Sexual arousal (also
sexual excitement) is the
arousal of
sexual desire, during or in anticipation of
sexual activity. A number of physiological responses occur in the body and mind as preparation for
sex and continue during it. Genital responses are not the only changes, but noticeable and necessary for consensual and comfortable intercourse.
Male arousal will lead to an
erection and in
female arousal, the body's response is engorged sexual tissues such as
nipples,
vulva,
clitoris,
vaginal walls and
vaginal lubrication.
Mental stimuli and
physical stimuli such as touch, and the internal fluctuation of
hormones, can influence sexual arousal.
Sexual arousal has several stages and may not lead to any actual sexual activity, beyond a mental arousal and the physiological changes that accompany it. Given sufficient
sexual stimulation, sexual arousal in humans reaches its climax during an
orgasm. It may also be pursued for its own sake, even in the absence of an orgasm.
