When we talk about orgasms, we’re covering a wide range of conversations. Not only are there multiple different types of orgasms you can experience, but orgasms also manifest differently for everyone. They may feel different, come through different sensations, last for different durations and otherwise affect us in all kinds of different ways. In fact, they may even derive from different pleasure points.

There’s a plethora of possible orgasms a person may be able to achieve, if that’s their intention. It’s important to note, however, that though a variety of orgasms exist, they’re neither feasible for nor necessarily appealing to all people — and that’s OK. Here, we’ll be focusing on orgasms for people who have a vagina and clitoris. (We at SheKnows know that not everyone with a vagina and clitoris is a woman; for the purpose of this article, some of the experts and studies we reference refer to these people as women.)

“If you don’t have certain types of orgasms, it doesn’t make you less capable of pleasure, and it doesn’t make you less of a woman,” certified intimacy and relationships psychotherapist and educator Gigi Engle tells SheKnows. “People experience pleasure and sensuality in such a variety and myriad of ways; whatever brings you pleasure is the most valid. It’s just important to have information so you have the tools you want or need for however you choose to explore your own sensuality… Because let’s be clear: Your body is amazing.”

Engle adds that putting pressure on yourself to achieve orgasm may actually have the opposite effect. Your narrative should focus on experiencing pleasure in and of itself as opposed to reaching orgasm, which she calls a “happy byproduct,” not the end-all be-all of intimacy.

Regardless of how you choose to explore your sensuality, Engle reiterates a common misconception that achieving orgasm denotes the culmination of an intimate experience — that the goal of physical connection is always to orgasm and, if it doesn’t happen, the experience was incomplete or invalid or that you or your partner didn’t perform well. “Intimacy should be about bringing your partner pleasure, bringing yourself pleasure and enjoying that close connection as opposed to seeing it as goal-oriented,” she explains.

Certified intimacy expert Barbara Carrellas adds that if you do want more or different orgasms, you should practice alone first so you can figure out what you like and effectively communicate with your partner.

“Your partner is not responsible for your orgasms,” she tells SheKnows. “The better you know your body, the more you’ll be able to bring yourself to orgasm with their help… Just don’t try so hard. Release your expectations about what an orgasm is ‘supposed’ to be like. Release your assumptions about how an orgasm happens.” Instead, she says, keep it super simple. “If it feels good, do it; if it doesn’t feel good, stop,” Carrellas explains. “If it works for you, do it; if it doesn’t, try something else. There is no ‘normal.’ Everything is ‘normal.’”

And most of all, remember that these are only possibilities to explore if you’re curious and comfortable. To each their own, always. But if you are looking to experiment, here are six lesser-known types of orgasm you may consider exploring.

Anal Orgasm

More and more women are exploring anal intimacy — and quite liking it. In 2009, the National Survey of Behavior found that 94 percent of women studied had reached orgasm from anal stimulation — a higher rate than those who had vaginal intercourse or received oral stimulation. So, what is it about this experience?

Though the anatomy of the clitoris is still largely debated, Engle says that in people with a clitoris, all orgasms, regardless of how they manifest, are clitoral — even those that occur from anal stimulation. The clitoris, she says, is the epicenter of pleasure.

“There are some women — it doesn’t work for everybody — who have orgasms through anal intimacy; they’re able to reach the interior walls of the clitoris through the anus,” Engle explains.

The anal canal itself is rich in nerve endings, but the rectum, which sits just past the canal, shares a thin wall with the vaginal canal, she notes. This means that the G-spot — the internal apex of the clitoris — can be reached indirectly through this area.

“The G-spot is actually the back of the clitoris. You’re just reaching it internally where the internal clitoris is — and it’s not a spot, per se, but actually an area connected to the back of the clitoris,” Engle adds. “So when you have a G-spot orgasm, it’s also clitoral-based.”

There truly is no “normal” when it comes to intimate experiences. Some women can reach orgasm from various forms of stimulation, including indirect internal stimulation.

Energy Orgasm

What happens during an energy orgasm is unique. It releases accumulated tension in both the body and mind and sometimes connects to the spirit.

“An energy orgasm is the kind of release we experience when we suddenly let go of stored-up tension and energy,” Carrellas explains. “It’s similar to a physical release but less localized. Afterward, your whole body feels relaxed, open, and deeply satisfied.”

Unlike typical physical stimulation, this type of experience is not limited to physical contact. It can expand beyond the body.

“You may feel boundary-less, as if everything is connected,” she says. “It can feel like a peaceful, almost otherworldly state.”

It’s also possible to experience this kind of release through giving pleasure, driven by emotional and energetic connection.

Emotional Orgasm

Orgasms aren’t always physical. Emotional releases — sometimes called “emotion-gasms” — involve a buildup and release of energy through feelings.

“Emotion-gasms are total experiences where you allow your body to fully express emotions,” Carrellas says.

Think of intense laughter or a deep cry — that overwhelming release can feel very similar.

“The physiological ingredients are the same as a physical orgasm,” she explains.

Nipple Orgasm

Nipples are well-known sensitive zones, and stimulation here can lead to orgasm.

“A nipple orgasm takes trust, patience, and emotional comfort,” Engle says.

The reason lies in the brain. Nerve endings from the nipples and genitals connect in the same regions.

“When you stimulate the nipples, you’re activating the same pleasure pathways,” she explains.

Ultimately, all orgasms happen in the brain, regardless of where stimulation begins.

Zone Orgasm

Some people can reach orgasm without direct genital stimulation.

A “zone orgasm” occurs when other sensitive areas — like the neck, ears, or thighs — are stimulated intensely.

“The back of the neck, inner thighs, even the scalp can be incredibly sensitive,” Engle says.

The mind plays a powerful role here — almost any area can become a source of pleasure with the right focus.

Coregasm

Exercise can also trigger orgasm-like experiences.

A 2012 study found that certain workouts — especially core exercises — can lead to orgasm, often called “coregasms.”

These occur because of increased heart rate, muscle contractions, and breath intensity — all similar to what happens during climax.

Breathing plays a key role here.

“Breath can deepen and extend pleasurable sensations,” experts say.