Have you really had an orgasm?

Some women wonder if the sensations of arousal they experience is an orgasm.

Here are eight questions to help you identify the sensations of arousal and orgasm to decide if you have had an orgasm or not, however, every orgasm is different and unique to each woman so you may not experience every sensation described below, but these sensations are the most common.

Do you experience warmth, tingling, a sensation of pressure, or a ‘twitching’ sensation in the vaginal lips and in the general area between your legs? These are signs of early arousal and are a result of the blood flowing into the labia and entrance to the vagina. Your nipples will also become erect at this time.

Following these sensations, do you notice lubrication and a slight sensation of dampness in the labia? This is the result of the natural release of lubrication in the vagina. This takes about 30 seconds after the initial arousal signals (see 1 above).

Are you aware of an increased sense of heat and a feeling that your labia have increased in size? Labia engorgement varies from woman to woman, but also indicates that the clitoris is becoming erect, a precursor to orgasm.

Do you notice your heart rate increasing, your breathing getting faster and muscles tensing? Muscle tension in the thighs and stomach are signs that you are becoming highly aroused, as well as an increased heart rate.

Do you feel the need to move your hips in a thrusting motion and that your legs become straighter and stiffer? As arousal increases, your desire to thrust and gyrate your hips and stiffen the muscles in your legs becomes stronger. You can still have an orgasm without straight legs, but many women report this phenomenon as they approach orgasm.

Do you notice sensations of rhythmical pulses in the whole pelvic area, especially in the vaginal, clitoral and anal area? These erratic pulses are the start of the whole orgasmic experience.

Do you experience powerful rhythmical contractions of the vaginal, clitoral, and anal area? These contractions come at 0.8-second intervals, from three to fifteen times (depending on the strength of the orgasm) and are at the same speed as the contractions that cause a man to ejaculate. This is the powerful sensation of orgasm. Your skin will also flush pink or red (especially the chest or face) and you should experience a powerful feeling of ‘letting go’.

After the orgasm, do you feel the need to sleep or cuddle up to your partner? You should now experience feelings of contentment and relaxation. If you still feel highly aroused, you could be ready to experience multiple orgasms, although these are often less intense than the first orgasm.