Clitoris, also often called clit or clittis in short, is the pleasure centre of your anatomy. It is an integral part of the reproductive system of a vagina owner. But it is so much more complex than what it looks from the outside. In fact, it is differently shaped from the inside than the pretty simple nub that is visible from the outside, although most of the nerve endings are located right at the tip of the clitoris.
5 Things You Should Know About The Clitoris
Let’s take a closer look at the clitoris to know how it looks and what it does for us.
The clitoris is a small sensitive organ near the vulva opening.
Unlike what you may believe about it being the minuscule flesh protruding from the top of your genitals or vulva, you can actually see only a part of it from the outside. The other part of the clitoris is located inside your pelvic cavity. It comprises a network of nerves and tissues, some of them outside your body and some of them inside.
The anatomy of a clitoris is complex.
The clit is classified into two parts outside the body:
- Glans Clitoris: What people actually mean by the clitoris is the tiny nub that’s located just above the urethral opening. It contains several nerve endings, making it very sensitive to touch.
- Clitoral Hood: The inner vaginal lips, known as the labia minora, meet over the vulva to form a hood for the glans. The hood again varies between individuals. It may cover all, a certain part of it, or not cover the glans at all.
Inside you, the clitoris can be divided into four parts:
- Body: The body, referred to as corpora in medical terms, is located right behind the glans. It extends downwards and diversifies to form a pair of legs or crura.
- Crura: The crura comprise two legs that are an extension of the body. Shaped in the form of a “V”, this is the longest part of the clitoris inside you. It is surrounded by the urethra and vaginal canal.
- Vestibular Bulbs: Located between the vaginal wall and the crura, these bulbs are a paired structure. They can swell with blood and even double in size when aroused.
- Root: This is the meeting point for all the nerves emanating from the erectile tissue that makes up the various structures in your clitoris. The root is located at the meeting point of the legs of the crura.
The clitoris is a vital part of the anatomy for sexual arousal and pleasure in people with vulvas.
The clitoris is the sole organ responsible for sexual arousal. It creates sexual tension, ultimately leading to a climax. So the next time you feel aroused during a foreplay sesh – solo or otherwise, you know the part of your vajayjay that is giving you all the goosebumps.
The clitoris has over 7,000 nerve openings.
Why is the clitoris the hub of your sexual arousal, you wonder? This is why. The glans alone contain over 7,000 to 8,000 nerve endings. The clitoris comprises even more nerve endings than the other parts of the vulva. This network of nerves is all connected to your brain and when your clit is stimulated, the signals travel directly up to the brain. The brain, in turn, sends signals to all the other nerves that are spread throughout your body. The nerves initiate a range of pleasurable sensations, depending on how aroused you are and the ways by which your clits are touched.
Understanding the clitoris and its stimulation can improve sexual wellness.
A significant part of the vulva but not solely restricted to it, the clitoris gets stimulated when touched the right way. However, this erogenous zone is the most sensitive part of the vulva. It is sensitive to all kinds of touch, which varies between women. What is intense and pleasurable for you might not be so for every other vagina owner. It can get stimulated by fingers, tongue, a sex toy, or your partner’s genitals inserted through the vaginal canal. Since pleasure through clitoral stimulation works differently for each one of us, you need to explore what works for you and what doesn’t. Practice makes perfect, remember?
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