Sexual stimulation is any stimulus (including, but by no means limited to, bodily contact) that leads to, enhances and maintains sexual arousal, and may lead to ejaculation and/or orgasm. Although sexual arousal may arise without stimulation, achieving orgasm usually requires sexual stimulation.
The term often implies stimulation of the genitals but may also include stimulation of other areas of the body, stimulation of the senses (such as sight or hearing) and mental stimulation (i.e. from reading or fantasizing).
Sufficient stimulation of the penis in males and the clitoris in females usually results in an orgasm.[1][2] Stimulation can be by self (e.g. masturbation) or by a partner (sexual intercourse, oral sex, mutual masturbation, etc.), by use of objects or tools, or by some combination of these methods.[3]
Some people practice orgasm control, whereby a person or their sexual partner controls the level of sexual stimulation to delay orgasm, and to prolong the sexual experience leading up to orgasm.
Physical sexual stimulation usually consists of the touching of parts of the human body, especially erogenous zones. Masturbation, sexual intercourse, oral sex, and a handjob are considered types of sexual stimulation. Physiological reactions are usually triggered through sensitive nerves in these body parts, which cause the release of pleasure-causing chemicals that act as mental rewards to pursue such stimulation. Arousal is usually the term used to describe such a physiological reaction. Physical sexual stimulation may also involve the touching of other people's body parts and may trigger similar physiological reactions.