5 Reasons to Spend Time Getting to Know Your Prostate

Gay men have long known that the prostate, that walnut-sized gland located between the rectum and penis, doubles as a “male g-spot,” a sensitive spot rich in nerve endings that, when stimulated, can enhance sensual pleasure and create strong orgasms. But American researchers have only recently begun to examine the medical benefits of prostate massage. So we did a little research and found five potential benefits.

First, what is prostate massage?

There are three standard ways to massage your prostate. The first two involve your hands, and the third involves an inserted device.

If you’re using your hands, you can stimulate your prostate externally with a firm but gentle rub on the perineum, the spot between a man’s testicles and anus. A circular motion will help you feel a bit of sensitive pressure in that spot. You can also insert a lubed-up finger (or two) completely into your anus and gently arch them towards the front of the body, as if making a “come here” beckoning motion. You should feel a little mound of sensitive pressure within.

You can also use a male prostate massager like the Aneros or any number of vibrating prostate massagers available for purchase. Both generally work by inserting them and having them gently rub against the prostate while the user flexes his pelvic floor muscles, the same muscles men use to stop urination or tighten the anus.

Here are 5 benefits of prostate massage:

1. Better orgasms

As we mentioned, gently massaging the prostate adds extra stimulation that enhances orgasmic pleasure, especially while masturbating. If you’re not used to massaging your prostate, the initial feeling may be a little uncomfortable, but experimenting with hands or toys during masturbation can help you find what sensations work best for you.

And while better orgasms aren’t a medical benefit, per se, sex researcher Dr. Howard Friedman has said (and many others believe as well) there’s some correlation between sexual satisfaction and healthy lives.

2. Increased sexual function

In a study of 154 men who used prostate massagers, researchers from the Department of Urology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City found that 10% reported “increased sexual function and ejaculate,” meaning they found their bodies more responsive to sexual stimulation.

Sex therapist Matty Silver also says that prostate massage improves blood flow to the prostate, which increases circulation and can help with impotence.

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3. Increased amount of ejaculate

The Columbia researchers found that 10% of men also reported experiencing better ejaculations as a result of prostate massage. This isn’t entirely surprising, seeing as 30% of semen comes from fluid provided by the prostate. Researchers think stimulating the prostate could encourage the production of more fluid, but they say they need more clinical research to determine whether this is actually the case.

4. Decreased prostate pain

In the same study, researchers found that prostate massage reduced the pain symptoms in 80% of men with prostatic hyperplasia (an enlarged prostate that can cause frequent urination), chronic prostatitis or pelvic pain (two other non-bacterial conditions that can cause pain). Silver adds that prostate massage “helps eliminate the build-up of prostatic fluid in the prostate gland ducts, which can lead to prostatitis.”

While this is good news, researchers admit they didn’t track how often each man used his prostate massager, nor did they know whether the men were taking other medications that might’ve helped alleviate their symptoms.

Furthermore, they say a wider study would have to use a larger sample size with men of different races. (Their study was mostly white men, with a few black and Asian men.) They’d also like to see the effects when men use prostate massagers of different sizes.

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5. Less shame about anal play

A final observation of the Columbia researchers was that encouraging men to use prostate massagers in their own homes can help patients reduce stigma and the “mental burden” associated with anal insertion and pleasure. Considering how often bottoms are shamed in the gay community for being “passive” or “feminine,” increasing awareness about the male G-spot can help encourage men of all sorts to explore their bodies and improve their sexual enjoyment.

Are you going to add regular prostate massage to your sexual arsenal?

This article was originally published on Nov. 20, 2017. It has since been updated.