If You Want an Orgasm, Stimulate This

Who doesn’t want to have great sex and mind-blowing orgasms? This is an important concern for many, and in response, magazines and websites offer plenty of advice on how you can increase the frequency and intensity of sexual climaxes.

Men who want to please their partners are often told they need to pay attention to the clitoris. Indeed, for many women, clitoral stimulation is the best approach for achieving climax.

At the same time, some women report intense orgasms from stimulating the so-called “g-spot” inside the vagina. Researchers have yet to identify the exact location or structure of the g-spot, and some even doubt its existence. However, women who claim to experience g-spot orgasms regularly beg to differ.

While men are more likely than women to experience orgasm during sexual intercourse, they can also experience difficulties. Erectile dysfunction is a common problem for men of all ages, but even when they can get an erection, some men find it difficult to orgasm, no matter how much stimulation they receive. There are also claims that more intense orgasms can be obtained through prostate massage.

The Orgasm Center

According to Northwestern University neuroscientist Kevin McKenna, your body really does have an orgasm center. The only thing is that there’s no way to stimulate it directly. That’s because it’s located deep inside your spinal cord.

In an article recently published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, McKenna identified the LSt cells of the spinal cord as the part of the nervous system that generates orgasm. Short for “lumbar spinothalamic,” LSt cells have been shown to activate whenever a male rat ejaculates.

Further research has shown that these cells become active in female rats during sexual intercourse. This suggests that LSt cells aren’t responsible for ejaculation per se but rather the experience of orgasm. Additional research has shown that activation in this area of the spinal cord co-occurs with a sexual climax in humans, both male and female.

According to McKenna, sexual climax consists of two components, rhythmic contractions of the pelvic muscles and the subjective experience of intense pleasure. Both of these are triggered by the activation of the LSt cells. In males, these pelvic contractions are also accompanied by ejaculation.

Of Mice and Men

McKenna’s model is elegant in its simplicity in that it proposes that sexual climax is the same for men and women, for humans and animals. Furthermore, he offers that the LSt cells constitute what is known as a central pattern generator. Known as CPGs, these are clusters of cells in the nervous system that produce rhythmic activity. Some CPGs produce continuous activity, such as breathing, while others produce discrete actions, such as sneezing or swallowing.

Seeing the LSt cells as a CPG for sexual climax also provides a simple answer to an age-old question, namely: Why do women have orgasms, anyway? Because orgasm and ejaculation are intrinsically linked in males, it’s easy to equate the two as the same thing—at least for male researchers. And since females don’t ejaculate semen during intercourse, the purpose of the female orgasm has confounded researchers for decades.

In McKenna’s view, however, the explanation for female orgasm is quite simple. Both LSt cells and nipples are part of the basic body plan for mammals. In short, women have orgasms for the same reason that men have nipples.

Making Connections

The LSt cells have connections with both the genitals and the brain. These connections run in both directions, such that the LSt cells don’t just receive stimulation from the genitals and the brain. They also send signals back to both regions. This makes sense, seeing that sexual climax consists of pelvic contractions in the genital region and a psychological experience of intense pleasure that's brain-based.

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Moreover, the genitals also have direct neural connections with the brain. This makes sense, given that sexual arousal can start from genital stimulation, but it can also begin with thoughts about sex.

So, how do the LSt cells decide when to trigger an orgasm? According to McKenna, sexual climax likely occurs when stimulation of the LSt cells reach a certain threshold. When this excitation level is reached, the LSt cells fire a signal to initiate rhythmic contractions of the pelvic muscles and an intense experience of pleasure in the brain.

But that doesn’t mean orgasm is inevitable if enough genital stimulation is applied. After all, both men and women can experience difficulty achieving orgasm, no matter how long they engage in sexual activity.

The reason for this is that the LSt cells receive excitatory signals from the genitals and brain and receive inhibitory signals from both regions. Thus, orgasm is achieved through genital stimulation and erotic thoughts, but it can be inhibited by unpleasant stimuli, such as pain or anxiety.

No Sweet Spot or Magical Touch

So, what triggers sexual climax? “Nothing in particular,” McKenna responded. There’s no secret sweet spot or magical way of touching your partner that will guarantee an orgasm. Instead, sexual climax builds through the accumulation of genital sensations and erotic imaginings. Whatever particular touch or thought that finally pushes the LSt cells over their threshold will trigger an orgasm.

McKenna’s model of sexual climax also provides us with important insights into our sexual wellbeing. If you want to achieve orgasm during a sexual encounter, you need to focus on your bodily sensations and your thoughts and emotions. In this sense, the old saying about your brain being your biggest sex organ rings true.

It also tells us that we need to reduce negative experiences that dampen the mood. If you or your partner experience pain during intercourse, you need to find ways to alleviate that, such as through the liberal use of lubricants or trying new positions.

Likewise, suppose your mind is burdened with troubles. In that case, it’s probably better to accept that an orgasm will not happen tonight rather than trying to push through anyway and leaving you even more frustrated. After all, piling frustration on top of anxiety will make it even harder to reach a climax next time.