The Everything Orgasm Book (8 page)

The Cowper's Glands

The Cowper's or bulbourethral glands are two small, rounded bodies about the size of peas, located behind the urethra. They are responsible for secreting a clear, pre-ejaculatory fluid, generated upon sexual arousal. They are the male equivalent to the Bartholin's glands in females.

Having covered the main components of sexual anatomy, it is time to take a look at the sequence of physiological events that happen during sex. When aroused, either through mental or physical stimulation, both male and female bodies undergo a series of changes. From an evolutionary perspective, many of these changes function to prepare male and female bodies for coitus, or vaginal intercourse. Of course, how you respond to these physiological changes and the behaviors that you choose to participate in are completely your own choice.

The sequence of physiological events that make up the human sexual response was first identified by the pioneering research of Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Masters and Johnson called this sequence “the sexual response cycle.” In their work, they identified four distinct stages of sexual response: excitement, plateau, orgasm, and resolution. Subsequent researchers have added a fifth stage, desire, which comes before the excitement stage.

Stage 1: Desire

The initial stage in the sexual response cycle for men and women is desire, the urge for sexual intimacy or sexual gratification. Desire takes place mostly in the mind. It is related to your sex drive or libido. It could be considered the potential for sexual arousal or excitement. There are many cues that incite sexual desire; some are physical, others are psychological. These cues may come in a variety of stimuli. Here are some examples:

• Visual: The appearance of a particular person or some physically appealing aspect or attribute of that person, or a beautiful landscape or sunset.
  

• Auditory: The sound of someone's voice, sighs, moans, or breathing, or a beautiful song.
  

• Olfactory: The smell of someone's body odor or perfume, or the scent of honeysuckle on the breeze.
  

• Kinesthetic: Physical activity, dancing, running, yoga, or another type of movement.
  

• Tactile: The feel of someone's soft skin, firm muscles, soft cotton or silk, or warm water.
  

• Memory: The recollection of an old lover or erotic encounter.
  

• Fantasy: The image of some romantic or erotic interlude with someone you know, have just met, or have never seen before.
  

What gets your desire going is highly individualistic and is based on a variety of factors, including your hormone levels, your connection to a partner, your life experiences, and the sexual cues in your environment. Desire can be adversely affected by many factors as well, including poor health, low self-esteem, high stress levels, low energy, shame, or concerns about health risks. It is important to note that you may feel desire without any object of desire, just a feeling of wanting sexual gratification.

Stage 2: Excitement

The second stage in the sexual response cycle is that of excitement. It is also called the arousal phase. This is the stage where you start to sense erotic feelings and responses in your body. The onset of the excitement phase varies from person to person due to a variety of factors. An adolescent boy, for example, may enter into the excitement phase with very little physical or mental stimulation. Older women, on the other hand, may need significant physical stimulation, fantasy, and intimacy in order to become fully aroused. Though the time and effort it takes to enter the excitement phase varies greatly, the majority of physiological changes that take place are the same, varying only in degree.

During this phase there is an increase in heart rate, blood flow, breathing, and muscle tension. The increase in blood flow increases the body's overall warmth and may cause a “sex flush” or flushed skin, particularly on the face, the abdomen and the chest. This can happen in both genders, although it is more common in women. There is also an increase in sensitivity to stimulation and a reduction in sensitivity to pain. The nipples may become erect in both men and women, and many involuntary and voluntary muscles begin contracting.

The excitement phase also initiates the important processes of genital vasoconstriction and genital vasocongestion. In genital vasoconstriction, the veins carrying blood away from the genitals become narrow, restricting the flow of blood leaving the genital tissues. This allows for genital vasocongestion, also called engorgement, which is the pooling of blood into the genital tissues. These processes are what make the penis erect and the clitoris, vagina, and vulva swell.

In women, a few other changes occur during the excitement phase. Breasts may increase in size and the vaginal walls become lubricated. The vagina lengthens, the upper portion of the vagina balloons, or widens, the uterus rises, and the labia swell and separate. In men, the penis becomes erect, the scrotum thickens and the testicles rise up closer to the body.

Stage 3: Plateau

The third stage of the sexual response cycle is the plateau stage. In the plateau stage, you are sustaining a very high level of arousal. This stage is usually brought on by continuous physical stimulation of specific erogenous zones, which may be supplemented by mental stimulation, such as fantasy. This is the state you are in just before orgasm, although this state may come and go numerous times before orgasm occurs. In other words, you may reach a plateau for a stretch of time and then drop back down to a lower level of arousal before rising up again.

During this stage, all of the physiological changes that took place in the arousal phase intensify and there is a sense of impending orgasm. Muscle tension, breathing, pulse rates, and blood pressure increase further. You may have muscle spasms in your feet, face, or hands.

In this stage women experience what is known as the orgasmic platform. The lower third of the vagina becomes even more engorged, tightening and narrowing that portion of the vagina. The uterus elevates fully, and the walls of the upper two-thirds of the vagina expand even more, creating a tenting effect. Lubrication increases, nipples become larger, and the labia darken in color. The clitoris becomes highly sensitive and retracts under the clitoral hood.

In men, the penis becomes fully erect to the limits of its capacity; the testicles become engorged and are 50 percent larger than they were during non-arousal. The glans of the penis swells fully. The Cowper's glands may secrete pre-ejaculatory fluid, which may contain some sperm.

Stage 4: Orgasm

The fourth stage of the sexual response cycle is the orgasm, or climax. It occurs at the peak of the plateau phase. It is characterized by involuntary muscle contractions of the pelvic regions in men and women and a sudden release of sexual tension. The body releases chemicals called endorphins, which create intensely pleasurable sensations throughout the whole body. It is generally the shortest of all the phases. It is usually, but not always, accompanied by ejaculation of semen in the male and, more rarely, ejaculation of fluids in the female.

Stage 5: Resolution

The fifth and final stage of the sexual response cycle is resolution. This is the stage wherein all of the body's systems return to normal. The heartbeat and breathing slow back down and the muscles relax. Vasocongestion is released and the blood flows back to the rest of the body.

The refractory period is the time it takes after one orgasm for the body to experience another orgasm. This period varies among individuals and between genders. Men generally have a longer refractory period than women. Women with short refractory periods are capable of experiencing multiple orgasms. Some men may be able to experience multiple orgasms as well. If a man learns to orgasm without ejaculation, then he may be able to reduce his refractory period and maintain his erection between orgasms.