# Lower abdomen sensation - 'female boner'? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 21, 2010, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960 "2010-08-21T07:57:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![khere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@khere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/khere)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/1 "2010-08-21T07:57:47Z")
Er, so this may be a bizarre question. Occasionally when I feel a surge of attraction/affection for someone, I get a quickly-passing sensation almost like when dropping quickly on a roller coaster. I have a half-recollected memory that I read somewhere (on these boards?) that this is something to do with the inner female organs swelling with blood, or something - I think I heard it referred to as a ‘female boner.’ I’m trying to search for an actual scientific explanation or any cite beyond my memory. Perhaps one of you Dopers know what I’m talking about and could point me in the right direction? ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/2 "2010-08-21T14:59:47Z")
Isn’t that just feeling butterflies in one’s stomach? ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/3 "2010-08-21T16:05:43Z")
> [@gallows\_fodder](#): > > Isn’t that just feeling butterflies in one’s stomach? No, it’s lower than that. For me, it goes from my outer hips/lower belly, to my…ya know 😉 And this happens with my husband of 10 years, so it’s not some goofy love at first sight thing. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/4 "2010-08-21T16:21:14Z")
Feeling up butterflies turns you on? Is that papillophilia? ---
**Author:** ![LegsAkimbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@LegsAkimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegsAkimbo)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/5 "2010-08-21T16:48:58Z")
I know exactly what you are talking about. Never gave it much thought but I get the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/6 "2010-08-21T17:06:19Z")
I always assumed it was a uterine contraction and sudden increased blood flow to the entire area. It feels similar to the uterine contractions I get during orgasm. It’s quite a jolting sensation. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/7 "2010-08-21T17:22:31Z")
Ohhhhh, that. I know what you’re talking about. :o You would not believe your luck, **khere**! I’m house-sitting for my dad, and on his shelves is a book I remember sneaking when I was a little kid – it’s [The Sex Contract: The Evolution of Human Behavior](http://www.amazon.com/Sex-Contract-Evolution-Human-Behavior/dp/0688015999/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282410937&sr=1-1) by Helen E. Fisher. The first chapter has a long description of the biological mechanisms of female arousal. That “lady boner” (what a term!) is due to increased blood flow to the genital area: > [@](#): > > As a woman becomes sexually excited, blood pours into the vessels of the genitals and the general pelvic area. The nerve bundles begin to expand. The muscles around the clitoris, vaginal opening, and the anus begin to swell with blood. This pressure is knows as the “vaginal ache.” (p.31) That passage left a big impression on me as a kid, because even as a child I was familiar with that funny feeling that I’d get from time to time, and finally I had an answer to what was going on. And here we are, 20 years later, and my childhood secret book sneaking pays off. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/8 "2010-08-21T17:29:00Z")
I’m totally going to tell Mr. Serenata that he gives me lady boners. That’s awesome. I totally know the feeling you’re talking about… but I had never really thought about it. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/9 "2010-08-21T22:40:13Z")
I get this! I have always referred to as The Clench… Tho that’s only part of it 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![khere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@khere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/khere)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2010, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/10 "2010-08-21T23:14:28Z")
Haha, **gallows fodder** , that’s awesome. Curiosity satisfied ;). Glad that at least some people know what I’m talking about too! ---
**Author:** ![supergoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@supergoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supergoose)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/11 "2010-08-22T00:13:04Z")
Did anyone else also get them at random, non-arousing times growing up, I guess the same way boys do? I didn’t know what the hell it was for the longest time - I didn’t link it to sexuality until my teens. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/12 "2010-08-22T00:17:41Z")
And this is one of the major reasons that there are 6 billion people on the planet earth. Go for it, girl! Enjoy and embrace it! ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/13 "2010-08-23T18:12:26Z")
Many years ago, an issue of Playboy called it a “wide-on.” ---
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/14 "2010-08-23T18:55:50Z")
Yup, I sometimes get that feeling when thinking about someone I’m extremely attracted to. It was a little weird the first time I felt it. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/15 "2010-08-23T20:07:00Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > Many years ago, an issue of Playboy called it a “wide-on.” I’ve heard that term and never understood it- is it that she “opens wide” to accept a hard-on, or something? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/16 "2010-08-23T20:39:42Z")
It’s not only sexual, right? I mean, _I_ get that feeling when I’m about to read a good book. (Ahh, nothing like a full bag from Barnes & Noble…) When I’m excited about what I’m about to do in general, actually. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2010, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lower-abdomen-sensation-female-boner/550960/17 "2010-08-23T21:42:16Z")
Yeah, well I’ve read some of those books too. 😉