Sexual Stimulation

of nerve endings in large breasts so they may need more stimulation. Nipple stimulation alone can lead to orgasm in some people; there is a release of both prolactin and oxytocin when these are stimulated, which can impact genital feelings.

The abdomen just above the pubic region can be intensely erogenous. The navel itself is very erogenous, particularly when touched by a finger or the tip of the tongue. The sacrum at the base of the spine can be erogenous as can the skin of the inner arms. The inner crease of the elbow is especially sensitive to touch. The armpits are erogenous to some people. The smell of sweat can be erotic. Other erogenous zones are the fingertips, the back of the thighs, and the toes.

SEXUAL STIMULATION

Sexual stimulation can, of course, be unrelated or related to touch. Most of the time, however, achieving an orgasm necessitates some type of physical sexual stimulation. Physical stimulation that leads to orgasm usually has to be related to the erogenous zones or to direct genital stimulation. Endorphins are chemical rewards that act to encourage the pursuit of further stimulation.

Sex toys have been used for millennia for sexual stimulation. Dildoes have been found dating to prehistoric times. They were also used in Ancient China, by the Greeks, and by the Romans. In some cases, a dildo was used to break the hymen of a woman on her wedding night—both to confirm virginity but also because hymeneal blood was considered unclean.

Visual stimulation has been extensively studied. This is heightened in people who exhibit voyeurism. Pornography involves visual stimulation, which is more prominently used by men but can be used in women. Visual stimuli can be very powerful in causing sexual arousal.

Olfactory stimulation is extremely important. Men are particularly aroused by the smell of some women’s perfume. It is believed that olfactory cues in evolution helped to avoid incest. Women in particular rate olfactory experiences as possibly negatively affecting physical desire.

As mentioned, auditory stimulation is less likely to play a role in arousal but it certainly does play a role in sexual activity. Moans and increased breath rate all will reinforce sexual arousal, leading to positive feedback. There is commercially produced erotic material mainly marked toward men. Music itself can be sexually arousing. Phone sex is based exclusively on auditory stimulation.

Mental stimulation includes erotic literature, dreams, imagination, fantasy, and roleplaying. Sexual fantasy is a type of mental stimulation that is extremely important. Men are more likely to see themselves in a dominant role in fantasy, while women are more likely to see themselves passively in a sexual fantasy. Women’s fantasies are more connected to commitment and affection than is true of men. The downside of fantasy is that it can be connected to sexual criminal behavior.

Dreams can cause sexual arousal in both men and women. Orgasms can be achieved during sleep. Things like BDSM, which involves bondage, sadism, and masochism, are linked to sexual role-playing. Sexual fetishism and paraphilias involve sexual arousal because of an association with a non-human object.

The physiological response to sexual arousal differs between the genders. The sex organs are the most affected. Men will have the corpora cavernosa fill with blood, leading to an erection. Women will have increased blood flow to the vulva and clitoris; there will be increased vaginal secretions.

The most reliable measure of male physiological response to sex is an erection. The testes are pulled into the body and the scrotal skin is drawn in more tightly. The glans of the penis swells and the testicles will increase in size. There can be increased flushing of the scrotum. The muscles of the pelvic floor contract to force semen into the urethra in order to have ejaculation. If the orgasm cannot happen for any reason, it can feel uncomfortable in the testes. This is what is referred to in slang terminology as having “blue balls”.

Women first notice vaginal lubrication and wetness. Then there will be engorgement of the external genitalia and internal enlargement of the female vagina. The clitoris will swell and redden. The heart rate and blood pressure increase. After an orgasm, some