Study finds women have three types of orgasms, including a volcano

Trigger warning: This article includes strong sexual content

Women have long been able to achieve ‘the big O’ through many different methods, including clitoral, vaginal, blended or even nipple stimulation.

But it turns out that vulva-owners can actually have three different types of orgasm, one of which is called a ‘volcano’ and sounds explosive, to say the least!

Scientists from Charles University in Prague have discovered that women’s climaxes come in three different categories which can identify ‘levels of pleasure’.

The study, which was headed up by James Pfaus, a professor of neuroscience at the organisation, invited 54 women to use a Bluetooth-connected vibrator – aptly named the ‘Lioness’ – to masturbate and reach orgasm.

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The rabbit-shaped sex toy used ‘biofeedback technology’ and an algorithm to track the participants’ highlights of arousal and orgasm and found that women’s pelvic floor muscles contracted in different ways, depending on the type of orgasm they had.

The £180 vibrator allowed researchers to analyse the contributors’ unique internal muscle contractions in the build-up and the aftermath of their peak.

The results were then separated into three distinct categories: ‘the wave’, ‘the avalanche’ and ‘the volcano’.

The study, which was sponsored by SmartBod Incorporated DBA Lioness, discovered that ‘the wave’ was the most common type of climax experienced by the participants, with 26 of them undergoing this type – which presents itself as ‘a short burst of pelvic contractions’.

Lioness

Meanwhile, 17 of the other volunteers achieved an ‘avalanche’ orgasm, while just 11 felt sparks fly during a volcano release.

Pfaus explained: “The wave looks like undulations or successive contractions of tension and release at orgasm. 

“The avalanche rides on a higher pelvic floor tension with contractions that lower the tension downward during orgasm. 

“The volcano rides on a lower pelvic floor tension but then explodes into tension and release during orgasm.” 

Ness Cooper, a clinical sexologist at The Sex Consultant, told Tyla that the study is a positive one for women's health and pleasure.

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She told us: "Female orgasm has had limited research and many research studies have based their idea on how people orgasm on older studies such as Johnsons and Masters, rather than looking at the deeper picture that orgasms patterns are variable.

"Whilst I wouldn't link pelvic contractions to all types of orgasm, it's good to see more research showing that there are different responses some people have during orgasm, as orgasm isn't one-size-fits-all."

She touched on the complications surrounding 'limited research' on female pleasure, adding: "When we have limited research on how women should orgasm, it can lead to expectations that some bodies can't meet or make women feel they should be enjoying a certain orgasm pattern when they don't.

"It also can lead to shame when someone's orgasm differs from what they've read, and this in turn can make some individuals find pleasure in orgasm harder or harder to reach orgasm itself. Basically, more studies showing there are variations are good. It's saying there are more types out there and no one type is better than another as long as the individual experiencing that type enjoys it."

Topics: Sex and Relationships, News, Health, Science, Technology

Gabriella Ferlita

Gabriella Ferlita is a full-time journalist at LADbible Group, writing on lifestyle, communities and news across Tyla, LADbible and UNILAD. When she's not writing, she's fussing over her five-year-old Toyger cat, Clarence.

@Gabriellaf_17