When it comes to women’s arousal, there are two major ways that the clitoris can become engorged with increase blood flow and therefore enlarged in size. These ways are clitoral erections and vaginal erections, with the former having far less popular recognition than the latter.
That’s probably because vaginal erections are visible and clitoral erections aren’t, or maybe it’s because most people don’t even know they exist to begin with.
What are clitoral erections?
During a clitoral erection, blood flows into and fills up all of your erectile tissue (i.e., labia, clitoris, vaginal walls). This causes everything to swell up for a few minutes, which can feel really nice depending on what you’re into.
For example, if someone is going down on you and massaging your clit while they’re at it or maybe that special someone is giving your vagina some extra special attention with their fingers or a vibrator. Clitoral orgasms are different than other types of orgasms; they’re often more intense but usually don’t last as long.
When does this happen?
This is a fairly common occurrence. It happens both when we’re sexually excited and when we’re not. The former is an extreme example of something called arousal nonconcordance, which refers to any mismatch between our sexual response and what is going on in our bodies—the psychological/behavioral doesn’t match up with physiological signs of arousal.
(For example, women may experience vaginal lubrication but not be mentally or sexually aroused.) Women erection are another great example: Women can experience them even when they don’t feel particularly sexually aroused.
How do women experience them?
Most women who experience clitoral orgasms do so through something called a clitoral erection. For those who have never heard of it, a clitoral erection is when blood flow to the tissue around your clit increases, causing it to become engorged with blood and swell.
This not only makes your clit more sensitive and pleasurable during masturbation or partnered sex, but also triggers a chain reaction that leads to orgasming. While erections can last anywhere from 10-60 minutes (meaning there’s no defined time limit), one tip for taking them out for a test drive is checking in with yourself every 15-20 minutes.
This way, you’ll be able to feel if an orgasm is coming on and adjust accordingly. If an orgasm doesn’t come within 20 minutes, don’t panic! Try having some fun in other ways until it does happen. And remember: A clitoral erection doesn’t always mean an orgasm will follow—some women get them regularly but still need direct stimulation to climax.
Why do women get them, and why does it matter?
A lot of women report experiencing something called a clitoral erection when they’re aroused. What is it, and what’s it all about?
The most important thing to keep in mind is that women genitals can get wet without getting turned on, which means that lubrication doesn’t always mean arousal. But! If your vagina does get moist during sex and foreplay or just from watching porn, there’s a good chance you’re aroused—and a clit erection is probably happening too.
Clitoral erections are caused by increased blood flow to the area, so if you’ve ever had one, chances are good that an orgasm is coming soon (if not already). So don’t worry if it happens. It’s completely normal! As for whether or not it matters, well…it depends on how much you care about orgasms.
Some people find that clitoral orgasms feel different than vaginal ones (which makes sense since they’re stimulated differently) but others say that any orgasm feels pretty much like any other. Whether or not those differences matter is up to you—but either way, we think you should try them out and see what works best for your body.
What is their purpose?
Clitoral Erections are an important part of female sexual pleasure. They tell us that a woman is in an aroused state and are essential to her sexual pleasure. But if you’re not familiar with what they look like, or how to interpret them, it can be difficult to tell if they’re happening at all or when they should happen. This can make it hard for many women (and their partners) to enjoy sex as fully as possible.
What are some ways we can encourage them?
There are two ways to encourage female body to experience clitoral erections: romance and physical stimulation. These activities help boost sexual desire and sexual arousal, which can facilitate clit orgasms. Try spending more quality time with your partner or ask her out for a fun night on the town.
These experiences will help renew your connection and rekindle feelings of attraction between you. Watching an erotic film together in bed or making a sex tape is another great way to introduce some sexy time into your relationship, as well as introducing new material for later viewing.
Are they related to orgasms?
For many women, sexual arousal, desire, and orgasm all involve different parts of the body. Orgasms are primarily triggered by sensations in a woman’s vagina, but those vaginal contractions can also spread throughout her pelvis or even up to her chest.
Sexual arousal is more like a light switch—many areas of your body will light up when someone turns on that switch. And sexual desire is all about yearning—if you aren’t turned on and don’t have any desire for sex, then nothing else matters.
That doesn’t mean that every time a woman experiences sexual arousal or desires sex she automatically orgasms — it just means that both desires and orgasms can come from either place.
Arousal is more commonly thought of as getting turned on—like, your body feels hot, tingly, and ready to go. Some people call it lady boners because it can also cause genital arousal. But other parts of your body can get turned on too—your nipples, for example, or your neck if someone’s kissing it.
Sexual desire tends to be more abstract than sexual arousal — instead of being very turned on by specific activities or acts, a person with a lot of desire might just have an overall craving for sex.
Clitoral erection signs
When a fetus is growing, the penis and clitoris originate from the same tissue. The clitoris is a very pleasurable area to stimulate during masturbation and in sex.
During male erection, the penis becomes stiff externally, while with a clitoral erection the vulva becomes swollen and pressured. Listed below are some signs:
- The blood that builds up in the vaginal and clitoral tissues gets trapped in those cavities, which will then make the vaginal tissues swell and put pressure on the other organs.
- This pressure makes the vulva protrude and the vaginal lips appear bigger and swollen.
- The clit may appear engorged and bigger than usual.
- You may notice the clitoral hood pulling back.
- The vaginal lips will look flushed and reddish from the blood vessels flowing through the surrounding organs.
- The vagina may become wet.
Sexual Arousal in a nutshell
Your sexual health is directly related to how aroused you are and that’s where clitoral erection comes in. Increased blood flow to your clit means more pleasurable, fulfilling sex—and a healthy lifestyle helps ensure it stays that way.
One of my favourite ways to keep my clit sexually healthy? Sexercise, which involves tightening and lifting specific muscles while stimulating others during sex.
If done correctly, it has long-lasting benefits. Not only does it help maximize more pleasure during intercourse but sexercises also boosts blood flow down south for heightened sensation as well as providing stronger muscles for better orgasms and stronger pelvic floor muscles after menopause or pregnancy. A win-win!
