Sex and health
Posted by on Friday, 3rd April 2009
FEMALE & MALE HEALTH ISSUESWhat is Sexual Orgasm? A peak of arousal, marking a moment of intense pleasure. The female orgasm lasts a few seconds, followed by a feeling of relaxation. Continued stimulation may also result in further orgasms. Unlike the men, some women are able to do this without the need to rest for a short period of time, smoke a cigarette or order in pizza.
Do women only climax during penetrative activity? Far from it. The fact is very few women orgasm solely as a result of the penis penetrating the vagina, it's more likely to happen through stimulation (touching/rubbing/kissing) of the clitoris - the highly sensitive bump located at the top of the vaginal lips.
What are the female orgasmic signs medically? Here are some general orgasm indicators, describing the build up and the moment itself:
• rising feeling of intense strange feelings;
• increase in blood pressure and pulse rate;
• breathing quickens;
• increase in vaginal lubrication;
• clitoris becomes erect and exposed;
• breasts become enlarged, nipples erect;
• skin flushes, particularly the face and chest;
• pelvic muscle spasms, causing vaginal contractions and orgasmic sensations
Why does orgasm happen?: In men, the orgasm is all tied up with a specific reproductive function-sperm Ejaculation. Women don't have to orgasm during sex in order to conceive, which makes the reason why it happens hard to pin down. Here are some of the more interesting (and questionable) theories, none of which address the simple fact - if it's enjoyable, who needs theories?
• After climax, you're more likely to lie down, thus increasing sperm retention and boosting your chances of conception!
• The muscular contractions associated with the female orgasm help pull sperm from the vagina to the cervix, again boosting conception chances.
• To create an emotional bond between lovers.
• A means of communicating sexual satisfaction to your partner (always a good thing).
Female Sexual Arousal
Your girlfriend or wife is stress-free, you have plenty of foreplay and romance, and you’ve tried every position possible, but she simply cannot have an orgasm. This can be a very troubling and discouraging situation for both people involved. Both the man and woman can feel as though they are sexually inadequate, leading to distress within the relationship.
Female Sexual Arousal Disorder (FSAD) can be categorized by the following symptoms:
• inability to experience orgasm
• inability to produce lubrication
• decreased libido or lack of desire
Having one of these symptoms does not necessarily mean that one has FSAD. A physician should be contacted for diagnosis.
There are both physical and emotional causes of FSAD. Here are some of the known causes:
• lack of affection within relationship
• communication problems
• fatigue and stress
• physical illness likes diabetes or heart disease
• psychological conditions like depression
• relationship lacking emotional intimacy
• restrictive upbringing concerning sex
• negative/traumatic sexual experience
Here’s a little introduction to each of the pleasure zones of girls and women:
Clitoris:
• Areas above, to the sides, and below the clitoris are highly sensitive
• Its only physical function is to provide sexual pleasure
• Most women claim that the clitoral orgasm is the most intense
• In his book Sexual Behavior on the Human Female (1953), Charles Kinsey found that out of 2700 American women, half received orgasm through clitoral stimulation
Vaginal Orgasm:
• Outer third of the vagina is the most sensitive
• Many women claim that it is more difficult to achieve a vaginal orgasm than a clitoral one.
• Freud labeled this type of orgasm as the “mature” type, whereas the clitoral orgasm was an “immature” type of sexual experience (A General Introduction to Psychoanalysis, 1916)
It is important to note, however, that one type of orgasm is not better than the other – they are simply two different ways of experiencing pleasure.Every woman has her own preference over which orgasm provides the best pleasure.
Men who are striving to please their girlfriends or wives in bed should communicate with their partners to discover:
a) which is easiest for her to achieve
b) which one she prefers in terms of physical pleasure
Vaginal Dryness
An estimated 20 million American women suffer from vaginal dryness—and as a consequence, painful intercourse. Dryness can result from menopause, childbirth, stress, and even the use of certain medications. Vaginal dryness can sometimes be a great obstacle when trying to achieve orgasm. It can make sex painful and even unbearable for some women.
Male reproductive cells - Sperms
The mature sperm cell (spermatozoa) is 0.05 milliliters long. It consists of a head, body and tail. The head is covered by the ac cap and contains a nucleus of dense genetic material from the 23 chromosomes.
It is attached from the neck to the body containing mitochondria that supply the energy for the sperm's activity. The tail is made of protein fibers that contract on alternative sides, giving a characteristic wavelike movement that drives the sperm through the seminal fluid, which also supplies additional energy. Some sperm have two heads or two tails and if the testes are too warm they may die or spermatogenesis may not occur. Sperm swim at a rate of about 3mm (0.12 inches) per minute. That’s an average, it’s different for every guy. Some sperm cells are 'better' swimmers than others. Why? They need to wave their tales more than 1000 times just to swim a half an inch.
Sperm cells are made in the testes where it takes about 72 days for one sperm to grow. Sperm production requires a temperature which is three to five degrees below body temperature. The scrotum has a built-in thermostat, which keeps the sperm at the correct temperature while they’re being stored. If it becomes too cool on the outside, the scrotum will bring the testicles closer to the body for warmth as you probably know from jumping into a cold pool of water or ocean. That’s why the testes hang away from the body -- so sperm can develop at the temperature they need. (95° - 97° F or 35° to 36° C). Semen contains small amounts of more than thirty elements. The middle section controls the sperms activities. The sperm or (spermatozoa -- which are the little swimming critters) make up only about 5% of what a man ejaculates each time he ejaculates. The rest of what a man ejaculates in his ejaculate, which is about a teaspoonful (5 ml), is made up of water, sugar, protein, vitamin C, zinc, and prostaglandins. Semen or seminal fluid is the mixture of sperm and the secretions of the seminal vesicles and prostate glands. Over the course of a guy’s life, he’ll produce more than 12 trillion sperm.
Drawing Copyright belongs to: Simon & Shuster Inc., NY, NY 1999
Male Sexual Arousal
Erection: Although much research has been done on erectile function and dysfunction, many aspects of function still remain unclear. (Even with the invention of those blue pills you have seen advertised on TV.)
Erection results from dilation of the arteries in the penis and an increase in arterial blood under high pressure -- to simplify things a bit. This causes the erectile tissue in the penis to become engorged. Erection also most likely involves several neurotransmitters.
Orgasm
With increasing intensity of the sexual stimulus, the reflex centers of the spinal cord begin to emit impulses that leave the cord to the genitals and initiate emission, which is the forerunner of ejaculation. Fluid from the vas deferens, the prostate, the ampulla, and the seminal vesicles (and even more tiny glands) are propelled into the internal urethra by contractions of the groin muscles*. The filling of the internal urethra elicits signals that are transmitted through the pudendal nerves from the spinal cord. Increases in pressure in the urethra cause the semen to be propelled to the exterior, resulting in ejaculation! The period of emission and ejaculation is termed male orgasm. After ejaculation erection ceases within 1 to 2 minutes in most males.
Sexual Hormones: It is apparent that sexual desire and performance depend on some threshold level of testosterone, however, this level varies from man to man. One of the greatest inhibitors of sexual functioning in males is loss of or low self-esteem and the development of a negative self-image.
Q What is the difference between a male and female orgasm?
Ans : The most obvious difference in orgasms is that male orgasms are usually accompanied by the ejaculation of semen. Ejaculation involves the secretion of semen into the urethra (urinary canal) and a rhythmic contraction of pelvic muscles that forces the semen out of the urethra.
In males sometimes orgasms occur with or without ejaculation. When men have orgasms without ejaculation, the pelvic muscles contract and you feel like youêre having an orgasm, but the semen is prevented from being secreted into the urethra. Less commonly, the semen is pushed backward into the bladder during orgasm and appears as milky fluid that comes out during urination after sex. This is called retrograde ejaculation and happens occasionally when men try to prevent ejaculation during orgasm and is usually not a sign of a disorder. However, retrograde ejaculation does happen more frequently in people with diabetes or after surgery, causing damage to the nerves around the penis. During orgasm for a female, the rhythmic contractions take place within the pelvic muscles as well as the walls of the vagina. In most women, there is no fluid ejaculated during orgasm. Another difference between male and female orgasm is that women do not experience a refractory period and may have multiple orgasms with continued or additional stimulation.
Q When my husband and I have sex, sometimes I feel too dry inside and often it hurts. There are also times when I feel a pain in my belly when he is in too deep, any suggestions?
Ans : Don't stress out over vaginal dryness. You might just need a vaginal lubricant and there are many to choose from, even the generic brands work well. Spend more time before the act getting interested and ready to participate. Kissing, fondling, caressing and slowly getting into sexual exploration may also be a part of the dance that's lacking for you. If you have severe pain, seek medical help right away. It may be an infection, inflammation or condition that requires attention. BUT, tell him so together you can create the pattern that's pleasing for both of you. Concentrate on what feels good for both of you; inside and out.
Q Can masturbating hurt me?
Ans : No, not really. You might get sore if you are masturbating a lot. If you feel sore from masturbating too much, than that is too much for you. In case you feel deadly tired or very bad after masturbation, you should stop it for the time you really recover. The scientific reason is that after every masturbation, oxygen level in your blood is considerably dropped. Blood takes some time to pick up oxygen. It is a good idea to have drink a glass of water in small sips (not hurriedly).