There are some things that, even if you can’t see them, you really want to believe exist—like soul mates, rent-controlled apartments, and of course, the G-spot. Unfortunately, a new study in the journal Urology found that this magic button might not exist. The good news? There’s another structure that should be on your radar, and researchers say it’s the key to vaginal orgasms.
We’ve been hearing about the elusive G-spot for decades, ever since German gynecologist Ernst Grafenberg coined the term in the 1950s after discovering a highly sensitive spot on the front wall of the vagina. Since then, we’ve been poking around down there, buying sex toys specifically designed to stimulate it, and even trying positions meant to hit it in just the right way. But has all that been for nothing?
Well, not exactly. “The problem with the term ‘spot’ is that it makes people think there’s a possibility to find the button and that, by pushing it, you can obtain an orgasm,” says study coauthor Emmanuele Jannini, M.D., professor of endocrinology and medical sexology at Tor Vergata University of Rome. “This button has been demonstrated several times to not exist at all. There is no concrete entity within the body of the female, which can trigger a vaginal orgasm. But that does not mean that nothing is there.”
If you’re a G-spot believer (and have the orgasm to prove it), don’t worry—your vagina is not delusional. Jannini stresses that there is definitely research to suggest that women can orgasm in several different ways, from clitoral stimulation to vaginal penetration—hell, some women even reportnipplegasms.
But according to his research, vaginal orgasms are actually the result of a complex structure that, when stimulated, can produce amazing pleasure. Rather than one spot, it’s actually several spots working together. The researchers proposed a new term for this, which they believe to be the key to vaginal orgasms.
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What’s Really Under the Hood
This structure is defined as the clitourethrovaginal (CUV) complex, and it describes the interaction between the clitoris, the urethra, and the anterior vaginal wall (which is typically thought to be where the G-spot was located). So how are all these things stimulated at once? Through an imaging technology called ultrasonography, researchers found that the clitoris is way more than that little button you know about. It actually has bulbs that extend inside you on either side of the vagina. So the theory is, all that thrusting actually has the potential to hit your anterior vaginal wall while also stimulating the inner bulbs of the clitoris as well as the surrounding urethral tissues. The result? A really freaking good orgasm.
Many women explain a G-spot orgasm to be deeper and more intense than a clitoral climax, and this research may explain why. Not only are more organs involved and more blood flow being pumped to the area, but Jannini says that previous research shows a bigger brain reaction when the CUV complex is stimulated, compared to just clitoral stimulation.
But whether we call it the G-spot or the CUV complex, the mystery remains: Why do some women have it and others don’t? “While the anatomy of male genitalia is almost always the same, the anatomy of female genitalia is completely different—not only between one woman and another, but also within the same woman,” says Jannini.
Research shows that some women have a shorter distance between their clitoris and vaginal opening (which is obviously a bonus). And even your own anatomy can change drastically in response to hormones and the size of your partner. For instance, your clitoris can swell at certain times of the month and your vaginal walls can expand to accommodate a well-endowed dude. So it makes sense that some women may experience this while others don’t, and why you may be able to experience it some days and not others.
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What This Means for Your Sex Life
So, can you use this information to have vaginal orgasms? Maybe. Try positions that are best for stimulating the front wall of your vagina, likedoggie style or girl-on-top (lean back a little to line things up properly). If you feel the pressure but it’s not quite enough, try adding in some clitoral stimulation (either with your hands, his hands, or a small vibrator), which can extend that pleasure to the inner bulbs of your clitoris, too.
But remember, every woman’s anatomy down there is different, so if that doesn’t do it for you, don’t worry about it. “Do not make any ideological judgment related to your sexuality,” says Jannini. “Try to understand yourself and admit that you are different from your sister, your mother, and your best friend. And consider that you are probably different today with respect to yesterday.”
And if after a little experimentation you still can’t feel the CUV complex or G-spot or whatever it is down there, call off the search. “I hope this never ending debate has finally ended and people may enjoy sex without looking for something which isn’t there to look for,” says Jannini. Instead, “just look for pleasure.” Amen.
