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Dear Dr. Myrtle,
I want to increase my sexual arousal, and read somewhere about the G spot. Is there anything to this "spot", or is it just a myth?
 The G spot is both a fact and a myth.
If you can imagine a time when people were searching for ways to live balanced, satisfying lives, do you think of a recent time (last week in your own life), or do you think of... say, 600 B.C.? Or perhaps a more modern time, such as the 1500s in Tunis, Algeria? The texts of several ancient cultures are more complete in their descriptions of human sexuality than anything one could find at a U.S. medical school today. These older texts can be more descriptive of intimate issues people face and more accurate in their descriptions of human sexual anatomy and physiology.
For those interested in techniques of sexual pleasure, we can gain great insights into modern sexual practices when we blow the dust off of these ancient texts. One technique from several ancient sources is massage of what was then known as "the spot"-- an area of the anterior vaginal wall that was said "by universal consent to give most satisfaction" (from 1500s Tunisan text The Perfumed Garden by Sheikh Nefzawi, translated by Sir Richard Burton). Sir Burton translated The Perfumed Garden in victorian England in the late 1800s for the purpose of sex education, particularly among women.
Other prevalent cultural beliefs clashed with his thought that women could or should experience sexual pleasure, and this contributed to the material being widely suppressed. Dr. Sigmund Freud, working just a mere 2-3 decades after the translation, inserted cultural opinions upon the value of "clitoral vs. vaginal" orgasms. In late Victorian times, penetration was good, masturbation was bad. But was his reference to vaginal orgasms a reference back to "the spot" of The Perfumed Garden? (For more about this assertion, see The G Spot by Ladas, Whipple and Perry, 1982, page20.)
It was a German researcher, a Dr. Grafenberg, who was said to have rediscovered "the spot" in the 1950s, although he did not name it. He described, along with Dr. Dickenson (America's first sexologist), that "... an erotic zone could always be demonstrated on the anterior wall of the vagina along the course of the urethra. ... The most stimulating part is located at the posterior urethra, where it arises from the neck of the (urinary) bladder." (from Int Journal of Sexology, 1950.)
Yes, Mildred, there is a spot.
There is an area on the anterior vaginal wall that, when massaged, produces a favorable heightening in sexual arousal for some women. Sadly, the description of the area has, well, slipped a bit, such that some people think that the G spot is nearer the vaginal opening, and consists of something termed the "paraurethral sponge" How did this happen?
The "spot" takes a hit.
In time, people became really upset about a notion of Dr. Freud's: the good orgasm vs. the bad orgasm. In an attempt to refute Freudian dogma, sexologists Masters and Johnson reported in the 1960s that the clitoris was exquisitely sensitive, and that women reported massage of the clitoris as being important in their ability to orgasm. This information, along with a conviction that all of Freud's opinions were wrong, turned the internal "vaginal orgasm" into a "de-bunked" myth, and the "spot" slipped out of vogue.
The G-spot: 'slips' down for the count.
Then, two events again alter this story. First, the presentation of a paper to the Society of the Scientific Study of Sex by Drs Ladas & Whipple titled "Freud through Hite All Partly Right" where Dr. Grafenberg's spot was labeled as "The G Spot". Importantly, they simulaneously presented Dr. G's speculation that stimulation of the G spot led to ejaculation of a urethral fluid that was chemically similar to male prostatic fluid (semen without sperm). Their work was eventually published as The G Spot and other discoveries about human sexuality by Ladas, Whipple and Perry (1982), and became a New York Times bestseller.
The second event was the publication of A New View of a Woman's Body, by the Federation of Feminist Women's Health Centers (1981, 1995). This landmark book again attempted to remove the mystery of female sexual anatomy. Importantly in one drawing, the "spot" was labeled "urethral sponge" (page 41). Later in the book (page 54), the authors specifically reference Drs. Whipple & Ladas' opinion that the G spot is related to female ejaculation, further reinforcing the connection between the G spot and paraurethral tissue.
Does it matter what the G Spot is?
The problems with this presumed association of the G-spot AND paraurethral tissue are:
- it is a guess (even if a good guess), and
- it suggests that stimulation of ANY paraurethral tissue will lead to universally satisfactory sensations. This means that persons investigating would attempt stimulation of the G spot all along the 2-3 inch paraurethral surface that is accessible from just inside the vagina.
Gasp! But what if the G spot is NOT paraurethral tissue?
First, it means that some people, in attempting to massage their female partners to a high state of sexual arousal, are actually responsible for causing whopper bladder infections from too much rubbing & irritation of the tube that leads from the urinary bladder.
Second, let's step aside and think about why rubbing a secretory gland would be arousing, and produce such wildly positive accounts. As an example, our cheek salivary glands (parotid glands) are innervated by the same system which controls the paraurethral tissue As I rub my cheek, I understand that some people might feel that this is pleasurable, but I personally don't get much out of the experience. So why would rubbing of the female prostate gland (paraurethral tissue) cause fantastically arousing sensations?
Something seems awry. Could the original spot of bliss be related to something else? Is there any other anatomical structure that might be related to the pleasurable sensations reported with massage of the anterior wall of the vagina?
Actually, there is.
Carefully placed between the bladder wall and the front wall of the vagina lies the uretovaginal portion of the pelvic plexus, or the site of the first chakra (Mooladhara). Nerves of the autonomic nervous system (critical for sexual arousal) course down from the spinal cord and congregate in this plexus before they complete their paths to the bladder, uterus, vagina, clitoris, labia, etc. Manipulation and stimulation of this area would lead to excitation of the nervous system responsible for generalized sexual arousal. (For more detail, see Gray's Anatomy, figure 849.) A unique anatomical area close to this tangle of arousal nerves is an area called the trigone of the urinary bladder--a smooth, non-contractile portion of the back of the bladder where nerves enter and the tubes draining the kidneys are positioned.
Our puzzle might be solved: tapping, massaging and/or placing pressure on or near these nerves may amplify sensations being processed from the genitals during sexual arousal. This makes for a convincing answer to the anatomy behind the SPOT.
But what about the "G spot"--is there a "G spot"?
I'm thinking we can have two spots, okay? (at least...)
Many people are convinced that the location of the "G spot" is in relation to paraurethral tissue, and after several decades, how might we convince anyone otherwise? Others, who have read the original descriptions perhaps, might be stimulating the area at the base of the bladder near the trigone, which is--if you will--the original G spot. Because of the possible confusion, I named the higher spot a different name: the "T Zone".
Let's think of it this way: the G Spot is an area of the anterior vaginal wall no more than three inches past the vaginal opening. Rubbing the vaginal wall in this area stimulates the underlying paraurethral tissue, a gland which surrounds and supports the urethra. Most information that you find about the "G spot" will refer to stimulation of this location.
However, the T Zone is an area of the anterior vaginal wall further within the vagina canal (5-6 inches) resting within the anterior vaginal fornix (the space in the vagina between the cervix and the back of the urinary bladder. Rubbing the vaginal wall in this area stimulates and activates the web of nerves which lie just beneath the vaginal wall. Continued stimulation can be challenging, since the increased sexual tension of the pelvic floor will pull this area, as well as the related pelvic structures, further within the pelvic cavity as sexual arousal peaks.
Back to the spot(s) of bliss...
The G spot can be reached easily with the finger tips, as it lies within first few inches of the vaginal opening. Rubbing the G spot with a "come hither" finger motion causes the paraurethral glands beneath to fill with fluid, and the "spot" will become firmer to the touch and a little ripply. Some women really enjoy this sensation, while others are indifferent or dislike it.
The T Zone is a bit more elusive. Stimulating it yourself is difficult with fingers -- not many of us have such long digits. However, a partner may be able to stimulate the T Zone with full extension of their middle fingertips. At about 3-4 inches within the vaginal canal, the texture will change from firm/ripply to smooth. Fingertips may feel the cervix on their nailbeds as they gently massage the vaginal wall towards the bladder/belly button. Some people like to tap, while others enjoy the "two-fingered come hither": stroking with the index, then the middle finger alternately.
One of the neat features of massaging someone else's T Zone is that you can often observe changes in your partner's arousal by watching for pupil dilation or skin flushing as a direct response to your massage. (Your partner may not be able to do much else but groan at that point, so asking is good, but may not be met with intelligible conversation.) If you are able to stimulate the nerves behind the vaginal wall, your partner may feel a surge of sexual power. Your partner can decide how to manipulate the sensation.
Dancing with a sheik...
If you are looking for a way to increase sexual arousal for women who enjoy vaginal penetration, consider the original positions that Sheik Nefzawi suggested. Any position that pushes the penis, dildo or vibrator near the front vaginal wall and allows the woman penetrated to guide the stimulation can be effective. The position\called "Pounding the Spot" was "universally pleasurable", and allowed the Sheik's partners to mainpulate their own pleasure by positioning themselves with their arms on their partner's shoulders. In this position, the male partner sits cross-legged on the floor or a cushion, and the female partner sits on his lap, with her legs wrapped around him, supported by her arms on his shoulders. Other highly recommended positions included "Coition from Behind", or other woman-on-top positions. But remember, the Sheik recommended experimenting will all positions, to better learn the most highly arousing positions between two specific people.
Dancing with yourself...
Some of these intercourse positions are a little tough for those with hip replacements, so if you're looking for a toy to use, look for something firm and long with a prominent head. Toys made of glass and other heavy materials work best, as the T zone tends to respond better to broad, firm tapping motions rather than concentrated buzzing motions. Try the Energie Exerciser for a deep tapping tool. For those looking for vibration, we particularly recommend vibrators with a "throbbier" character, but with a shaft long enough to reach the T Zone, such as Ramona or Deep Touch.
© 2005, Myrtle Wilhite MD MS All rights reserved. Please contact A Woman's Touch for permission to reproduce this information.
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