If effective sexual stimulation continues late in the plateau phase, a point is reached where body suddenly discharges its accumulated sexual tension in a peak of sexual experience called orgasm.

It is also called climax or expressed as “Coming”

Biologically orgasm is the shortest phase of sexual response cycle usually lasting for few seconds during which rhythmic muscular contractions produce intense physical sensation followed by rapid relaxation.

Psychologically orgasm is the time of extreme pleasure and suspension of any other thought than experiencing personal pleasure.

Intensity of orgasm varies person to person and at different time in same person

It may be experienced as explosive, ecstatic avalanche like sensation, or milder, less intense and less dramatic event.

Even the same level of orgasm may be experienced differently depending upon the turn on.

Different intensities in orgasm arise from physical factors such as fatigue and time interval between two orgasms.

Orgasm also depends on psychological factors like experience, mood, relation to partner, activity, place, ambiance, expectations, feelings and occasion.

Therefore, each individual expresses orgasm differently.

Measuring muscular contraction may not indicate level of pleasure received by either of the partner. Sometimes even a milder orgasm is experienced better and more fulfilling that more intense one.

For centuries, it was believed that women were not capable of orgasm, which created a cultural bias.

Sex was seen as man’s terrain and for his gratification and woman were home-makers and supportive partners available for sex.

Decent women were not supposed to enjoy sex. They were brainwashed through generations that they do not possess mechanism of orgasm. Early marriages, prohibition of masturbation, orthodox and religious concepts  worsened the situation further.

Only in late twenties it was discovered and well established, culturally as well as medically, that orgasm occurs in both men and women.

Orgasm in female is marked by rhythmic muscular contractions of uterus, the outer third of vagina (orgasmic platform) and anal sphincter.

The first few contractions are intense, and close together, lasting less than a second each.

As the orgasm continues, the contractions reduce in force as well as duration and occur at irregular interval.

Mild orgasm may have 3 to 4 contractions, while intense orgasm may have 10 to 15.

Orgasm being total body response, not just pelvic event, there are distinct changes in different body regions.

In addition, the sex flush achieves its greatest intensity and widest distribution during the phase of orgasm.

Women generally describe it as momentary suspension of sensation followed quickly by intense pleasurable feeling which begins at clitoris and spreads throughout pelvis.

Genital feeling is described as warm, electric, tingly spreading throughout body.

Finally, most women feel muscle contractions in their vagina or lower pelvis, often described as pelvic throbbing.

Unlike women, orgasm in men occurs in two distinct stages.

In first stage, the vas difference, prostate and seminal vesicles begin a series of contractions that forces semen into the bulb of urethra.

As these contractions continue, the man experiences a sensation of “ejaculatory inevitability”, a feeling of having reached a ‘point of no return’.

At this point ejaculation cannot be stopped.

Women do not have such inevitable point of having orgasm. Any distraction at this moment can stop woman’s orgasm, but in man ejaculation takes place, no matter what.

In the second stage of male orgasm, contractions of the urethra and penis combine with contractions of prostate gland to cause ejaculation, the spurting of semen from tip of the penis.

Semen does not appear till several seconds after point of ejaculatory inevitability, because semen has to travel the distance through urethra.

During ejaculation, the neck of the urinary bladder is tightly closed to ensure passage of semen and to avoid mixing of urine with semen.

The rhythmic contractions of prostate, perineal muscles and shaft of penis which creates propelling force to push the semen out, occur initially .8 sec interval just as in woman.

After first three or four contractions of penis, the interval between contractions increases and intensity of contractions reduces.

Male orgasm and ejaculation are not part of the same process, although in most men both occur simultaneously.

Orgasm is sudden rhythmic muscular contraction in pelvic region and elsewhere in the body that effectively release accumulated sexual tension and mental sensation accompanying it, whereas, ejaculation is release of semen which may occur even without orgasm.

Orgasm without ejaculation is possible in boys before puberty. Ejaculation without orgasm is less common but can appear in some neurological conditions.

The experience of orgasm is quite consistent in men who begin with sensation of deep warmth, pressure, and throbbing when he reaches point of ‘ejaculatory inevitability’.

Orgasm is then felt with sharp intense pleasurable contractions involving anal sphincter, rectum, perineum and genitals. Warm rushing or shooting of fluid is experienced as indication of semen travelling through urethra.

In general, orgasm in men is more uniform than in women, although all men do not experience the orgasm with same intensity.

During orgasmic phase in both sexes, there is high level of myotonia (building up of energy in nerves and muscles) is evident throughout the body.

Late in the plateau phase or during orgasm, myotonia is often visible in facial muscles, where grimace or frown or glow may be seen. While it may be interpreted by the partner as indication or displeasure or discomfort, it is actually an involuntary response indicating high level of sexual arousal.

Man at the point of no return may be so much enjoying his orgasm and engrossed in his ejaculatory process, he my overlook discomfort of his partner caused by squeezing breasts harder, or thrusting of penis deeper; which may drop the arousal for woman and followed by loss of orgasmic feeling.

Men should ensure orgasm of woman first by controlling or lengthening his pleasure time and to enjoy wife’s thrilling experience.

Muscle spasm or cramps in hand or feet may occur during plateau or at the peak of orgasm in men as well as women. Sometimes the whole body may become rigid or numb for a moment.

Period of return to un-aroused state is called Resolution phase

Physiologic changes that took place during excitement and plateau disappear because the muscular contractions pump away the blood from the tissues

The resolution phase follows orgasm and there is major difference between male and female sexual response during resolution phase

Women have physical capability to have multiple orgasms – they can have more than one orgasm without dropping below plateau level of sexual arousal.

Their multi-orgasmic ability depends on continuation of effective sexual stimulation and their sexual interest.

Therefore, some women never experience multiple orgasm, and some are multi-orgasmic during their sexual activity. But, it is unusual for woman to experience multiple orgasm throughout her sexual active life.

Women experience multiple orgasm mostly during masturbation than intercourse because

a.    Ease of continuing with sexual stimulation

b.    No distraction

c.    Partner’s role is not involved

d.    Choice of preferred fantasy and stimulation

Men on the other hand cannot have multiple orgasms without entering refractory period, the recovery time.

A partial or even full erection may be maintained during refractory period, but the erection subsides quickly.

The refractory period may vary from few minutes to few hours. The period gets longer with each ejaculation.

During resolution phase, uterus moves back to its resting position, colour changes of labia disappear, vagina begins to shorten in length as well as width, the clitoris returns back to its usual size and position

Breasts decrease their size and come to original contour

Areolar tissue flattens faster than nipples giving the feeling that nipples are erect.

Stimulation of nipples, clitoris or vagina may be unpleasant or irritating during post-orgasmic phase

In after-play stimulation of nipples and other erogenous zones may be done if woman is still in plateau phase of sexual response and is urging for continuation of sexual stimulation

After ejaculation, man’s erection diminishes in two stages

First when orgasmic contractions pump blood out of penis, there is partial loss of erection

In second slower phase, genital blood flow returns to un-aroused level, when penis becomes completely flaccid and returns to normal limp condition.

Testes return to their original size and are moved away from body by getting lowered into the scrotum.

When men or women return to their un-aroused state, the “sex flush” disappears, sweating is sometimes noticed. Faster breathing and heartbeat returns to normal after orgasm.

If there is considerable excitement and orgasm has not taken place, the resolution takes longer time.

Although orgasmic platform in women and erection in men may quickly disappear, there is lingering sensation in pelvic region and some aching – due to continued vasocongestion, causing some discomfort

High level of prolonged arousal may cause testicular pain (sometimes described as blue balls) in men and pelvic congestion in women, which may get relieved during sleep or by masturbation.

Although nocturnal emissions (wet dreams) in men are well known, some women mention experiencing orgasm during sleep.