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Articles on Sexual arousal

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Even though most people — including health-care professionals — are familiar with the term ‘blue balls,’ there is surprisingly little research on this phenomenon. (Shutterstock)

‘Blue balls’: There’s no evidence they’re harmful, and they shouldn’t be used to pressure partners into sex

The pain of ‘blue balls’ should never be used as a coercive tactic. But almost half of study participants — mostly women and some men — reported pressure to engage sexually.
Baby Boomer women are challenging ideas around what it means to grow old. Cesar Vargas/Flickr

Sex, desire and pleasure in later life: Australian women’s experiences

Older people, and particularly older women, are often thought of as being asexual or sexually undesirable. Although the particular age this is believed to happen varies somewhat in the popular imagination…
Australian couples had sex an average of 1.8 times a week in 2003, this has dropped to 1.4. benik.at/Shutterstock

Australians are having sex less often than a decade ago

Australian couples are having sex less often than a decade ago, the latest national survey of sexual activity reveals. People in heterosexual relationships have sex an average of 1.4 times per week, down…
Nymphomania is in the eye of the beholder. Flickr/Orofacial

What makes a woman a nymphomaniac?

A woman masturbates, has erotic feelings towards numerous men and women, and an “excessive” desire for sex. Is she a nymphomaniac? Filmmaker Lars von Trier is reigniting debate on the subject with his…
Things we’d normally turn our noses up at can become more manageable when we’re aroused. marsmet462/Flickr

Dirty but not down: how sexual arousal can dampen disgust

Does it seem strange that we will enthusiastically kiss an attractive person’s mouth, with tongues intertwining and saliva going everywhere, but that we might wrinkle our nose up at the idea of using that…

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