Urethral sponge
Encyclopedia
The urethral sponge is a spongy cushion of tissue
, found in the lower genital area of women, that sits against both the pubic bone and vagina
l wall, and surrounds the urethra
.
; during arousal
, it becomes swollen with blood
, compressing the urethra, helping prevent urination
during sexual activity (along with the pubococcygeus muscle
).
s, which might be involved in female ejaculation
, although the existence and nature of female ejaculation
remains a medical controversy.
s, and can, therefore, be stimulated through the front wall of the vagina
. Some women enjoy the rear-entry position of sexual intercourse
for this reason, because the penis
is often angled slightly downward and can stimulate the front wall of the vagina
, and in turn, the urethral sponge.
from stimulation of the urethral sponge and others find the sensation irritating. The urethral sponge surrounds the clitoral
nerve, and since the two are so closely interconnected, stimulation of the clitoris may stimulate the nerve endings of the urethral sponge.
Although the G-Spot may exist, it has been doubted by a team at The King's College
in London. Their study is the biggest yet, involving 1,800 women which found no proof that the G-Spot even exists, therefore believing that the "G-Spot" may be a figment of people's imagination, which has been encouraged by magazines, sex therapists and suggestive therapeutics. Other studies, using ultrasound
, have found physiological evidence of the G-Spot in women who report having orgasms during intercourse.
Biological tissue
Tissue is a cellular organizational level intermediate between cells and a complete organism. A tissue is an ensemble of cells, not necessarily identical, but from the same origin, that together carry out a specific function. These are called tissues because of their identical functioning...
, found in the lower genital area of women, that sits against both the pubic bone and vagina
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
l wall, and surrounds the urethra
Urethra
In anatomy, the urethra is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the genitals for the removal of fluids out of the body. In males, the urethra travels through the penis, and carries semen as well as urine...
.
Functions
The urethral sponge is composed of erectile tissueErectile tissue
Erectile tissue is tissue in the body that can become erect, usually by becoming engorged with blood.-Erectile tissue in the clitoris and penis:...
; during arousal
Sexual arousal
Sexual arousal, or sexual excitement, is the arousal of sexual desire, during or in anticipation of sexual activity. Things that precipitate human sexual arousal are called erotic stimuli, or colloquially known as turn-ons. There are many potential stimuli, both physical or mental, which can cause...
, it becomes swollen with blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
, compressing the urethra, helping prevent urination
Urination
Urination, also known as micturition, voiding, peeing, weeing, pissing, and more rarely, emiction, is the ejection of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the outside of the body. In healthy humans the process of urination is under voluntary control...
during sexual activity (along with the pubococcygeus muscle
Pubococcygeus muscle
The pubococcygeus muscle or PC muscle is a hammock-like muscle, found in both sexes, that stretches from the pubic bone to the coccyx forming the floor of the pelvic cavity and supporting the pelvic organs. It is part of the levator ani group of muscles.-Function:The Pubococcygeus muscle controls...
).
Female ejaculation
Additionally, the urethral sponge contains the Skene's glandSkene's gland
In human anatomy , the Skene's glands are glands located on the anterior wall of the vagina, around the lower end of the urethra. They drain into the urethra and near the urethral opening and may be near or a part of the G-Spot...
s, which might be involved in female ejaculation
Female ejaculation
Female ejaculation refers to the expulsion of noticeable amounts of clear fluid by human females from the paraurethral ducts through and around the urethra during or before an orgasm...
, although the existence and nature of female ejaculation
Female ejaculation
Female ejaculation refers to the expulsion of noticeable amounts of clear fluid by human females from the paraurethral ducts through and around the urethra during or before an orgasm...
remains a medical controversy.
Sexual stimulation
The urethral sponge encompasses a large number of nerve endingNerve
A peripheral nerve, or simply nerve, is an enclosed, cable-like bundle of peripheral axons . A nerve provides a common pathway for the electrochemical nerve impulses that are transmitted along each of the axons. Nerves are found only in the peripheral nervous system...
s, and can, therefore, be stimulated through the front wall of the vagina
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
. Some women enjoy the rear-entry position of sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse
Sexual intercourse, also known as copulation or coitus, commonly refers to the act in which a male's penis enters a female's vagina for the purposes of sexual pleasure or reproduction. The entities may be of opposite sexes, or they may be hermaphroditic, as is the case with snails...
for this reason, because the penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
is often angled slightly downward and can stimulate the front wall of the vagina
Vagina
The vagina is a fibromuscular tubular tract leading from the uterus to the exterior of the body in female placental mammals and marsupials, or to the cloaca in female birds, monotremes, and some reptiles. Female insects and other invertebrates also have a vagina, which is the terminal part of the...
, and in turn, the urethral sponge.
Relation with the G-Spot
The urethral sponge is an area in which the G-Spot (Gräfenberg Spot) may be found. Some women experience intense pleasurePleasure
Pleasure describes the broad class of mental states that humans and other animals experience as positive, enjoyable, or worth seeking. It includes more specific mental states such as happiness, entertainment, enjoyment, ecstasy, and euphoria...
from stimulation of the urethral sponge and others find the sensation irritating. The urethral sponge surrounds the clitoral
Clitoris
The clitoris is a sexual organ that is present only in female mammals. In humans, the visible button-like portion is located near the anterior junction of the labia minora, above the opening of the urethra and vagina. Unlike the penis, which is homologous to the clitoris, the clitoris does not...
nerve, and since the two are so closely interconnected, stimulation of the clitoris may stimulate the nerve endings of the urethral sponge.
Although the G-Spot may exist, it has been doubted by a team at The King's College
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
in London. Their study is the biggest yet, involving 1,800 women which found no proof that the G-Spot even exists, therefore believing that the "G-Spot" may be a figment of people's imagination, which has been encouraged by magazines, sex therapists and suggestive therapeutics. Other studies, using ultrasound
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is cyclic sound pressure with a frequency greater than the upper limit of human hearing. Ultrasound is thus not separated from "normal" sound based on differences in physical properties, only the fact that humans cannot hear it. Although this limit varies from person to person, it is...
, have found physiological evidence of the G-Spot in women who report having orgasms during intercourse.