A study has found that women have three different types of orgasms, ranging from undulations through to volcano-like explosions.
Some people may see the female orgasm as notoriously tricky to master, but a team of researchers are now hoping to at least provide some answers to help us understand more.
Scientists from Charles University in Prague are behind a long-term study into orgasms in women, having measured orgasms to identify ‘levels of pleasure’.
The study, which was led by James Pfaus, a professor of neuroscience at the university, saw 54 women invited to use a bluetooth-connected vibrator known as the ‘Lioness’ to reach orgasm.
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Finding that the female pelvic floor muscles contract in different ways, the team separated the results into distinct categories of orgasm: the wave, the avalanche and the volcano.
Pfaus said in a statement: “We are doing a long-term study of women using the Lioness to see how these different patterns are experienced subjectively as orgasms, as levels of pleasure, where the stimulation that induces them largely comes from.”
With two sensors on its sides, the Lioness device is designed to detect the force of pelvic floor contractions, using the data to examine the rhythm of such movements.
This allowed researchers to look at the participants’ unique internal movements in the build up to climax.
The study found that the wave was the most common type of orgasm experienced by the volunteers, with 26 women having this type - which manifests as ‘undulations’.
Of the other participants, 17 experienced an avalanche orgasm, while 11 women experienced the volcano orgasm.
Praus continued: “The wave looks like undulations or successive contractions of tension and release at orgasm.
“The avalanche rides on a higher pelvic floor tension with contractions that lower the tension downward during orgasm.
“The volcano rides on a lower pelvic floor tension but then explodes into tension and release during orgasm.”
Another recent study into the female orgasm also found that 'moaning' isn't part of the process.
Scientists from the University of Ottawa observed the physiological responses of the female orgasm, leading them to leave 'moaning' off the list of bodily sensations.
For the study, which was published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine, researchers asked 637 women of various ages to complete a questionnaire about their orgasm experiences.
The questionnaire included the ‘Orgasm Rating Scale’, a list of different responses such as ‘trembling’, ‘quivering’, and ‘pulsating’. It also had a list of emotional responses, including ‘loving’, 'tender' and ‘passionate’.
The other portion of the questionnaire was the ‘Bodily Sensations of Orgasm Scale’, which had a list of adjectives like ‘faster breather’, ‘heart beating stronger’, ‘harder nipples’, ‘overall muscle tension’, and ‘lower limb spasms’.
Participants were also asked to name the top sensation they felt during climaxing.
Researchers found that ‘pleasurable satisfaction’ was the most common, whereas ‘emotional intimacy’ and ‘shooting sensations’ were the least common on the Orgasm Rating Scale.
Researchers concluded that ‘moaning’ be removed from the measure altogether, adding: “All other items appear to relate to involuntarily responses occurring throughout the orgasm experience.”
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Science
Jess Hardiman