base-acid ratio in the vagina: the vaginal flora normally has an acidic pH , while sperm need a slightly alkaline environment. The female sex secretions can increase the pH level in the vagina for a short time - and thus probably the viability of the sperm.

Excitation and plateau phase

During sexual arousal, which initially appears as the " excitation phase " and the subsequent plateau phase , both the blood flow and the sensitivity in the area of ​​the female genitals or generally the skin surface are significantly increased. These phases also go back to studies by Masters and Johnson (1966) and are indicative markings in a complex course and cannot be clearly delimited from one another.

These phases are dominated by the parasympathetic nervous system . Sexual-erotic ideas, so to speak imaginary stimuli, also erotic stimuli (visual, olfactory, especially via pheromones , acoustic etc.) and somatic-afferent impulses from the skin, generally the erogenous skin zones and especially the genital area, which via the pudendal nerve can be used stimulate the parasympathetic erection center in the sacral cord (S2-4). The parasympathetic, neural efferents cause an expansion of the genital erectile tissue, visible in the increasing labia minora and the clitoris . The vasocongestion or venous congestion in the corpus cavernosum surrounding the vagina causes the formation of the "orgiastic cuff", the increased transudation of mucoid fluid which increases the gliding ability at the vaginal opening, orificium vaginale ( vaginal vestibule , lubrication ) as well as the secretion in the Bartholin glands , Paraurethral glands and the greater vestibular gland .

The transition to the next, the “ plateau phase ”, is particularly evident in the vaginal entrance area, introitus vaginae or the now moistened vaginal mucosa and the strong congestion of the developed “orgasmic cuff”. The clitoris only enlarges slightly and is displaced from its normal position to the front edge of the symphysis.

But not only that the inner two thirds of the vagina enlarge and widen, the wall of the outer third is heavily supplied with blood and constricted, a consequence of the cavernous body systems that continue to fill with venous blood (see also half-ankle fascia ) "Orgasmic cuff" for spontaneous rhythmic muscle contractions.

At the same time, the position of the uterus / cervix (elevation) to the vagina is changed, the uterus is pulled up and back (elevation), i. H. the uterus straightens itself out of its (usually) anteflexed (anteflexio) and anteverted ( anteverted ) position into the pelvis in such a way that the cervix moves away from the posterior vaginal wall, thereby opening up an enlarged space, the receptaculum seminis . At the same time there is an increase in volume of the uterus itself. The uterine enlargement and elevation is due to the general vasocongestion in the small pelvis and here the vessels that extend to the uterus via the ligamentum latum uteri .

Orgasm and recovery phase

The focus here is on the effect of the sympathetic nervous system . A woman's orgasm is accompanied by a number of rhythmic, reflexive muscle contractions, particularly in the area of ​​the pelvic floor muscles . Because with increasing sexual arousal, the outer third of the vagina , i. H. In the area of ​​the vaginal entrance (introitus vaginae) a venous congestion (congestion of the erectile tissue, i.e. the perivaginal corpus cavernosum ), which is commonly referred to as an "orgasmic cuff". They are subject to sympathetic and parasympathetic influences. During orgasm, this "orgasmic cuff" is indirectly contracted several times by the pelvic floor muscles, depending on the strength of the orgasm, in a wave-like manner in an approximate second rhythm. In addition, u. a. the hormones oxytocin and prolactin are released internally . Repetitive orgasms are possible, so-called status orgasmicus .

Finally, during orgasm (see also orgasm phase ) there are rhythmic contractions of the uterus and the pelvic floor muscles along the "orgasmic cuff", the latter probably as a reflex of the sympathetic nervous system . The smooth muscle , multiple uterine contractions or waves of contraction also include its retaining ligaments (e.g. Lig.teres uteri ) and begin at the fundus uteri , where they pass repeatedly over the corpus uteri to the lower uterine segment, i.e. in the direction of the cervix, cervix uteri run away. In addition, there is a loss of voluntary control of muscle tension and involuntary contractions and spasms of various muscle groups follow. Depending on the strength of the orgiastic process, generalized convulsions can also affect all or parts of the body muscles ( carpopedal spasms ).

Some women experience ejaculation during orgasm, known as female ejaculation . A clear secretion from the paraurethral gland (" Skene gland") is secreted in spurts.

In the " regression phase ", the blood flow in the genitals normalizes, causing the erectile tissue of the clitoris and the vaginal vestibule to swell and the uterus and vagina to be shifted back to their original position, with the orficium externum canalis cervicis remaining open for up to thirty minutes.

state of research

• Contrary to previous assumptions, more recent scientific studies suggest that 70–80% of women can achieve orgasm solely through direct clitoral stimulation. Although indirect stimulation of the clitoris can also be sufficient, empirically it can be assumed that the majority of women cannot orgasm simply by penetrating the penis into the vagina. Orgasms vary in intensity, and women differ in both the frequency with which they can orgasms and the intensity of the stimulation required to induce an orgasm. Orgasms triggered by clitoral stimulation are easier to achieve because the glans clitoridis has more than 8,000 sensory nerve endings - far more than any other part of the human body.
• According to a study published in 2004 by the Charité University Hospital in Berlin , in which 575 women between the ages of 17 and 71 were interviewed using a questionnaire, only a fraction of the respondents differentiated a "vaginal orgasm" from a "clitoral" one. Those concerned only described the difference in the type of stimulation, but found no or only a very small difference in terms of the experience: According to the individual statements, the “clitoral orgasm” is minimally more intense.
• In 2005, a twin study with a total of 4037 participants was presented in the New Scientist . The women between the ages of 19 and 83 were a. asked whether and how often they experienced orgasm while masturbating or during sexual intercourse. According to the study, 34 percent of the women surveyed always achieved orgasm while masturbating, 14 percent never. In contrast, only 14 percent of those surveyed said they always climaxed during sexual intercourse, 16 percent never. 32 percent did not experience orgasm more often than every fourth time during coitus. In addition to the woman's ability to stimulate herself and the partner's skills in foreplay ( petting , cunnilingus ) and the partner's ability to respond to the needs of the woman during coitus, hereditary factors also play a role, according to this twin study. Parallels were found in the statements made by monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs, which showed a correlation between sexual experience, including the ability to orgasm, and the degree of kinship. In the opinion of the researchers working with Tim Spector (St. Thomas' Hospital, London), this is a clear indication that hereditary factors have a considerable influence on the ability of women to orgasm.

See also

• Vagina , Sexual Arousal and Intercourse Section

frequency

For an extensive study published in 2018 on different variants and frequency of sexual behavior (carried out by Chapman University, Indiana University and the Kinsey Institute) 52,588 heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual men and women were surveyed, according to which:

• 95% of straight men orgasm during sex,
• 89% of homosexual men
• 88% of bisexual men
• 85% of lesbian women
• 66% of bisexual women,
• 65% of heterosexual women.

Conscious control of the orgasm

Delaying and avoiding orgasm

If the moment of orgasm is experienced as subjectively premature and cannot be controlled willfully, one speaks of a premature orgasm . Most men learn how to better control their orgasm and ejaculation through self-control and discipline as they gain experience . Above all, they develop the ability to deliberately delay orgasm, which often increases sexual pleasure and leads to a more intense climax. The partner can also control the time of the male orgasm by changing the intensity of the stimulation. A refinement of love play is the conscious delaying of the orgasm by repeatedly interrupting the stimulation with advanced arousal.

The conscious refusal of the orgasm is a popular variety in BDSM . One of the partners is consciously refused sexual satisfaction. When sexual arousal is increased by stimulation and then interrupted shortly before orgasm, this is called tease and denial .

Increase in the depth of experience

Indian representation of a sexual position to increase sexual desire (1790, from the Kangra region)

How often and through which stimulations a person can experience orgasms says little about his ability to enjoy sexual pleasure . Rather, it depends on the depth of his sensuality , his ability to overcome self-control and his self-esteem . The term love play comes from play as an end in itself activity out of pure enjoyment. This attitude often enables greater sexual fulfillment than the fixation on reaching orgasm soon.

Physical disabilities

Classification according to ICD-10
F52.3	Orgasm disorder
N48.8	Other specified diseases of the penis
N50.8	Other specified diseases of the male genital organs
N51.8 *	Other diseases of the male genital organs in diseases classified elsewhere
N89.8	Other specified non-inflammatory diseases of the vagina
N90.8	Other specified non-inflammatory diseases of the vulva and perineum
N94.8	Other specified conditions related to the female genital organs and the menstrual cycle
N99.8	Other diseases of the genitourinary system after medical measures
ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019)

Orgasmic disorders - anorgasmia and hyporgasmia

As anorgasmia, sometimes called "orgasm inhibition," a orgasmic dysfunction in women and men is referred to by that frequent or continuous absence of a sexual climax in undisturbed excitement phase is defined.

With hyporgasmia , the orgasm is delayed so much that it is perceived as disturbing. Hyporgasmia can make reaching orgasm so difficult that it is akin to anorgasmia.

According to empirical studies, hyp- or anorgasmia occurs more frequently in women than in men: Only about a third of the sexually active women surveyed report regular orgasms. Five to ten percent say they have never had an orgasm.

In men, anorgasmia or hyporgasmia must be differentiated from an ejaculation disorder or erectile dysfunction , since orgasm does not always depend on an erection or ejaculation.

Side effects of drugs

Hyp- and anorgasmia also occur regularly through the use of modern antidepressants of the types SSRI, NRI, SNRI etc. The only exception so far is the antidepressant bupropion . Doctors usually pay too little attention to this side effect during treatment or when interviewing the patient. In addition to the shameful concealment of the patient, the “sovereign neglect” of the topic by the doctor is added. Although the appropriate antidepressants are even helpful in individual cases to help men who suffer from premature orgasms, hyp- and anorgasmia are usually very stressful side effects. For depressed patients, sex life is often one of the few areas in which they can still experience happy moments. In particular, patients within relationships can experience a considerable worsening of their depressive state and their general life situation due to disturbances in their sexual life. Both doctors and the literature, however, often make the wrong assumption that, especially in the case of depression, the sex life of the patient is no longer sustained to any significant extent.

Physical causes

The latest studies show that men and women often have very similar causes of lack of orgasm. They range from psychological factors (see sexual anxiety ) to damage to the nerves or capillary vessels caused by illness, accidents or operations (risk factors here can be certain diseases, such as diabetes , multiple sclerosis ) to circulatory disorders , for example caused by an arterial Hypertension (high blood pressure), arteriosclerosis, or smoking .

While it is customary in the medical treatment of men with orgasm problems to consider both psychological and physical factors, research into the causes and treatment of women who suffer from similar difficulties continues to focus primarily on the psychological area. Even in the numerous cases in which this treatment does not lead to any improvement, there is often no more extensive research, and those affected do not find adequate help. In reality, experts are often at a loss because the anatomy and functions of the female genital organs have still not been adequately researched. This can be seen, for example, in the fact that nerves or blood vessels are often unnecessarily injured during operations, which, as often turns out too late, are important for the female pleasure experience. It was not until 1998 that a new discovery by urologist Helen O'Conell caused a sensation in the professional world: the clitoris is mostly hidden under tissue and is more than twice as large as previously assumed, cf. Chapter status of research . Due to the lack of research and treatment, the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health was founded, also in the late 1990s , an organization devoted to the study of the physical causes of sexual dysfunction in women.

Another problem is excessive or tight clitoral hood , which interferes with direct stimulation of the underlying clitoris. As a result, it can be difficult or impossible for women to orgasm during intercourse. The problem can usually be remedied with a minimal surgical procedure called clitoral hood reduction.

Paraplegia

Affected skin areas depending on the degree of paralysis

People with paraplegia usually have little or no physical sensation from the damaged spinal cord. However, people are known to have the ability to experience orgasm even though all four extremities are paralyzed (quadriplegic). The same applies to other paraplegics (paraplegics) with spinal cord damage above the sixth thoracic vertebra (TH 6). Men may also have the ability to have a normal erection and ejaculation. With incomplete paraplegia it is possible that the physical sensation is unaffected.

Nerve connections from the spinal cord and the vegetative nervous system to individual organs

Some paralyzed people use a stimulator called a Brindley stimulator . This device consists of two parts. A contact is implanted under the skin and connected to the cut part of the spinal cord, which is responsible for controlling the abdominal functions, by means of electrodes placed in the body. The main device can be set individually and is held against the contact from the outside if necessary. The stimulation is expressed in a strong vibration of the entire abdomen, which is usually intended to stimulate the bladder and intestines to promote emptying, but is also used as a sexual stimulus to cause erections or other sexual reactions. The induced orgasm cannot be compared to ordinary genital orgasms, but it is no less satisfactory, according to the testimony of those with paraplegia.

In a study that was written by R. Richter, the senior urologist at the Center for Spinal Cord Injuries in Halle, in a letter to the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Spina Bifida und Hydrocephalus e. V. (ASbH e.V.), reports of paraplegic women who were able to perceive penetration despite total primary numbness. It has not been clarified whether this occurs through the stimulation of the uterus or in some other way.

Barry R. Komisaruk, a neuroscientist at Rutgers University in New Jersey, studied cases where women can experience orgasm without genital stimuli. Among other things, he referred to paraplegic women who were able to experience orgasm by stimulating their neck, shoulders or back with a vibrator . The special thing about such an orgasm is the recess in the spinal cord , which otherwise ensures the appropriate transmission of stimuli to the brain . Instead, the transmission runs here via the vagus . In his opinion, the research results could open up new avenues in the treatment of sexual sensory disorders and other disorders of visceral body sensation in people with spinal cord injuries.

Change of perspective in the western world

antiquity

For the male Greeks, achieving orgasm was the primary goal of all sexual activity. It did not matter whether this was done with a woman, a man or through masturbation. In the Romans it was inappropriate for a good wife to have pleasant feelings, even an orgasm, during sexual intercourse. Help from men and from cunnilingus was generally frowned upon; Men who performed cunnilingus were even considered impotent. Nevertheless, from Greek and Roman history as well as from the early epochs of many other cultures (e.g. Egypt , India , China ) special mostly phallus- shaped objects are known that women used to achieve sexual satisfaction, with the oldest find (near Pakistan ) up to goes back to the 4th millennium BC . Thus, the negative attitude towards female orgasm, which can sometimes be ascertained, has never fully established itself in any era. In some cultures the achievement of orgasmic states in women even served sacred or ritual purposes, for example at the festival of Isis , a respected goddess in Egyptian mythology .

Middle Ages to modern times

Special appliances for household use ( Sears, Roebuck and Company catalog , 1918)

In the course of history , religiously motivated moral concepts often made sexuality and especially the female orgasm taboo . In general, the feeling of sexual pleasure was problematized by church and state for a long time, it was not viewed as something " nature " or " God-given ", but was considered reprehensible and was sometimes defamed as the "work of the devil ". Even today prudish or discriminatory views about human sexuality and its forms of expression are partially widespread.

Research shows that from the 15th century the manual triggering of the female orgasm, which was then misunderstood as a "hysterical crisis" (from the Greek hystera "womb"), was part of the medical treatment repertoire and was widely used in the " hysterical ailments " widespread in Europe ", Which included nervous headaches and" general indifference "(see also the chapter on role clichés ). In the 19th century, this treatment method gradually died out because special devices for home self-treatment emerged: predecessor models of vibrators , which today are used in numerous versions as sex toys .

In contradiction to this, other sources show that the female orgasm was mentioned frequently in the medical literature of the 19th century and was at that time erroneously considered a prerequisite for fertilization.

20th century

Changed moral standards, the experiences of the First and Second World Wars , the dwindling influence of the churches and better scientific investigation and research methods made it possible to rationally analyze and examine sexuality, its forms of expression and its effects on body, mind and soul without taboos and thus to increasingly bring "light into the darkness of orgasm":

Sigmund Freud

Since the beginning of the 20th century, sexuality, and with it the orgasm, has been recognized as an object of scientific research due to the pioneering work of Sigmund Freud on psychoanalysis . Freud called the sexual drive energy " libido ". To put it roughly, he taught: Out of the repression of the libido result mental illnesses, out of the sublimation of the libido the cultural achievements of the human being arise. The orgasm does not, however, play a special role in the theory of psychoanalysis (except in the theory of the unorthodox psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich).

Wilhelm Reich

From the mid-1920s until the 1940s, Freud's student Wilhelm Reich was particularly concerned with the ability to orgasm. In 1927 he wrote the first monograph on the subject: The function of orgasm . In it, based on therapeutic experience and empirical surveys, he suggested using “ orgastic potency ” as a decisive criterion for mental health. According to him, neurotic disorders are always based on a more or less pronounced “orgastic impotence”. If a person is permanently unable to experience a "complete orgasm", this causes a congestion of the libido, which causes various disorders. Thus, Reich saw the therapeutic goal of psychoanalytic treatment in the restoration of “orgastic potency”. In this “psychosomatic” therapy, the orgasmic potency was shown by the fact that the patient was able to allow the “orgasm reflex”. In order to achieve this goal, Reich further developed psychoanalytic technique: first for resistance analysis , then for character analysis , and finally for vegetotherapy, which included the body . From Reich's vegetotherapy, which originated in the 1930s , numerous variants have been developed since the 1950s, often in combination with yoga practices that Reich decidedly rejected . An example of this is Neotantra developed by Margot Anand , a student of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho) . A direct student of Reich, however, the doctor Alexander Lowen , modified Reich's vegetotherapy without borrowing from exotic teachings and called his method Bioenergetic Analysis . However, none of these therapy schools, which are more or less based on Reich's teachings, retained the restoration of “orgasmic potency” in the sense of Reich as a therapy goal.

Kinsey Report

From 1948 to 1953, the zoologist and sex researcher Alfred Charles Kinsey published the " Kinsey Reports ". In it, he analyzed the answers of the Americans anonymously - in statistical tables and textual summaries and interpretations of his interview questions about sexual practices and opinions.

Masters / Johnson Report

In the 1960s, Masters and Johnson examined the human orgasm from a scientific point of view and coined the term sexual response cycle . For study purposes, test subjects performed their coitus and stimulation up to orgasm under laboratory conditions. However, this primarily recorded the sexual reactions of people who had an exceptionally high sexual interest and a particularly low moral inhibition threshold . The result was an average response curve which, according to today's research standards, was more representative of “high-performance sexual athletes” than the average population . Masters and Johnson assumed the constant presence of a sexual urge that required only effective stimulation to produce an orgasm. This view is no longer shared today. Later sexologists accused the research team of having reduced sexuality to reaching orgasm.

Hite report

In the late 1970s and 1980s Shere Hite published three Hite reports, much-cited bestsellers, which included evaluations of surveys on the sexual behavior of women and men. Even after that, Shere Hite delivered various theses on human sexuality and the " mystery of orgasm".

Social and cultural significance

The orgasm has been and is subject to taboos in many societies , at the same time it has been the subject of debate and fascination at all times . The spectrum ranges from metaphorical paraphrases and artistic representations through social and spiritual disputes to gender-specific consequences.

In recent times, in the so-called advisory literature in the developed industrial countries, numerous methods have been found which are supposed to be suitable for increasing the depth of experience and / or the frequency of orgasms.

Art and literature

The peak of sexual pleasure challenged people's imaginations across all cultures and eras.

Study by Leonardo da Vinci of 1492, carried out from the perspective of the researcher, to explain the processes of male orgasm and fertilization

Representations of the sexual climax take place in various forms of expression. Sometimes it is symbolically veiled, then again shown as explicitly as possible. The artists' interests range from capturing the biological process to inner experience, its pleasures or pains, to voyeuristic representations and technical instructions.

Klimt , "Woman in Masturbation", 1916

Nowadays the market and various media are flooded with pornographic representations in words and even more so in images, which however often only touch the reader or viewer superficially. Less often there are literary or pictorial representations whose quality of experience goes beyond an almost always the same scheme. Instead, an attempt is usually made to attract interest by displaying new sexual superlatives and sensations. The moment of ecstasy in its magic and its uniqueness is rarely discussed. Erotic representations and descriptions and even pornography can contain far more spice and liveliness as well as bring subtle things to life.

Excerpts from novels and poetry

• The Roman poet Ovid treats in his love art , created around the year 1 BC. Chr. , Multiple orgasm:

so z. B. orgasm together (Book 2, 725–728):

But neither do you leave your mistress, because you sail with more momentum,

back, still that should hurry ahead of your run:

At the same time rushes to the destination; Then the pleasure is complete

when woman and man lie there overwhelmed at the same time.

or the woman's simulated orgasm (Book 3, 797 f.)

But you, who nature has denied the feeling for the pleasure of love,

feign sweet joys with deceptive tones.

• The blood circulation accelerates during orgasm [...]. The bloodshot eyes become cloudy [...]. Breathing in some is panting and intermittent, in others it stops [...]. The congested nerve centers only transmit unclear sensations and impulses of will [...]. The limbs, seized by convulsive jerks and occasional spasms, move in all directions or slack and become hard as iron; the clenched jaws grind their teeth, and some people experience the erotic delirium so strongly that they forget the comrades of their lust and bite a carelessly presented shoulder down to the blood. (From the year 1855 by Felix Roubaud, quoted from Philippe Ariès and Georges Duby: History of private life , Frankfurt 1989, volume 5, p. 310.)
• In his novel Buddenbrooks (written from 1897 to 1900) Thomas Mann describes the experiences of the boy Hanno playing the piano. The description of rapture in all its many facets associates the orgasm experience of a refined lover, excerpt (final passage of the scene):

[...] And it came, there was no stopping it, the cramps of longing could not have been prolonged, it came just like when a curtain was torn, gates opened, thorn hedges opened up, walls of flames collapsed. ... The solution, the dissolution, the fulfillment, the complete satisfaction broke in, and with delighted cheers everything unraveled to a melodious sound that sank into another in sweet and longing ritardando ... it was the motive, the first motive, what sounded! And what began now was a festival, a triumph, an unbridled orgy of this very figure, who boasted in all shades of sound, poured through all the octaves, trembled while weeping in tremolando, sang, cheered, sobbed, filled with everything roaring, ringing, pearling , foaming splendor of the orchestral equipment was victorious ...

There was something brutal and dull and at the same time something ascetically religious, something like faith and self-abandonment in the fanatical cult of this nothingness, this piece of melody, this short, childish, harmonious invention of one and a half bars ... something vicious in the excess and insatiability with which it was enjoyed and exploited, and something cynically desperate, something like the will to delight and ruin in the greed with which the last sweet was sucked out of it, until exhaustion, until disgust and weariness, until finally, finally in exhaustion after all excesses a long, gentle arpeggio in minor trickled into it, rose by one note, dissolved into major, and died with a wistful hesitation.

• The erotic poems of the contemporary Latin American writer Gioconda Belli are clad in voluptuous lush images that awaken rich and accurate associations. The sound and writing of the original language ( Nicaraguan Spanish) is part of the effect of her verses, but much of the effect can also be conveyed in translated form:

Excerpt from the poem Love in two tempos :

Castanets bell jubilation

my rose heaven made of women's flesh

my man you only talisman

Magic of my desert leaves

come again call me hug me

to your harbor of the hoarse waves

Fill me with your white tenderness

silence my screams

let me be dissolved woman.

The comparisons orgasm and death as well as the act of love and struggle are recurring themes in art and literature, in our time these parallels are even the subject of neurological research. In her poem "Yesterday Night", Gioconda Belli also uses these images:

Just last night

you were like a naked fighter

who jumped over dark rocks.

I am at my observation post

in the plane

saw you brandishing a gun

and penetrate me violently.

I opened my eyes

and still you were a blacksmith

who hit the spark anvil

Until my sex exploded like a grenade

and we both died in the hail of moon splinters

(Poems quoted from Gioconda Belli: Magic against the cold )

More forms of expression

In addition to the visual arts and literature, the orgasm experience also finds diverse forms of expression and equivalents in music and the performing arts . Corresponding feelings and associations can be aroused in the audience, for example from erotic enchantment, exuberant seduction or untamed passion. Even the actors themselves often feel intoxicated, which can sometimes be expressed as sexual excitement or even orgasm-like sensations.

The work Boléro by Maurice Ravel arouses very clear associations with the sexual climax. The surge of feelings, the being carried away up to the outbreak can be experienced here musically. The beginning of quiet excitement and its increasing intensification has its correspondence in an increase in the orchestral blaze of colors and volume. A parody of this association takes place in Blake Edwards ' film comedy Ten - The Dream Woman , in which a woman has adjusted sexual intercourse exactly to Ravel's Boléro and has to reset the record needle to a certain position with each interruption, which is unsatisfactory for both partners End of the evening (and the affair) leads. This film increased sales for recordings of Ravel's Boléro significantly.

Social and cultural expectations

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Faked orgasm

A centuries-old regulation and suppression of sexuality has turned into its opposite since the time of sexual enlightenment. Often times, orgasm is seen as the only goal of the sexual act to be achieved under all circumstances. Men and women therefore often feel obliged to orgasm. This often unconscious and performance-oriented attitude is detrimental to the experience of an orgasm - it disrupts the natural curiosity, creativity and joy that make up the essence of play , which actually is love play . Psychological pressure acts as a stress factor by which adrenaline is secreted, which makes it difficult to trigger an orgasm. The fear of an alleged " failure " is fueled and used through the marketing of sexuality, for example through guides and aids that promise sexual "performance" and orgasms of superlatives . This is why women and men who have rarely or never experienced an orgasm often feel sexually inferior and are afraid of being “exposed” to this effect.

In response to this pressure to perform, many people have simulated orgasm once or several times during sexual intercourse, some do it regularly. Some play an orgasm for their partner out of fear of possibly being considered imperfect, others want to strengthen the partner's self-confidence and in turn not let him appear as a "failure". Some feel pressured by the performance-oriented efforts of their partner and want to use the deception to relax the stressful interaction. The reasons are varied and can range from fear of being abandoned by the possibly disappointed partner. The faked orgasm, also called "pretended orgasm" or "orgasm lie ", therefore belongs to the area of white lies .

So-called hustlers and call boys who specialize in homosexual contact can also fake their customers that they are having an orgasm. With female prostitutes and porn actresses , the more or less theatrical pretense of an orgasm is part of the standard repertoire.

According to an Emnid survey on behalf of the women's magazine Marie Claire , 20 percent of German women and 41 percent of German men have never faked their partner an orgasm. 54 percent of the interviewees found that sex can be satisfactory even without orgasm, every second person surveyed said that the orgasm is generally taken too seriously. For 28 percent of women and 42 percent of men, it is the most beautiful thing about sex. In some studies, it is assumed that, including the number of unreported cases, over 90 percent of all women have faked an orgasm one or more times.

The reasons for the male orgasm lie are often similar to the female ones, but sometimes differ a little. Some men do not want to show when the desire for relaxation suddenly becomes greater than the sexual drive. By simulating orgasm, the pressure of an alleged justification to the partner is prevented. For men, more often than for women, the fear is that they cannot give their partner the feeling that she is desirable when their own orgasm does not occur.

Women, on the other hand, sometimes fake an orgasm when they want to encourage their partner to ejaculate - either to subtly bring a sex act to an end that is perceived as exhausting, or to enjoy a real orgasm by the short-term increase in irritation . Occasionally performing the climax can be enriching for a couple in some cases. If, on the other hand, the woman simulates climax regularly and never experiences a real orgasm, this can become a major problem: the woman does not express her needs and is in a vicious circle .

It is very difficult for the partner to recognize a fake orgasm, despite some indications of a real orgasm which are difficult for the woman to copy: muscle contractions in the vaginal area, hard nipples and some women get a reddish color on their faces during climax. The better a pair of lovers knows each other, the more difficult it becomes for the woman to leave a fake orgasm undetected, provided she has experienced real orgasms with her partner in between and did not fake the orgasm every time.

The fact that some men categorically assume that a woman can never fake an orgasm has been discussed in films . In Rob Reiner's film Harry and Sally , Sally ( Meg Ryan ) demonstrates to her friend Harry ( Billy Crystal ) the credible pretense of an orgasm in a restaurant .

Role stereotypes

According to surveys, the disappointment of not achieving orgasm during sex with a partner seems to be less among women than among men - this suggests that women distinguish between orgasm and sexual satisfaction more than men. Numerous surveys and studies confirm that many women experience the most frequent and intense orgasms during masturbation, but still state that they are satisfied with the sex life in their relationship. The underlying studies are primarily based on statements made by heterosexuals .

Possibly the reasons for the woman's lack of orgasm, which is taken for granted, can be found in the outdated distribution of roles between the sexes and in traditional sexual ideas. a. reflected in the term conjugal duty , which was used for a long time and even served as a justification for the unequal legal evaluation of conjugal and extramarital rape . For a long time, women were not supposed to enjoy physical love; instead, they were expected to be docile, which continues to have an unconscious effect to this day (see section below). Surveys of homosexual women have shown that they experience orgasms more often and that orgasm is a more natural part of making love than women with male partners. These results support the thesis of the continued unconscious role conformity.

Since the middle of the 20th century, the right of women to their own sexuality has been increasingly advocated and demanded by feminist movements. In the 1950s, the world-famous zoologist and sex researcher Kinsey captured and researched the subject in his book The Secret Lives of Women and made it the subject of public debate. Until then, the female orgasm was a myth , if not a taboo . In the 1970s and 1980s, the sex researcher and feminist Shere Hite caused a sensation with the Hite Reports , in which she exposed female and male stereotypes in sexual role behavior. With her publications she succeeded in particular in awakening a greater general interest in the sexuality of women and the female orgasm and thus in making a contribution to greater social respect for women.

In many cultures - and in some cases still is today - the female body was regarded as uncanny due to its special functions, up to and including the view that it was fundamentally pathogenic , weak or inferior (see article madness - physical causes and article hysteria ) . These perspectives were represented in the past times of today's western industrial nations (see chapter Historical Development - Middle Ages to Modern Times ). Sometimes they had cruel consequences: Sometimes “hysterical” women had their uterus removed; In some women allegedly affected by hysteria or masturbation, surgical mutilation of the genitals was carried out (see circumcision of female genitals - suppression of female sexuality ). This fact and especially that genital mutilation was used as a “medical practice” in some cases in German-speaking countries is generally little known and little published. M. Hulverscheidt (see list of literature ) recorded about 100 cases in medical publications for the period from approx. 1815 to 1915, the actual number of those affected could be higher.

Far from our latitudes, we are more familiar with the consequences that some ways of looking at female bodily functions - especially the female orgasm - and the associated evaluation of women can lead:

In some African countries in particular , the sexual pleasure of women, as it contributes to female autonomy , is seen as a threat to the patriarchal community in the cultures concerned . In order to deprive women of this central area of ​​self-determination, young girls have been deprived of any sexual intentions in many places by systematically mutilating their genitals. Human rights organizations around the world fight against this crime (see article Circumcision of female genitals ).

Orgasms and orgasm-like experiences outside of sexual acts

The orgasms that occur occasionally during sleep in both men and women should be mentioned here, which can mainly occur during night sleep. Usually these are accompanied by sexual dreams or sensations. In adolescent adolescents from puberty and adult men, these events associated with ejaculation of semen are known as pollutions . Other situations outside of sexual activity can also trigger an orgasm. According to media reports from 2009 and 2010, fitness exercises and dance movements that include rhythmic movements of the core muscles are said to sometimes trigger an orgasm in women, a fact that the provider of sports courses and equipment knows how to market and that uses the made-up word "coregasmus". core = core, here: body center).

An orgasm can also occur in extreme mental or physical situations, caused for example by excessive prayer or starvation , extreme physical activity (see competitive sports ), the most intense musical experience (see trance ), physical pain (also outside of sexually stressed BDSM practices), massive Fear or threatening situation or through experiences of violence among victims or perpetrators .

The orgasm could have the function of reducing overstimulation of the nervous system and preventing further overstimulation through the short-term "exit" from the overwhelming situation. Neurologically, the phenomenon could be justified by the immediate vicinity of corresponding areas of the brain (cf. Backgrounds and anthropological theories ). As a result of such experiences, which at first appear paradoxical, the triggering events can become eroticized, but this is not necessarily experienced as pleasant and can sometimes be the result of trauma . From Richard von Krafft-Ebings Psychopathia sexualis from 1912:

“If he has pollutions at night, then they almost always occur in connection with completely different thoughts than are the case with normal men. The patient's dreams in question are recapitulations from his school days. In this, the patient had […] ejaculation when he was overcome with great anxiety. If z. For example, if the teacher dictated an extemporal and L. was unable to follow when translating, ejaculation occurred more often. "

The feeling of orgasm is closely related to other ecstatic states, which include various types of intoxication as well as intense experiences of happiness , such as can be expressed in the euphoric peak experience of the kick in athletes. But also rampages or excesses of violence sometimes show comparable symptoms. The similar feelings might of the distribution endorphins related to the neuroendocrine system of the midbrain releases.

See also : enlightenment  and rapture

Parallels between experiencing an orgasm and imagining death

The flight to heaven Hieronymus Bosch (around 1500)

Sensual rush Franciszek Żmurko (around 1890)

Ideas about death or dying and orgasm are similar. It is not uncommon for them to be linked to one another in an ideological or artistic way. The French paraphrase for orgasm La petite mort , "the little death", linguistically reflects the association orgasm and death. Such correspondences can be found in philosophical and religious contexts, in painting as well as in poetry and in literature, see also chapter Excerpts from Novels and Poetry .

According to the scriptures of Tibetan Buddhism , a person goes through the same phases of consciousness during orgasm as during dying . The concentration techniques taught in tantra yoga are based on the idea of ​​“eight phases of dissolution”, which are passed through in short succession during orgasm. It is essentially about the practice of not being overwhelmed by the euphoric experience, but rather remaining conscious and thus partially controlling the orgasm experience. According to the tantric view, this increases the likelihood of being able to remain conscious during the dying process and to surrender to the liberation from the material body in agreement. In the "Hevajra Tantra" orgasm is called mahâsukha (roughly: highest bliss) and identified with enlightenment and the entrance into nirvana . At the same time, Tibetan Buddhism speaks of mahâsukha-kâya , the "body of supreme bliss", which is even more important than dharmakâya , the "body of true reality". Some Tibetan and Indian tantra teachings go so far as to view orgasm as an opportunity for out-of-body experiences .

Some researchers see parallels in the neurobiological processes during orgasm with near-death experiences , near-dying, of which many people reported similar experiences, for example they “stepped out of their body” for a brief moment on the threshold of death and have this as an impressive experience of happiness experienced.

See also

• dedication
• Eupareunia

literature

Physiological basics

• Klaus M. Beier, Hartmut AG Bosinski, Kurt Loewit; Klaus M. Beier (Ed.): Sexualmedizin. 2nd Edition. Elsevier, Urban & Fischer, Munich / Jena 2005, ISBN 3-437-22850-1 .
• Erwin-Josef Speckmann: Physiology. Issue 5, Elsevier; Urban & Fischer, Munich / Jena 2008, ISBN 978-3-437-41318-6 .
• Robert F. Schmidt: Physiology of humans: With pathophysiology. 30th edition. Springer, Heidelberg 2007, ISBN 978-3-540-32908-4 .
• Jan Hartmann, Christian Hick, Friedrich Jockenhövel: Intensive Physiology Course. 5th edition. Elsevier, Urban & Fischer, Munich / Jena 2006, ISBN 3-437-41892-0 .
• Michel Odent : The Nature of Orgasm. About elementary experiences. Translated from English by Christof Trunk. Beck, Munich 2010, ISBN 978-3-406-60635-9 .

to the chapter Backgrounds and anthropological theories - Early human mating behavior

• Robin Baker: Sperm War. Bastei Lübbe, 1999, ISBN 3-404-60465-2 . (Popular science treatise)
• Robin Baker, Mark A Bellis: Human Sperm Competition. Copulation, Masturbation and Infidelity. Springer Netherland, 1994, ISBN 0-412-45430-0 . (Basic scientific work)
• Elisabeth Lloyd : The Case of the Female Orgasm: Bias in the Science of Evolution. Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA 2005, ISBN 0-674-02246-7 .
• Heinz-Jürgen Voss: Making Sex Revisited. Deconstruction of gender from a biological-medical perspective. transcript Verlag, Bielefeld 2010, ISBN 978-3-8376-1329-2 genderopen.de (PDF)

to the chapter on partnership

• Rafaela von Bredow: The festival of drives . In: Der Spiegel . No. 41 , 2005 ( online - Why sex? Recent studies on a great mystery of evolutionary biology; inter alia interesting facts on the subject of "sexual stimulation as a selection criterion." ).

to the chapter Gender similarities and differences :

• Margo Anand: Tantra or The Art of Sexual Ecstasy. Goldmann, Munich 1995, ISBN 3-442-13847-7 (Although the term tantra is reduced to the area of ​​sexuality, the work encourages new ways of looking at the topics of sex and orgasm and illustrates the tantric techniques in a generally understandable way).
• Ashley Thirleby: The Tantra of Love. An introduction to the ancient Indian art of love. Ullstein TB, Frankfurt am Main / Berlin / Vienna 1982, ISBN 3-548-20221-7 (contains detailed exercise instructions for conscious control of the orgasm and is much more concrete than the books from the Osho environment).
• Susan Crain Bakos: Sex Secrets for the Ultimate Lust Trip. Goldmann, Munich 2003, ISBN 3-442-16538-5 (The author has researched worldwide and, despite the lurid title and expanding writing style, has gathered a lot of interesting information on the subject of sex, sexual techniques and the subject of orgasm).

to the chapter Physical restrictions - lack of orgasm :

• Beate Lakotta: pain and happiness . In: Der Spiegel . No. 6 , 2006 ( online - Recent Findings in Treating Disorders of the Female Orgasmic Experience).

to the chapter Physical Restrictions - Paraplegia :

• Lothar Sandfort: Up Close - New Ways of Sexuality for Disabled People. AG-SPAK books, Neu-Ulm 2002, ISBN 3-930830-30-2 .
• Christiane Fürll-Riede, Ralph Hausmann, Wolfgang Schneider: Sexuality despite (t) handicap. Thieme, Stuttgart 2001, ISBN 3-13-118211-3 .

to the chapter Historical Development - Middle Ages to Modern Times :

• Rachel P. Maines: The Technology of Orgasm: Hysteria, the Vibrator, and Women's Sexual Satisfaction. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 1998, ISBN 0-8018-5941-7 .
• Michael Mason: The Making of Victorian Sexuality. Oxford University Press, Oxford / New York, NY 1994, ISBN 0-19-812247-0 , pp. 201 ff.

to the chapter Social and cultural importance - role clichés :

• Shere Hite, Philippe Barraud: On the pride of being a woman. MVG, Frankfurt am Main 2003, ISBN 3-478-73092-9 .
• Marion Hulverscheidt: Female genital mutilation: Discussion and practice in medicine during the 19th century in German-speaking countries. Mabuse, Frankfurt am Main 2002, ISBN 3-935964-00-5 .
• Anne Koedt: The Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm . 1970. At: uic.edu ; accessed on May 6, 2014.

on the chapter on art and literature :

• Philippe Aries, Georges Duby: History of Private Life. 5 volumes. S. Fischer, Frankfurt am Main 1959, ISBN 3-10-033630-5 .
• Gioconda Belli: magic against the cold. Erotic poems = Sortilegio contra el frio. 5th edition. Hammer, Wuppertal 1992, ISBN 3-87294-474-6 (Spanish, German).

Web links

Wiktionary: Orgasm  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Wikiquote: Orgasm  Quotes

• PT Staff: The Orgasm Wars. Evolutionary biologists think female orgasmsmay pick the best sperm. On: psychologytoday.com  ; published December 31, 96, last revised: June 9, 2016 .
• Kayt Sukel: Sex on the brain: Orgasms unlock altered consciousness . On: newscientist.com  ; No. 2812, published May 14, 2011.
• Elia Bragagna: “From excitement - desire - satisfaction.” Sexology conference, Schützen Rheinfelden Clinic, June 6, 2013, Academy for Sexual Health On: klinikschuetzen.ch  ; ( Full text as PDF ).

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Note: During a photo shoot with a model on the subject of Pleasuring herself ...
2. ↑ In studies, the number of women who know ejaculation from their own experience varies between 33 and 54 percent. Sabine zur Nieden: Female ejaculation: Variations on an ancient dispute between the sexes (= contributions to sex research , volume 84). Psychosozial-Verlag, Giessen 2004, ISBN 3-89806-267-8 , p. 111 f.
3. ↑ The most important characteristic of the lordosis reflex is a lowering of the front legs while the rear extremities are raised and the hips are raised. There is a ventral arching of the spine and a lifting, or sideways, displacement of the tail. During lordosis of the spine, it bends dorsoventrally so that the vertices point towards the abdomen.
4. ↑ T. Cibrian-Llanderal, M. Tecamachaltzi-Silvaran, RR Triana-Del and a .: Clitoral stimulation modulates appetitive sexual behavior and facilitates reproduction in rats. In: Physiology & Behavior. 2010, Volume 100, No. 2, pp. 148-153.
5. ^ Roy J. Levin: Can the controversy about the putative role of the human female orgasm in sperm transport be settled with our current physiological knowledge of coitus? In: The Journal of Sexual Medicine . No. 6, January 2011, doi: 10.1111 / j.1743-6109.2010.02162.x
6. ↑ Kate M. Dunn, Lynn F. Cherkas, Tim D. Spector: Genetic influences on variation in female orgasmic function: a twin study. In: Biology Letters. Volume 1, No. 3, 2005, pp. 260-263.
7. ↑ Wolfgang von Buddenbrock : The love life of animals. Bonn 1953.
8. ↑ ^{a b c d} Jane Goodall: The Chimpanzees of Gombe: Patterns of Behavior. Boston 1986.
9. ↑ Norbert Bischof: The Riddle Oedipus. The biological roots of the primal conflict between intimacy and autonomy. Munich / Zurich 1985; ub.uni-muenchen.de (PDF).
10. ↑ Erik Ernst Schwabach: The revolutionization of women. Der Neue Geistverlag, 1928.
11. ↑ Alison Jolly: Lucy's Legacy. Sex and Intelligence in Human Evolution . Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA / London UK 1999, ISBN 0-674-00069-2 .
12. ↑ Premature ejaculation can be inherited. On: focus.de from March 26, 2009.
13. ↑ Patrick Jern, Pekka Santtila, Katarina Witting, Katarina Alanko, Nicole Harlaar, Ada Johansson, Bettina Von Der Pahlen, Markus Varjonen, Nina Vikström, Monica Ålgars, Kenneth Sandnabba: Premature and Delayed Ejaculation: Genetic and Environmental Effects in a Population-Based Sample of Finnish Twins . In: The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Volume 4, No. 6, pp. 1739-1749.
14. ↑ EJ Haeberle: The sexuality of man. de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1983, p. 38.
15. ↑ Karl Knörr, Henriette Knörr-Gärtner, Fritz K. Beller, Christian Lauritzen: Textbook of Obstetrics and Gynecology: Physiology and Pathology of Reproduction. Springer-Verlag, Berlin / Heidelberg / New York 2013, ISBN 978-3-662-00526-2 , pp. 68-69.
16. ^ RJ Levin: Prostate-induced orgasms: A concise review illustrated with a highly relevant case study. In: Clinical Anatomy. Volume 31, 2018, pp. 81–85, doi: 10.1002 / ca.23006 .
17. ↑ Barbara Keesling: Sexual Healing: The Complete Guide to Overcoming Common Sexual Problems. Hunter House, 2006, ISBN 0-89793-465-2 .
18. ^ J. William Lloyd: The Karezza Method. Health Research, Mokelumne Hill (California) 1964.
19. ↑ TH Krüger, P. Haake, D. Chereath and a .: Specificity of the neuroendocrine response to orgasm during sexual arousal in men. In: The Journal of endocrinology. Volume 177, No. 1, 2003, pp. 57-64, PMID 12697037 .
20. ↑ TH Krüger, P. Haake, J. Haverkamp u. a .: Effects of acute prolactin manipulation on sexual drive and function on males. In: The Journal of endocrinology. Volume 179, No. 3, 2003, pp. 357-365. PMID 14656205 ; Full text (PDF).
21. ↑ S. Filippi, L. Vignozzi, GB Vannelli, F. Ledda, G. Forti, M. Maggi: Role of oxytocin in the ejaculatory process . In: Journal of Endocrinological Investigation , 2003, Volume 26, 3 Supplement, pp. 82-86, PMID 12834028 .
22. ↑ CM Meston, PF Frohlich: The neurobiology of sexual function . In: Archives of General Psychiatry , November 2000, Volume 57, No. 11, pp. 1012-1030, PMID 11074867 .
23. ↑ GG Giles et al. a .: Sexual Factors and Prostate Cancer. In: BJU International Volume 92, No. 3, 2003, pp. 211-216. PMID 14678395 .
24. ^ MD Leitzmann: Ejaculation Frequency and Subsequent Risk of Prostate Cancer. In: JAMA , Vol. 291, No. 13, 2004, pp. 1578-1586. PMID 15069045 .
25. ↑ SJ Jacobsen et al. a .: Frequency of Sexual Activity and Prostatic Health: Fact or Fairy Tale? In: Urology. Volume 61, No. 2, 2003, pp. 348-353. PMID 12597946 .
26. ^ S. Brody, TH Krüger: The post-orgasmic prolactin increase following intercourse is greater than following masturbation and suggests greater satiety. In: Biol Psychol. Volume 71, 2006, No. 3, pp. 312-315, PMID 16095799 .
27. ↑ Marcel D. Waldinger, Marcus MHM Meinardi, Aeilko H. Zwinderman, Dave H. Schweitzer: Postorgasmic Illness Syndrome (POIS) in 45 Dutch Caucasian Males: Clinical Characteristics and Evidence for an Immunogenic Pathogenesis (Part 1). In: The Journal of Sexual Medicine. 2011, Volume 8, No. 4, pp. 1164-1170, doi: 10.1111 / j.1743-6109.2010.02166.x .
28. ↑ Petra Stute: The female orgasm. Physiology and pathophysiology, hormonal influences, and female orgasm disorder. University Clinic for Gynecology, University Hospital Bern; Klinikschuetzen.ch (PDF)
29. ↑ Barry R. Komisaruk, Carlos Beyer, Beverly Whipple: Orgasm. In: The Psychologist. Volume 21, No. 2, February 2008, pp. 100-103 ( full text ).
30. ↑ Four Nerve Six Pathway Theory of Female Orgasm. At least six pathway-orgasmic reflex arch systems work during the development of female orgasms. Pudental, Pelvic, Hypogastric, intercostal and Vagus nerves constitute the main nerve network system. Also there are at least two Oxytocin pathway systems, whereas Oxytocin works as a neurotransmitter and as a hormone, separately. During expanded orgasms and ESR orgasms, more than one 'orgasm reflex arch pathway' is activated and trigger an expanded orgasm, while many others contribute to the formation of an EO or ESR orgasms. ( Four Nerve Six Pathway Theory of Female Orgasm. )
31. ↑ NANC neurons are neurons of the autonomic nervous system that use neither adrenaline , noradrenaline , nor acetylcholine as neurotransmitters. “NANC transmitters” often act as co-transmitters, so they can also be released together with noradrenaline or acetylcholine.
32. ↑ H. Marthol, MJ Hilz1: Female Sexual Dysfunction: Classification, Diagnosis and Therapy Female Sexual Dysfunction: A Systematic Overview of Classification, Pathophysiology, Diagnosis and Treatment. In: Advances in Neurology Psychiatry. 2004, vol. 72, no. 3, pp. 121-135.
33. ↑ Per Olov Lundberg: The peripheral innervation of the female genital organs. In: Sexology. Volume 9, No. 3, 2002, pp. 98-106; Full text (PDF).
34. ^ Joanna B. Korda, Sue W. Goldstein, Frank Sommer: The History of Female Ejaculation. In: Journal for Sexual Medicine. International Society for Sexual Medicine, 2010, Volume 7, pp. 1965-1975; Full text (PDF).
35. ^ MH Minh, A. Smadja, JPH De Sigalony, JF Aetherr: Role du fascia de Halban dans la physiologie orgasmique feminime. In: Cahiers de Sexuol Clin. 1981, Volume 7, p. 169.
36. ↑ Kim Wallen, Elisabeth A. Lloyd: Female Sexual Arousal: Genital Anatomy and Orgasm in Intercourse. In: Hormones and behavior. Volume 59, number 5, May 2011, pp. 780-792, doi: 10.1016 / j.yhbeh.2010.12.004 , PMID 21195073 , PMC 3894744 (free full text).
37. ↑ Michael Gekle, Erhard Wischmeyer, Stefan founder, Marlen Petersen, Albrecht Schwab: Pocket textbook physiology. Thieme, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-13-154031-7 , p. 507 f.
38. ↑ Stuart Brody, Kateřina Klapilová, Lucie Krejčová: More Frequent Vaginal Orgasm Is Associated with Experiencing Greater Excitement from Deep Vaginal Stimulation Article. In: Journal of Sexual Medicine , Volume 10, No. 7, April 2013, pp. 1730-1736; Full text (PDF).
39. ↑ H. Ümit Sayin: Doors of Female Orgasmic Consciousness: New Theories on the Peak Experience and Mechanisms of Female Orgasm and Expanded Sexual Response. In: NeuroQuantology. November 2012, Volume 10, No. 4, pp. 692–714, doi: 10.14704 / nq.2012.10.4.627 , see p. 697 ( online ):
40. ↑ Robert King, Jay Belsky, Kenneth Mah, Yitzchak Binik: Are There Different Types of Female Orgasm? In: Archives of Sexual Behavior. doi: 10.1007 / s10508-010-9639-7 ; Full text (PDF)
41. ↑ Kenneth Mah, Yitzchak M. Binik: The nature of human orgasm: A critical review of major trends. In: Clinical Psychology Review. Volume 21, No. 6, pp. 823-856, 2001; Full text (PDF).
42. ↑ THC Krüger: Hormonal and central regulation of sexual desire and attachment. In: Journal of Reproductive Medicine and Endocrinology. 2011, Volume 8, Special Issue 2, pp. 25-29; Full text (PDF).
43. ^ William Howell Masters, Virginia Johnson: Human sexual response. Little / Brown, Boston 1966 (German: The sexual reaction. Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main 1967).
44. ^ Joachim W. Dudenhausen: gynecology and obstetrics. de Gruyter, Berlin 2003, ISBN 3-11-016562-7 , p. 612.
45. ↑ Female sexual response its-nano.eu
46. ↑ Niels Birbaumer, Robert F. Schmidt: Biological Psychology. 4th edition, Springer-Verlag, Heidelberg / Berlin / New York 2013, ISBN 978-3-662-06097-1 , p. 616
47. ^ Theodor Heinrich Schiebler: Anatomy: Histology, history of development, macroscopic and microscopic anatomy, topography. 9th edition, Springer-Verlag, Berlin / Heidelberg / New York 2006, ISBN 978-3-540-26525-2 , p. 643
48. ^ Karl Knörr, Henriette Knörr-Gärtner, Fritz K. Beller, Christian Lauritzen: Obstetrics and Gynecology: Physiology and Pathology of Reproduction. Springer-Verlag, Berlin / Heidelberg / New York 2013, ISBN 978-3-642-95583-9 , p. 67.
49. ↑ Hermann Müller-Vahl, Marco Mumenthaler (Ed.): Lesions of peripheral nerves and radicular syndromes. 10th edition, Thieme, Stuttgart, p. 447.
50. ↑ Milan Zaviacic, RJ Ablin: The female prostate and prostate-specific antigen. Immunohistochemical localization, implications of this prostate marker in women and reasons for using the term "prostate" in the human female. In: Histology and Histopathology. Volume 15, No. 1, 2000 ( full text ).
51. ↑ Wax model of the paraurethral glands from Zaviacic et al. 1.bp.blogspot.com
52. ↑ Wax model of the paraurethral glands from Zaviacic et al. 1.bp.blogspot.com
53. ↑ Milan Zaviacic, Beverly Whipple: Update on the Female Prostate and the Phenomenon of Female Ejaculation. In: The Journal of Sex Research. Volume 30, No. 2, May 1993, pp. 148-151.
54. ↑ Jeffrey Weeks: Sexuality and its discontents: meanings, myths, & modern sexualities . Routledge, London 1985, ISBN 0-415-04503-7 , pp. 324 .
55. ↑ "The amount of time of sexual arousal needed to reach orgasm is variable - and usually much longer - in women than in men; thus, only 20-30% of women attain a coital climax. b. Many women (70-80%) require manual clitoral stimulation… ”Joseph A. Flaherty, John Marcell Davis, Philip G. Janicak: Psychiatry: Diagnosis & therapy. A Long clinical manual . Appleton & Lange (Original from Northwestern University), 1993, ISBN 0-8385-1267-4 , pp. 544 .
56. ^ ^{A b} Elisabeth Anne Lloyd : The case of the female orgasm: bias in the science of evolution . Harvard University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-674-01706-4 , pp. 311 .
57. ↑ Shere Hite : “I was making the point that clitoral stimulation wasn't happening during coitus. That's why women 'have difficulty having orgasms' - they don't have difficulty when they stimulate themselves. "
    Tracey Cox:" It's disappointing that one of Hite's main messages - that 70 per cent of women don't have orgasms through penetration - is not completely accepted today. Plenty of women don't feel comfortable admitting it, even to themselves, for fear their partners will love them less. But women are far more experimental now. " Shere Hite: Shere Hite: On female sexuality in the 21st century. In: The Independent . April 30, 2006, accessed April 10, 2011 . 
58. ↑ HE O'Connell, KV Sanjeevan, JM Hutson: Anatomy of the clitoris . In: The Journal of Urology . tape 174 , 4 pt. 1, October 2005, p. 1189-1195 , doi : 10.1097 / 01.ju.0000173639.38898.cd , PMID 16145367 .
59. ↑ Tracee Cornforth: The Clitoral Truth. Interview with author and sex educator Rebecca Chalker. About.com, July 17, 2009, accessed April 21, 2010 . 
60. ↑ I'm a woman who cannot feel pleasurable sensations during intercourse. ( Memento from January 15, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) In: Go Ask Alice!
61. ↑ Only the clitoris is fun ( Memento from February 3, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
62. ↑ Genetic influences on variation in female orgasmic function: a twin study
63. ↑ Orgasm Study: Who Comes How Often and Why?
64. ↑ David A. Frederick, H. Kate St. John, Justin R. Garcia, Elisabeth A. Lloyd: Differences in Orgasm Frequency Among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Men and Women in a US National Sample . In: Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2018, Volume 47, p. 273, doi: 10.1007 / s10508-017-0939-z .
65. ↑ Andro, Devatara: orgasm school. Training love for your whole life. Nietsch, Waldfeucht 1995, ISBN 3-929475-14-6 .
66. ↑ ^{a b} chap. 17: Mental Illness, Psychotropic Drugs, and Sexuality. In: Asmus Finzen: drug treatment for mental disorders. 14th edition. Psychiatrie-Verlag, Bonn 2004, ISBN 3-88414-372-7 .
67. ↑ chap. 24: sexuality. In: Brigitte Woggon : Treatment with psychotropic drugs . 2nd, completely revised and expanded edition, Huber, Bern 1998/2005, ISBN 3-456-83538-8 .
68. ^ International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health.
69. ^ Anatomy and Sexual Dysfunction. In: Scientific American .
70. ↑ DG McLintock: phimosis of the prepuce of the clitoris: indication for female circumcision. In: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. Volume 78, No. 3, 1985, pp. 257-258, PMID 3973892 .
71. ↑ qz-halle.de
72. ↑ asbh.de
73. ↑ Reich saw, for example, yoga breathing exercises as a technique for controlling affect and thus as "the exact opposite" to his technique. See Wilhelm Reich: The function of the orgasm. 1942. Here in a new edition: Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Cologne 1969, pp. 266, 308, also 176, 191.

This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on January 3, 2006 .