10 Orgasm-related Things You Probably Don't Know

Orgasm is one of those topics that interests everyone - and we are not just talking about having them or not, but also about the fact that this is a fascinating subject biologically. After all, besides the "mechanics" of the thing, did you know that brain-dead people can be stimulated and babies have been caught masturbating inside their mother's womb?

For these and other interesting orgasm-related facts and cases were mentioned by researcher Mary Roach during a conference organized by TED, a nonprofit American foundation devoted to the dissemination of ideas.

You can check out the incredibly informative and entertaining video in its entirety below and turn on Portuguese subtitles in the YouTube menu. However, as the translation got a bit confusing, we at Mega Curioso included a description of the curiosities mentioned by Mary below.

1 - Intrauterine Orgasm

In a study published in The Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine - entitled " Observations of In-Utero Masturbation " or "Observations of Intrauterine Masturbation" - researchers observed a male fetus holding and moving its little hand over the penis well ... characteristic.

Although the images Mary presented were static, it is noteworthy that the study was performed with ultrasound devices; therefore, when the observations were made, there was movement.

2 - It can happen despite the genitals

According to Mary, orgasm is a reflection of the autonomic nervous system, responsible for commanding functions that we cannot consciously control, such as heart rate, digestion and sexual arousal. And, according to the researcher, orgasm can be triggered by a surprising array of stimuli - even amazing!

An example mentioned by Mary was the case of a woman who would orgasm if her eyebrow was stimulated. And people with spinal injuries — such as paraplegia or quadriplegia, for example — often develop great sensitivity in some region of the body just above the point where their injuries are.

The researcher revealed that in the medical literature there are examples of orgasms caused by knee stimulation, and that one of the most curious cases she has ever encountered was that of a woman who “got there” every time she brushed her teeth. According to Mary, the girl sought help from a neurologist, who found that orgasms were not caused by stimulation of the gums or the use of certain brands of toothpaste.

The specialist determined that orgasms were triggered by the complex sensorimotor action involved in brushing. The sad thing is that instead of the patient being happy and simply having excellent oral hygiene - because, right ... imagine the incentive in this case! She sought help thinking she was possessed by demons and replaced the toothbrush with mouthwash.

Mary herself interviewed a woman who just needed to concentrate to reach orgasm, and the researcher watched a demonstration in person, in which the girl needed only 1 minute to ... well, you know.

3 - It is not necessary to be alive to have them

According to Mary, the area responsible for orgasms lies along the spinal nerve at the root of the sacral nerve. For if the exact spot is stimulated with the help of an electrode, it is possible to trigger an orgasm - and most curiously, it is possible for the same method to trigger spinal reflexes in brain-dead people. Therefore, technically, legally dead patients can also have orgasms.

To explain how this is possible, Mary referred to the “Lazarus Sign”, a complex spinal cord reflex that can be observed in people who have suffered brain death. It is caused by stimulation of the spinal nerve through electrodes and is characterized by the movement of the arms that cross over the patient's chest.

For, according to Mary, if we are able to stimulate a brain-dead person and have them cross their arms involuntarily, then it is also possible to provoke an orgasm in deceased individuals - but still being kept alive by braces. The poor dead would enjoy nothing of the moment, of course, but that it is possible to trigger that answer, that is!

4 - They can change their breath

According to Mary, Theodoor van de Velde, a 1930s writer who wrote a manual for couples, found that it is possible to detect a slight semen odor on the breath of women who had sex about 1 hour after the act. According to Mary, Theodoor was an expert on the subject and even claimed to be able to differentiate between the smell of material ejaculated by younger boys and mature men.

5 - They can cure hiccups

In 1999, in Israel, a man began to sob without stopping. According to Mary, the thing lasted a few days, and even after the poor guy tried everything his friends suggested, the problem persisted. It was then that the man decided - between sobs - to have sex with his wife and ... the spasms disappeared.

The man told the story to his doctor, who in turn decided to publish a report on the case in a journal entitled " Sexual Intercourse as a Potential Treatment for Intractable Hiccups " - or "Sexual Relations as a Potential Treatment for Intractable Hiccups. " ”, Which even suggested that people suffering from constant spasms resort to masturbation if they had no one to“ treat ”.

6 - And have been prescribed by doctors

According to Mary, in the early 20th century, many gynecologists believed that during female orgasms, the contractions caused were able to "suck" semen through the cervix and make sperm reach the eggs faster, increasing the chances of conception occurring.

This theory, in fact, has its roots in the time of Hippocrates, when doctors believed that orgasm in women was not only recommended as a "tool" for fertilization, but was necessary for it to occur. So much so that it was very common for doctors at the time to often explain to husbands the importance of satisfying their wives.

However, in the 1950s the pair of researchers Masters and Johnson decided to test the theory by conducting tests on five women - who basically had cervical caps containing artificial semen placed on their cervix and masturbated while doctors were doing X-rays. The results showed no evidence that female orgasms could suck semen faster, and the theory was overturned.

On the other hand, there is a way to increase the chances of fertilization through orgasm. According to Mary, sperm that remain in the body for a week or more begin to develop anomalies that make them less efficient at penetrating the eggs. So British sexologist Roy Levin speculated that this is perhaps why men evolved to masturbate more often - and enthusiasm.

7 - Veterinarians still prescribe orgasms

Although the theory of "sucking orgasms" does not work in humans, there is evidence that this technique can work in animals. So much so that in Denmark the National Committee for Pig Production has found that when sows are sexually stimulated while being artificially inseminated, a 6% increase in the number of conceived pigs can occur.

The survey was taken so seriously that, according to Mary, the committee even developed a five-step sow stimulation plan and created supporting material, such as DVDs and posters, to be distributed to pig farmers. Incidentally, the researcher showed a piece of the video in her presentation (which you check from the minute 11:20), in which we see a man making movements with his hands that mimic the action of a male.

Alternatively, if farmers find it too uncomfortable to get their hands dirty, there is the option of purchasing a vibrator designed especially for pigs that can be coupled to everything from the artificial inseminator.

8 - And speaking of animals ...

If you have seen Mary's passage, you may have noticed that the sow does not appear to be ecstatic after the boy's wiggling and thrusting during artificial insemination. For the researcher raised this issue with an expert who explained that animals do not register pain or pleasure on their faces like humans, but that does not mean that we must conclude that they do not feel anything.

According to Mary, pigs, like dogs, tend to use their upper faces more and have very expressive ears. But primates, like humans, tend to use their mouths more to express feelings, so it is easier to recognize the displays of pleasure in these animals.

9 - Studying them in the lab is not easy

Do you remember Masters and Johnson, the pair of researchers we mentioned in item 6? For in the 1950s they decided to set out on a mission to find out what happened to the human body during the full cycle of sexual response - from arousal to orgasm. However, as you know, in women much of the process takes place inside the body, which led scientists to develop a machine to conduct their studies.

Called the artificial coition machine, the equipment was basically a penis made of clear acrylic equipped with a camera and a light source and was connected to a motor that simulated coitus movements. Unfortunately - considering the curious aspect of it - the machine ended up being dismantled and no longer exists. However, despite the difficulties ...

10 - Researching them can be a lot of fun.

According to Mary, in the 1940s, a researcher named Alfred Kinsey decided to calculate the average distance semen can reach during ejaculation. The aim of the scientist was to prove whether the force with which this material reaches the cervix may be a factor related to fertility.

So Kinsey, armed with a tape measure and a video camera, assembled 300 men in his lab. Interestingly, the researcher found that in three-quarters of the participants ejaculation was nothing extraordinary, nor did it release semen over long distances - the material was simply released without much spectacle. However, the study revealed a record holder!

One participant in Kinsey's study ejected his semen at a distance of almost 2.5 meters. Unfortunately, according to Mary, all men who volunteered to masturbate in the name of science had their identities preserved; So no one knows who was the prodigious individual who hit this impressive ... brand.

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The above talk was presented by Mary Roach in 2009, but to this day continues to be among TED's most popular and attended conferences. By the way, be sure to visit the institution's website - you can access it through this link - to check out a series of fascinating conferences made available by the staff of the organization.

* Posted on 4/27/2015

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