Vaginal and clitoral orgasms: any difference?

Vaginal and clitoral orgasms: any difference?

Women who orgasm through vaginal stimulation get a bigger rush of love for their partners, according to Venezuelan sexologist and psychiatrist Dr Rómulo Aponte.

Most girl's need clitoral stimulation to climax, but for some just vaginal stimulation will do the trick. The orgasms feel different both physically and emotionally, Dr Aponte says.

Vaginal orgasms are less intense, but unlike clitoral orgasms, women feel like they spread throughout the entire body. This is because the sensory routes activated in the body and brain are different for vaginal and clitoral orgasms, Dr Aponte told Love Matters at SLAMS, the major Latin American conference on sexual medicine.

When a woman comes through vaginal stimulation she also has a higher level of prolactin, the hormone involved in making you feel sexually satisfied.

Emotionally, women who have vaginal orgasms feel a stronger bond with their partner, the sexologist said, citing several studies.

Brain waves

The waves of pleasure felt during a vaginal orgasm are caused by a chemical response in the brain, which begins when a woman is stimulated.

Three parts of the brain are crucial to the orgasm sensation, Dr Aponte explains.

  • The hypothalamus – the brain’s control centre, which regulates the chemical messages.
  • The somatosensory cortex of the temporal lobe – the part of the brain involved in physical sensations, including pleasure.
  • The prefrontal cortex – responsible for complex thought processes, like interpreting information. During an orgasm, the somatosensory cortex picks up the pleasure. But it has to communicate with the prefrontal cortex, so you can actually consciously recognise the pleasure of a climax when you feel it.

Can you have both vaginal and clitoral orgasms? We'd love to know how they feel different to you!

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