Intimacy Expert Explains The '20 Types Of Male Orgasms' And Why Knowing Them Can Matter

Most people may think of orgasm as one simple thing, but intimacy experts say the topic is broader than many realize. For men, Susan Bratton claims there are far more types of climax than the few people usually talk about.

The idea is not limited to men, either. Sexologist Gigi Engle has said women can experience nine types of orgasms, which shows how varied sexual response can be from person to person.

Those examples can include a sleepgasm, a clitoral orgasm, an A-spot orgasm, and a nipplegasm. Some names may sound unusual at first, but they are used to describe different forms of stimulation and body response.

There is also some overlap between men and women when it comes to these experiences. Nipplegasms are one example, as Bratton says nipple stimulation can play a role for some men as well.

Bratton, an intimacy expert, has spoken about the different orgasms men may be able to have and why exploring them can change how people understand pleasure, confidence, and sexual health.

She also points out one detail that can confuse people: orgasm and ejaculation are not always the same thing. Bratton says that if someone learns how to climax without ejaculating, they may be able to experience multiple full-body orgasms rather than stopping after one release.

Men and women can experience different kinds of orgasms Getty Stock

Orgasm and ejaculation are not always the same thing

This distinction is one of the more useful parts of Bratton’s explanation, because many people use the words as if they mean the exact same event. In simple terms, ejaculation refers to the release of semen, while orgasm refers to the feeling of climax.

Those two things often happen together, but Bratton’s point is that they do not have to be treated as one fixed experience every time. That idea may help explain why she talks about full-body orgasms, blended orgasms, and other types of climax as separate from a standard ejaculatory orgasm.

It also shifts the focus away from performance and toward body awareness. Instead of seeing sex as a race toward one expected ending, her advice encourages people to notice what kinds of touch, pace, pressure, and communication work for them.

One of the first examples Bratton gives is the nipplegasm. As the name suggests, this refers to an orgasm that comes from stimulation of the nipples, though she says not every man has the same level of feeling there.

Some men may notice very little sensation in that area, while others may find their nipples are sensitive enough to become part of climax. "You can activate anything I'm talking about on this list of orgasms," she wrote on her website, BetterLover. "The more you activate and stimulate, the more orgasmic pleasure you have. If you don't have nipplegasms, now you can have them by exploring the breast and nipple area."

Another type she mentions is the prostate orgasm. This focuses on the area often called the P-spot, which refers to the prostate gland located between the bladder and the penis.

After someone becomes familiar with where the P-spot is and how it responds to touch, Bratton says another form of climax can become possible. This is known as a blended orgasm because it involves more than one type of stimulation at the same time.

"Here's when you're stimulating the prostate through your finger, a toy, or through your partner's finger or toy, and you're stroking your penis at the same time," Bratton says when describing how this type of orgasm can happen.

The point she makes is that the body does not always respond through one pathway only. For some people, combining touch in different areas may create a stronger or more layered sensation than focusing on one spot alone.

Susan Bratton is a renowned relationship and intimacy expert Diary of a CEO/YouTube

Why communication makes the advice more useful

Exploring different kinds of pleasure is not only about knowing a list of names. It also depends on being able to talk with a partner about what feels good, what does not, and what someone is comfortable trying.

That matters because some of the examples Bratton mentions involve areas of the body that may feel sensitive, unfamiliar, or personal. Taking things slowly and checking in with each other can make the experience feel safer and less awkward.

This is also where the advice becomes more practical. Similar expert-led conversations about what people may misunderstand in the bedroom often come back to patience, curiosity, and shared pleasure rather than pressure to reach a certain result.

Bratton also discusses the perineal orgasm, which relates to the area sometimes called the gooch. "Massaging the perineum can enhance other forms of sexual stimulation, and it can even lead to orgasm on its own," according to Men's Health.

For people interested in a wider sensation, she also refers to the full-body orgasm. Rather than being centered only on ejaculation, this type is described as a wave of sensation that may make the body shake or vibrate with pleasure.

That still leaves a long list of other examples. While some sound more familiar than others, Bratton presents them as different ways the body and mind may respond during intimacy.

Why the difference matters

One reason this subject gets attention is that many people treat orgasm as a pass-or-fail moment. Bratton’s wider point is that pleasure can be learned, practiced, and talked about, rather than seen as something that either happens easily or does not happen at all.

That matters because sexual frustration can make people assume something is wrong with their body or their relationship. A better understanding of stimulation, arousal, and communication may help people ask clearer questions and feel less pressure during sex.

It also connects with wider conversations about bodies, confidence, and expectations. Doctors have also discussed topics such as when penis length and girth stop changing, which shows how common it is for people to have private questions about sex and anatomy.

Bratton’s list goes beyond nipple, prostate, blended, perineal, and full-body orgasms. She also names erotic hypnosis, fantasy orgasms, sex tech orgasms, heart-gasms, expanded orgasm, urethral orgasms, the ejaculatory orgasm, throatgasms, and a typical orgasm.

She says learning about these types can help people rethink their sex lives and feel less alone if they have struggled to climax. The idea is not just about chasing new experiences, but also about removing shame around bodies that do not respond in the way someone expected.

Speaking on The Diary Of a CEO podcast in 2024, she said: "Nobody even knows that there's 20 types of orgasms you can have. [...] To achieve that, it's not what you see on porn."

Turns out there isn't just a 'typical' orgasm Getty Stock

The bigger takeaway from Bratton's advice

The labels can sound strange at first, especially when they include terms such as heart-gasms, throatgasms, and sex tech orgasms. But the larger point is not that everyone needs to experience every type on the list.

Instead, Bratton seems to be encouraging people to stay open to learning about their own bodies. What works for one person may not work for another, and that difference does not automatically mean there is a problem.

For people in relationships, that can be a helpful way to approach intimacy. It makes space for questions, trial and error, and honest feedback without turning orgasm into the only measure of whether sex was good.

Bratton also used her own experience to explain why the subject matters to her. She said she once believed she could not orgasm from intercourse with her husband, which could have made the issue feel personal or discouraging.

However, she said things changed once they learned new skills together. In her view, the problem was not that something was wrong with her, but that they had not yet learned the tools and techniques that worked for them.

Her story leaves the focus on learning rather than blame. Whether someone relates to every type of orgasm she lists or not, the main message is that pleasure can be more varied than many people are taught to expect.