Urethral Opening
The urethral opening, which is where urine comes out, can be seen if you pull back the folds of the labia. Some women find stimulation of this area to be very pleasurable, some don’t notice, and others find stimulation irritating. Erectile tissue also surrounds the urethral opening.
Urethral Sponge or G Spot
A number of glands surround the urethra between the bladder and the urethral opening. Fluid is produced in these glands and may be released into the urethra during orgasm. Some women make enough fluid that they notice it, even to the extent that it is similar to ejaculation. Many find that they have a sensitive spot on the vaginal wall (at the top if you are on your back) inside the vaginal opening that can be felt and stimulated and which then swells and gives a different sensation during orgasm. This area is often called the
G spot after Ernst Graffenberg who described it in 1950. "Finding" your G spot isn't always easy or even possible, and the sexual impact of the G spot is still something professionals debate. Keep in mind, the G spot is not some magical ticket to mind-blowing orgasms. It’s just another part of your body that may or may not feel good when stimulated.
Vaginal Opening & Vagina
To the sides of the vaginal opening, there are glands (called Bartholin glands) that you can’t see and usually can’t feel, but that make a small amount of lubricating fluid. The vagina is a tube that is lined with membranes similar to those in the mouth; unlike the mouth, it tends to be ridged or bumpy. Most of the nerve endings in the vagina are in the outer third. The vagina is self-lubricating and usually a little wet. While the walls of the vagina usually rest against each other, when aroused the vagina can swell, and lubrication will increase. At the top of the vagina is the cervix, which is also the bottom part of the uterus. The cervix has many nerve cells, and it will also swell during sexual excitement.
Some women find stimulation of the cervix pleasurable and others women find it irritating or painful.
PC Muscle
The
PC muscle, which stands for pubococcygeus muscles, is actually a sling of muscles that support the pelvic floor and surround the internal genitalia. These muscles are involved in urination (when you stop yourself from peeing in mid-stream, you’re using your PC muscles). The PC muscles are also involved in orgasm, and many women find that doing regular exercises to strengthen the muscles changes the way their sexual response feels. Exercises that strengthen the PC muscles are usually referred to as
Kegel exercises.
Perineum
This is the area between the vaginal opening and the anus. During sexual arousal and excitement, the area may become more sensitive, and some women may find massaging the area to be pleasurable.
Hymen
The hymen is a thin membrane that partially covers the vaginal opening inside. Contrary to much mythology, the hymen is not a solid structure that is broken (or “popped”) during a first vaginal penetration. The hymen usually has several openings and may change and stretch as a woman’s body changes through puberty. When a woman first engages in vaginal penetration (which of course doesn’t have to be with a guy or a penis), the hymen can stretch and tear and this may cause some bleeding and some pain. But this isn’t the case for all women. The Pleasure Report offers an
in-depth consideration of the hymen.
Anus
The anus may not, strictly speaking, be a sexual organ, but it’s a potential site for immense sexual pleasure, and so might be rightly thought of as part of sexual anatomy. The anal opening or anus leads to the rectum. The very strong muscle of the anal sphincter surrounds the rectum. The anus has many nerve endings and external stimulation, even very light stimulation, can be immensely pleasurable. Unlike the vagina, which is essentially closed on one end, the anus and rectum are open ended. You must be careful never to insert anything in the anus that doesn’t have a flared base to prevent it from slipping up into the rectum and beyond. Bacteria that live quite happily in the anus can cause problems if transferred the vagina, the mouth, or the eyes, so touching the anus (inside or out) has to be done with attention to safety.
