Most Men (And Women) Don't Know The Difference Between Orgasming and Climaxing
Women can fake an orgasm, but they can’t fake sexual climax
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When sex researchers study the female orgasm, they are faced with two major obstacles. First, they often have to fund research themselves, so studies almost always have fewer than 50 participants. Second, much of sex research relies on self-reporting instead of clinical testing.
In 2016, neuroscientist and researcher Dr Nicole Prause set out to change these failings by studying the female orgasm in her private “orgasm lab.” Her research focused on the build-up of arousal and orgasm and how it differs from climaxing.
To better understand this process, Dr. Prause used a pressure-sensitive anal gauge (basically a high-tech butt plug) to measure sexual response in women. Female participants were instructed to press a button at the start and end of their orgasm.
Given that the sensation of orgasm differs in women, recording contractions is a more accurate method to measure sexual climax. While the male orgasm is more concentrated in the penis and testicles, the female orgasm extends into the entire pelvic region, causing the uterus, vagina, and anal sphincter to contract rhythmically. According to the Kinsey report, these contractions initiate the orgasmic experience and begin a few seconds after an orgasm has started.
Basically, by combining an anal gauge with EEG, which measures brain activity, Dr. Prause could more accurately measure the length and intensity of the female orgasm.
However, something strange happened during her research. Women pressed the button, reporting they were feeling an orgasm, but the anal gauge did not measure any sexual response. Why were women reporting the sensation of orgasm without experiencing contractions?
Dr. Prause theorized that the reason for the discrepancy was that women misunderstood what an orgasm and sexual climax should feel like.
However, I suspect another reason for this discrepancy. The clitoral network is unique in every woman. Most women have the highest concentration of nerves in the glans clitoris (see illustration) while others have a more sensitive network of nerves wrapping around the vaginal walls and stretching out toward the anal sphincter.
It could be that the anal gauge was not measuring contractions because the women were experiencing orgasms primarily in the glans. For example, previous research found that menopausal women are less likely to experience anal contractions during orgasm. (Levine, 1998)
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Either way, the statistics are pretty grim. 39% of women orgasm when they masturbate, compared to only 6% during penetrative sex with a partner. This is known as the orgasm gap.
To add to the confusion, many people interchange the words "orgasm" and "climax" when the two are not the same. An orgasm is the build-up of pleasure before the release of sexual tension or climax. A climax marks the peak of the sexual response cycle that feels the most pleasurable.
Here are a few more ways that the elusive female orgasm vs. climaxing is misunderstood.
Orgasm vs. climax — how men can tell the difference
While many women can fake an orgasm, faking a sexual climax is nearly impossible…if men know the physiological signs.
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