Does a Toned Pelvic Floor Influence Your Sexual Pleasure?
Your pelvic floor, sex and your health
Kegel Exercises
Being born female comes with its own set of worries. The gift of a vagina comes with many blessings and many perils. For many, our self-esteem is often wrapped up in myths related to beauty, sexual performance, and ultimately our worth as women.
We have always been aware of the ways our physical attributes influence how others feel about us and how we feel about ourselves. This internalization of this misinformation can alter the course of our lives.
I have made it a point throughout my life to ask males questions about their experiences with the female vagina and sex. I have received varying responses.
Some have said size matters, while others said there is no such thing. I have inquired as to what if any changes occurred as a result of vaginal childbirth and received the same vague answers. Some said changes occur after birthing a child, some denied any changes.
Since I am female and will never experience a vagina in that way I will never know for sure.
What I do practice are Kegel exercises. I have practiced Kegels since I first learned about them as a teenager. At first, I did them out of curiosity then later as a way to prevent future urinary incontinence and to keep my pelvic muscles toned.
Kegel exercises can help maintain pelvic tone or strengthen the muscles once they lose tone. Since the muscles of the pelvis support the uterus, bladder, small intestines, and the rectum, loss of tone can have far-reaching consequences.
Factors that influence the loss of muscle tone include; pregnancy, childbirth, surgery, aging, excessive straining due to chronic constipation, coughing, or being overweight.
Armed with this knowledge, I think practicing Kegel exercises seems like the prudent thing to do.
Kegel exercises are not only beneficial for women, men can use Kegel exercises to strengthen their pelvic floor muscles as well. The effective use of Kegels in men may also improve their bladder, bowel, and sexual health.
A brief history of Kegels
Kegel exercises were accidentally discovered during the 1940s by gynecologist Dr. Arnold Kegel. He recommended that women should exercise their pelvic muscles as a way of recovering from childbirth, urinary incontinence, and other health problems.
The good doctor soon discovered that his patients were achieving orgasms easier, more frequently, and more intensely. He also discovered the perineometer, a tool used to measure pelvic muscle tone.
What are Kegels?
Kegels are exercises to improve the musculature within your pelvic floor. The muscles may become weak for several reasons, injury, trauma, childbirth, age, chronic conditions, and genetics.
This can lead to urine or stool leaking and pelvic organ prolapse and reduced sexual stimulation and intensity of orgasms.
How to do Kegels?
- To locate the pelvic floor muscle, trying stopping your urine in midstream, that is the muscle that you need to strengthen. To begin squeeze that muscle for five(5) seconds and relax it for five seconds. Pull in your pelvic floor as if you are mentally lifting your genitals. Gradually build up to holding for ten seconds.
- Relax for 30–60 seconds between each repetition, then repeat the above step.
- Do 10 sets lying down, 10 sets sitting up, and 10 sets standing up. So you should aim for a total of 30 repetitions two to three times a day.
Please note that during urination is not the ideal time to practice your Kegel exercises. Doing so while emptying your bladder can actually lead to incomplete emptying and greatly increasing your risk of urinary tract infections.
Kegel exercises and sexual function
The musculature of the pelvic floor plays a part in both male and female sexual pleasure. Kegel exercises promote increased blood flow to the vagina and that will help to keep it healthier.
Per the US National Library of Medicine, the strength of muscle contraction and the length of those contractions contribute to feminine sexual pleasure.
According to science, sex itself may act to strengthen the pelvic floor, both during arousal and orgasm. A strong pelvic floor is associated with higher rates of sexual activity as well as higher sexual function and therefore better satisfaction.
Conclusion:
As with any medical issues speak to your doctor who may refer you to a urologist (specialist in all things kidney-related). Studies show that doing Kegels does help to tone the muscles of the pelvic floor which in turn will have a positive impact on your sexual health.
Kegels have been proven to reduce the incidence of urinary accidents. It costs very little time, it is risk-free and painless. It usually takes about six weeks to see improvements after which you should begin to see some improvements in your urinary incontinence.
And
They can be done anytime, and anywhere!
So continue doing Kegels, they are a great resource for continued training to avoid future issues and also to assist with sexual health and pleasure.
With consistent pelvic toning, you may find yourself with a perpetual smile on your face.
So have fun while — having fun!
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