How Well Do You Know the Clitoris
What is the key to orgasm for most women, with the highest concentration of nerve endings of the entire body? Most people know that it is the clitoris. But how well do you know the clitoris? The little pink pearl that peeks out from under the skin that forms a hood is just the figurative tip of the iceberg. The tip of the clitoris is just the external part of a much larger structure that extends internally around the entire vulva.
The clitoris is made up of erectile tissue that becomes engorged with blood when a woman gets aroused. This is exactly what happens in the erectile tissue of a man’s penis when he gets an erection, except that a woman’s erectile tissue is completely internal apart from a tiny shaft and tip of the clitoris. If you imagine the same amount of erectile tissue that is found in the penis being located inside the woman’s body, you get an idea of the extent of the true size of the clitoris and its related structures. The difference is that the erectile tissue in women is spread out to surround the opening of the urethra and the vagina, while a man has the majority of his erectile tissue projecting outside of his body in his penis.
Under the surface, the clitoris extends in an inverted “V” shape under the pubic bone to each side. Connected to this is erectile tissue that completely surrounds a woman’s urethra. This contributes to the pleasure that a woman experiences with stimulation of the U-spot and the G-spot, as well as makes female ejaculation possible. Next, on each side of the vaginal opening, there is a pouch of erectile tissue that makes up the vestibular bulb. These 2 bulbs of erectile tissue can significantly increase in size when they fill up with blood. They then create an enjoyable feeling of pressure when they are stimulated, such as by penetration or pressure on the labia majora. Finally, behind the opening of the vagina is more erectile tissue that completes the network of erectile tissue encircling the vaginal opening.
The clitoris and the surrounding erectile tissue is very responsive to both psychological arousal and physical stimulation. There is plenty of room to experiment and a multitude of ways to give pleasure to a woman through her genitals. Keep in mind that there is a whole network of erectile tissue and you will start to understand how a combination of sensations heightens her pleasure, which can include outer and inner stimulation. Let her be your guide, and always err on the side of slow and soft and then build up to harder and faster as she lets you know.
Dr. Castellanos is a psychiatrist specializing in sex therapy for over 25 years, including treatment with bio-identical hormones, and functional medicine consultations. You can follow her on Instagram at thesexmd, Facebook at The Sex MD, and X at @DrCastellanos.
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My wife is reluctant to oral sex-it’s dirty.
Any suggestions?
@Diego – Sometimes teaching a person about hygiene and allowing them to bathe prior to the activity can be helpful for some. Unfortunately, many people who think that it is dirty have very deeply-ingrained ideas that are very resistant to change. You could try introducing her to the book
She Comes First: The Thinking Man’s Guide to Pleasuring a Woman
and she if she is responsive to this. If her ideas are very negative and include dislike or disgust of the body, then she may want to work with a sex therapist. But as I mentioned, for many people these ideas are difficult to change.
Dear Madeleine, thank you for the schooling.. I found this piece to be surprisingly new, quite informative & remarkably enlightening.. As a longtime student of sexology as well as having studied from medical textbooks, I am amazed at never reading anything of how extended the clitoral region is.. Upon this discovery, my sexual spectrum has without a doubt been expanded.. Incidentally, even from my early days of mating, I became aware of the emotional involvement women connected to feeling my Penis penetrating them.. Some appeared to be overwhelmed by it.. I was hearing from some that during lovemaking, they felt me ‘everywhere’ at the same time.. I also learned the many reactions & emotions of a woman’s climax even though nothing was verbalized to me.. Additionally, due to some lovers’ candidness, it has been healthy for my ego to know of my prowess & virility however only now has it become clear as to why many remarked on the substancial thickness of my Penis.. I was never disheartened by its average length.. I soon learned that most women agree on girth trumping length nearly every time regarding penile dimensions.. Upon discovering the 6″ circumference of my Penis in relation to dimensional studies, I knew the fullness of it was / is pleasing to a woman.. Now my curiousity is satisfied as to precisely why.. Again doctor, thank you..
Are you just showing off now? Just kidding. I’m glad the post was informative.
Indeed it was.. To be succinct, unselfishly my intention was to indicate how finally learning of the extensive erectile tissue & its related structures of the entire clitoral region & vulva answered numerous questions for me regarding female sexual response & pleasure..
So what DA is offering to women is basically shaped like a large “baking potato”? 8D !!!
Haha! Right? I think he just wants to show off and puff up his feathers.