12 Types of Orgasms and How to Achieve Them: Part One

THIS ENTRY WAS POSTED ON July 25, 2024 BY The Pleasure Chest.

There’s more than one way to have an orgasm, but we probably didn’t need to tell you that. Orgasms come in all shapes and sizes. Some are big, some are small. Sometimes orgasms are practical and relieve tension. Sometimes orgasms are huge and can even result in crying, a common reaction to the overwhelming flood of stimuli in the pleasure center of your brain that results from big bodily experiences. No two orgasms are alike, although we often take familiar paths to get to them because we know what works for us and, hey, we all want to get off!

For this year’s National Orgasm Day, come (haha) along with us as we breakdown 12 (!) types of orgasms, how to achieve them, their benefits, their complications and what sex toys can help you experience them. From suction stimulators to anal probes to hands-free Bluetooth-enabled vibrators, there are plenty of options for whatever floats your boat. Happy National Orgasm Day!

(Note: this portion of the blog is part one. Stay tuned for part two!)

Nipple Orgasms

Nipple play is not only reserved for foreplay, y’all! A lot of people don’t know that achieving an orgasm from nipple stimulation alone is even possible, but it definitely is! They’re great for many reasons: everyone has the chance to experience them because they’re gender neutral and folks who have an aversion to genital stimulation (whether due to overstimulation or simply personal preference) can experiment safely with nipple play.

The nipples have tons of nerve endings and studies show that, when the nipples are stimulated, the same area in the brain lights up as when our genitals are stimulated. It’s all the same pleasure language, just communicated a little bit differently.

Ways to stimulate the nipples include:

using fingers to lightly squeeze and pinch
using a tongue and mouth to titillate (literally!) and suck on the nipples, areolas and surrounding skin (which is also sensitive)
using feather ticklers or other exciting sensory play materials (like stainless steel pinwheels for more intense sensations) to tickle and tease
using nipple clamps to pull and pinch
using vibrators to stimulate the nerves
using suction toys to simulate tongue movements more intensely (for suction toys, we recommend using one with a wider opening to accommodate a larger skin surface area)

Incorporating rope like creating chest harnesses to squeeze breast tissue makes the nerves in this area even more sensitive to stimulation.

Attempting to experience a nipple orgasm can be a fun way to slow down your play and concentrate on building pleasure from a new place. Nipple play is something everyone can do, whether you’re playing with a partner or indulging solo.

Adjustable Nipple Clamps

Lelo Sila

Ostrich Feather Tickler

Clitoral Orgasms

There are plenty of ways to achieve this style of orgasm, and if you have a clitoris that you stimulate for pleasure, you probably already know that there are multiple ways for you to get there. Clitoral orgasms highly depend on your personal preference for stimulation. High intensity, low intensity, certain repetitive patterns, deep and rumbly stimulation—all of these encompass ways to experience a clitoral orgasm. It’s all about finding your style!

Clitoral orgasms can be incredibly strong. The external part of the clitoris (the glans clitoris) has as many as 10,000 nerve endings in it alone, but there’s also an entire internal part of the clitoris (the clitoral body) that extends into two appendages or ‘legs’ that surround the vestibular bulbs, an area that swells when you’re hot and bothered. Some research shows that the area where the ‘legs’ connect is the G-spot, making the G-spot actually part of the clitoris, which could help explain why clitoral orgasms feel so powerful and full-bodied. (We’ll dive deeper into the G-spot orgasm later.)

Ways to stimulate the clitoris include:

using your hand
using a vibrator or suction toy
incorporate friction by humping with clothes on or using a pillow or a grinding toy
switching up the position to put more or less pressure on the clitoris
explore different techniques: tapping, slow circles, fast circles, high pressure, light pressure, etc.
with a partner using their mouth (oral sex)

Womanizer Classic 2

We-Vibe Tango X

Vibepad 2

Ejaculatory Orgasms

This orgasm is what most might consider the ‘typical’ orgasm for people with penises. The shaft and head of the penis are stimulated with frequent, repetitive motions and friction, resulting in an explosive peak that physically manifests as an ejaculation. Sometimes testicle stimulation is a feature of this formula as well, depending on personal preference. But fun fact: not every orgasm experienced by a penis-owner is one that ends with an ejaculation.

The ejaculation aspect of the penis orgasm is more a physiological response than a result of pleasure. Increased heart rate, high blood pressure and powerful pelvic floor muscle contractions can also be the result of a penis orgasm. Sometimes little to no ejaculate is released from the penis during an orgasm, and that doesn’t make the orgasm any less intense or pleasurable! It is important to note, however, that retrograde orgasms—also known as dry orgasms, in which semen enters the bladder rather than releasing via the penis—may cause infertility issues and require medical attention. Health and safety first!

Ways to stimulate the penis include:

teasing the shaft by incorporating sensation play (ticklers, pinwheels)
using hands to stroke it
using manual or vibrating masturbators to stroke it
stimulating the head, shaft and balls with a mouth (oral sex)
using a penis pump to engorge the shaft, heightening sensitivity
penetration with a partner vaginally or anally

Cyclone Triple Chamber Stroker

Male Rose 2

Blush Rize! Grasp Self-Lubricating Stroker

Blush Rize! Grasp Stroker

G-Spot Orgasms

The ever-elusive G-spot orgasm has challenged people since it was ‘discovered’ in 1950 by Ernst Gräfenberg, an obstetrician and gynecologist who dedicated his life to studying female sexual anatomy and pleasure. Since its notoriety rose in the 80s thanks to pioneering sexologist Dr. Beverly Whipple, more and more folks have attempted to achieve G-spot orgasms with somewhat of a low success rate. Some studies state that only 15-30% of people with G-spots can have G-spot orgasms. So, if you’ve attempted to experience the G-spot orgasm and haven’t had any luck, you’re certainly not alone.

Fortunately, more recent findings on female sexual anatomy have helped illuminate the reasoning behind this, which we partially discussed earlier. The G-spot is not its own separate part of the genital anatomy; it’s part of the larger clitoral network. Breaking this down further, one could conclude that stimulating the G-spot is a sort of backwards way of stimulating the clitoris, or the internal parts of it anyway. It’s all one big orgasmic connection!

The G-spot is located about 2-3 inches inside the vagina on the front of the vaginal wall. It’s a bundle of fleshy tissue that many describe as feeling different than its surrounding area. Some say it’s thicker, textured with ridges and slightly rougher to the touch, and that it engorges slightly when aroused.

One you find this part of the anatomy, it’s recommended to use a ‘come hither’ motion, using light repetitive motion to put pressure on the nerves there. Frequent steady patterned pressure on the G-spot is how many people can experience a G-spot orgasm. But keep in mind, not everyone is able to orgasm in this way, and that doesn’t make you any less normal or valid. Every body is different. There’s nothing wrong with you, we promise! It’s all about having fun exploring.

Ways to stimulate the G-spot include:

using a ‘come hither’ motion with your fingers
using a ‘come hither’ motion with an internal toy (vibrating or non-vibrating; many people say vibration is less a factor than pressure in experiencing the pleasures of the G-spot)
stimulating both the clitoris and the G-spot at the same time with a dual-action vibe (remember—they’re part of the same network of nerves!)
using Kegel balls
experimenting with different positions to get the right angle
using penetration

Biird Gii

JIMMYJANE Pulsus

Je Joue Juno Flex G-Spot Vibe

P-Spot Orgasms

While some might describe the act of achieving a P-spot orgasm about as challenging as achieving a G-spot orgasm, there is at least a lot more research to back up its sheer existence! The P-spot, also known as the prostate, is made of similar tissue to the G-spot and is located on the outside of the anal cavity of cis-males. Its home is just below the bladder where it surrounds the top portion of the tube that drains urine from the bladder.

The primary function of the prostate gland is to produce the fluid contained in semen, allowing sperm to be transported from the testicles and through the penis. As folks with prostates get older, the prostate usually grows larger in size, pushing on the bladder and urethra, causing uncomfortable symptoms similar to those from UTIs. Prostate cancer is also an issue, affecting 13% of people with prostates. There are many studies that show that regular stimulation or ‘milking’ of the prostate not only feels incredibly pleasurable, it also helps prevent health issues that may arise later down the line like the ones mentioned here.

To experiment with prostate play, first you want to make sure you’re cleaned up, relaxed and aroused. Some people use enemas to clean themselves out, but it’s not necessary. You want the area and your hands or whatever safe sex toy you’re using to be clean (this includes making sure your nails are trimmed and bacteria is not trapped underneath them). Relax your body by engaging in some foreplay first; relaxation is absolutely key! Being tense will make inserting anything anally, even an index finger, feel painful, so concentrate on relaxing your muscles and your mind. Also, make sure you’re using lubrication as the anal cavity does not produce its own. This will make being in a state of relaxation much easier.

If you’re using fingers (which we recommend to start so you can get to know the anatomy more intimately), externally stimulate the opening of the anus and surrounding nerves first before slowly inserting one finger one-two inches inside. Do this repetitively and slowly, going deeper and even adding another finger as the muscles adapt to the sensation. Once you’ve acclimated to 3-4 inches deep, feel around the anal cavity along the front wall of the anus toward the direction of your belly button. There, you’ll feel the prostate, which feels like a roundish and flexible lump that’s more firm than what surrounds it. Apply light pressure there in a repetitive motion and experiment to see what feels right to you. Congratulations, you’ve found the P-spot!

Note: For some folks, it’s possible stimulate the P-spot completely externally. You can try this by pressing deeply into the space between the anus and the testicles until you feel what seems like a soft walnut-size lump just under the skin. Press this area in different motions and patterns to stimulate the prostate without ever inserting anything. If you don’t feel anything, not to worry. Every body is different, and some people can stimulate the P-spot this way while others cannot.

Ways to stimulate the P-spot include:

using fingers to stimulate internally or externally on the perineum
using prostate massagers (vibrating or non-vibrating; pressure is key just like with G-spot stimulation as mentioned earlier)
changing up the position to get the right angle, especially if you’re experimenting solo as it can be a difficult spot to reach
using a weighted anal toy that applies pressure on its own
using penetration
using a combination toy like a cock ring + butt plug hybrid to stimulate all areas of the genital anatomy

Aneros Maximus Syn Trident

Nexus Thrust Probe

b-Vibe Vibrating Snug and Tug Ring Plug Combo

b-Vibe Vibrating Snug & Tug

Anal Orgasms

Anal orgasms experienced by those with penises are basically the same as prostate orgasms, just with a different moniker. Anal orgasms experienced by those with vaginas, however, work differently since there isn’t a prostate there to incite an orgasm. Sometimes called A-spot orgasms, pleasure from anal penetration in ciswomen is a result of indirectly stimulating the A-spot in the vagina. The A in A-spot stands for anterior fornix, the deepest part of the vagina located just before the cervix, about 4-6 inches past the opening. Unlike the sponginess of the G-spot, the A-spot feels smooth, similar to the rest of the vaginal wall. For this reason it can be hard to locate within the vagina, but because it’s in the direct line of sight from the anal cavity, it’s easier for some to stimulate it from that angle.

Also, for some, experiencing stimulation so close to the cervix can be painful. Indirectly stimulating the A-spot via anal penetration can help circumvent any pain that may come from direct A-spot stimulation within the vagina.

Ways to experience anal stimulation and orgasms include: