To fully understand what a clitoris does and how it changes during sexual arousal, it is important to know what it’s made of and its location. The clitoris is a complex sexual organ that develops from the same tissue as a penis.
The clitoris is made of erectile tissue, which means that some parts of the clitoris can swell and trap blood, becoming “erect” when you’re turned on. Only a small part of the clitoris is externally visible, while the rest of it is hidden under the skin. What most people call the “clitoris” is actually the glans or the visible tip of the clitoris. The parts of the clitoris are as follows:
- The glans — This is the small tip of the clitoris above the urinary opening and the only part that can be seen externally. This tiny bump has an enormous number of nerve endings, making it one of the most sensitive organs in your body. Many women masturbate by touching the glans or the surrounding skin for pleasure.
- Clitoral hood (shaft) — The two folds of skin of the inner labia meet and form a small hood directly above the glans, called the clitoral hood. It surrounds and protects the sensitive glans.
- Corpus cavernosum — These are two spongy erectile tissues that are connected to and run on either side of the glans. When you are sexually aroused, these tissues fill up with blood.
- Crura — The corpus cavernosum tissues extend into long slender crura (or legs). These crura are on either side of the vagina.
- Vestibular bulbs — Under either side of the crura are two spongy bulb-like organs called vestibular bulbs or clitoral bulbs. When you’re turned on, these bulbs fill with blood, causing a clitoral erection. This swelling pushes the vulva outward. The muscle spasms of an orgasm push the blood away from the bulbs, and the erection goes away.
During fetal development, the penis and the clitoris grow from the same tissue. Similarly to the penis tip, stimulating the clitoris is very pleasurable during sex or while masturbating. You also get a clitoral erection when you’re turned on! While a penis gets stiff externally during an erection, clitoral erections happen mostly internally, causing swelling and pressure in the vulva. Here are some signs of a clitoral erection:
- The blood that gets trapped in the corpus cavernosum tissues and clitoral bulbs makes them swell and puts pressure on surrounding organs.
- This pressure pushes the vulva outwards and makes the vaginal lips appear bigger and swollen.
- The glans may appear swollen and bigger than usual.
- The clitoral hood may pull back.
- The vaginal lips will look flushed and reddish as the surrounding organs are filled with blood.
- The vagina may become more lubricated.
Since the clitoris is a sensitive sexual organ, a clitoral erection is accompanied by sexual arousal. Your vaginal lips may feel swollen and stiffer than usual. Moreover, your glans or the clitoral tip might feel very sensitive to touch. When you’re turned on during a clitoral erection, the vaginal glands may secrete discharge for lubrication to prepare for sex. Once you’ve had an orgasm, the rhythmic contraction of the vagina pushes the blood trapped in your clitoral tissues back into your system, phasing out the erection. If you do not have an orgasm when you’ve had a clitoral erection, this blood will slowly flow back into your system, but this may take longer than with an orgasm.
Some people can experience a rare and painful condition called clitoral priapism. This is when the clitoris becomes erect and swollen with blood for a very long time. This causes the vaginal lips and clitoral glans to become very tender, painful, and swollen. This may cause discomfort, and you might not want to have sex because of it. If you experience swollen, tender vaginal lips and a painful clitoris for hours at a time on more than one occasion, make sure to seek medical help.
The clitoris plays an important role in your sexual pleasure and a healthy sex life. Formed from the same erectile tissues as the ones that create the penis, the clitoris is made up of a number of glands. And just like the penis, the clitoris also swells and fills with blood during sexual arousal. This causes a clitoral erection, in which the vaginal lips and the clitoral tip are pushed outwards, appearing swollen and bigger than usual. The vulva also turns reddish because of the blood that rushes to the pelvis when you’re turned on.
If you regularly notice unusual, tender, and painful swelling in your vaginal lips for hours, this may point to clitoral priapism. It is a rare condition and may cause discomfort and pain if left untreated. If you are not turned on, but your clitoris is still erect, and this lasts for more than four hours, make sure to seek medical attention.