Widely considered to be the pinnacle of sexual ecstasy, orgasm is a strong sensation of physical pleasure and sensation that involves a release of erotic tension. Orgasm, comes from the greek word, orgasmos, meaning “excitement or swelling”. They frequently occur after continuous stimulation of erogenous zones such as the genitals, anus, nipples, and perineum. Clinically, muscular contractions that occur during sexual activity, as well as the typical patterns of change in heart rate, blood pressure and in certain cases, respiration rate, are used to characterise orgasm. It is mainly governed by the involuntary or autonomic nervous system and are experienced by both men and women. Involuntary behaviours are commonly connected, such as muscular spasms in many places of the body, an overall euphoric experience, and, in some cases, bodily movements and vocalisations too.
Female Orgasm
Female orgasms are basically rhythmic contractions of the genital muscles, including the uterus and introitus, than occur approximately every 0.8 seconds, and it often last longer than male orgasms, ranging from 13 to 51 seconds on average. The blood vessels in a woman’s genitals dilate when physically or psychologically stimulated, causing the vulva to swell as the blood supply increases. Most women, unlike men, do not have a recovery period and can therefore have more orgasms if stimulated again.
Male Orgasm
When a male is stimulated physically or psychologically, the corpora, a spongy tissue that runs the length of the penis, recieves blood, and hence causing erection and eventually leading to ejaculation. After entering the recovery phase, generally no further stimulation occur. However, this differes person to person.
While studies suggest many health benefits of orgasmic stimulations, including, lower risk of mortality, it is also reported that orgasms are linked to a variety of problems, which can cause anguish, frustration, and embarrassment in a person experiencing the symptoms and their partner. Experts advise avoiding comparisons to other individuals or preconceived notions of what an orgasm should be in many circumstances.
In a country where sex is considered a taboo, ignorance combined with incomplete knowledge about orgasm, has led to a number of common misconceptions. The path to orgasm is a very personal experience with an all encompassing definition. It’s high time that the population stops being ashamed of talking about orgasms and takes sex education classes seriously.
Visual by: Aslam Siddique
Article by Dipakshi Goswami, The North-Eastern Chronicle
