Dyna arousal

In the Swedish language there is no word to describe or represent the physiologic response in the female genitals vagina when sexually aroused, i.e. the female equivalent to a male erection. The word dyna is the current suggestion to describe and represent this physiologic response in females.
The word is derived from the Latin word tumescence which translates to swelling. Since the English language is lacking a unique word for this physiologic phenomenon as well, the word tumescence is often used in academic literature to describe the female genital response when sexually aroused. The word dyna can be used as both a noun and a verb.
Dyna was created and presented by two midwifery students, the spring of 2018, Antonia Nordin and Jenny Hedlöf. The two students were awarded for having written the years best student thesis within reproductive and sexual health, focusing on female sexual function, and more specifically on the female genital response when sexually aroused. In their study, the majority of the respondents, who were all women, believed the implementation of a word for sexual genital response in females could contribute to better knowledge about the female body as well as to communication about female sexual function.
Publicity
This lack of vocabulary for this female sexual function, as well as the suggestion made for a new word, has been picked up by the media and highlighted in both newspapers and radio . Furthermore, the physiologic phenomenon “dyna” has been discussed more extensively in the popular Swedish podcast Alla Våra Ligg.
The genital response - dyna
Objective arousal due to sexual stimuli evokes an increased blood flow through the pelvis, which is accompanied by a general rise in temperature, especially in the genitals. For some, this can be experienced as a pulsating or throbbing sensation in the genitals. The genital response to sexual arousal, in females, is characterised by the swelling of the specialized vascular tissue found in the clitoris, including the vestibular bulbs and the crura, the labia minora and majora as well as tissue surrounding the urethra, meaning that almost the entire vulva swells. As a consequence of this swelling, the labia minora unfolds and there is an increase in fluid production that transudes via the vaginal walls. This secretory process is called lubrication. The labia minora has the capacity of doubling in size due to swelling when sexually aroused and often turn a darker shade as a result from the increased blood flow. Furthermore, the vagina elongates and becomes deeper due to a relaxation of vaginal muscles that straightens the folds of the vaginal walls. Due to this physiologic reaction the genitals get a heightened sensitivity to touch.
The vestibular bulbs, bilaterally draping the vaginal lumen, are able to grow from 3-4 cm in length when unstimulated to 7 cm in an aroused state. Glans clitoris, also known as the head of the clitoris, is the only visible structure of the clitoris as well as the only part with the ability to move and therefor, reacts with a small upwards movement when sexually aroused. The sole function of the glans clitoris is inducing pleasure, making it a very specialized organ. Although the clitoral and male penile glans have the same number of sensory receptors the clitoral glans have a concentration 50 times higher due to the difference in size, which makes the clitoral glans extremely sensitive. The clitoral glans is in fact so sensitive that direct stimulation can sometimes be experienced as painful and a lot of women therefor enjoy indirect stimulation rather than direct.
The entirety of this physiologic response contributes to both psychological as well as physical pleasure, at the same time acting as protection from pain or trauma of penetration.
Autonomic response
The genital response to sexual arousal is an autonomic reflex and can occur even without subjective arousal or what we perceive as sexual stimuli, i.e. getting “dyna” during sleep or as a result of mechanical stimuli, like vibrations from riding a vehicle. Studies have shown that women get this uncontrolled genital response more often than men but are less aware of when it happens. Another difference observed between the sexes is that women will have a genital response simply by biologic sexual stimuli. For example, when seeing two animals mating the brain will interpret this as a sexual act and trigger the autonomic reflex that controls the genital response. The woman does not feel any subjective arousal and will often be unaware of the measured genital response. Additional studies supporting the claim of an autonomic response are studies and cases where sexual genital response have occurred in women under threat of sexual assault or when exposed to sexual violence. This is again an autonomic response to biologic sexual stimuli, which acts as a protection against painful or traumatic penetration. This function can be described as a bodily self-defence and should not be mistaken for lust or consent.
A picture of dyna
thumb

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu