What is sounding?
Urethral sounding is a procedure which involves inserting dilators into the urethra, typically in increasing width, as a form of sexual stimulation. It has a history in medical practice as a treatment for the narrowing of the urethra or related conditions. Sounding carries risks and should be performed with precautions, such as wearing medical gloves, using sterile lubricant and sanitizing the dilation instruments beforehand.
Why is it fun?
Depending on your pain tolerance, sounding can be more of a punishment or a pleasure. Some say it feels like an internal handjob, and others love the sensation of fullness that it brings.
For dommes like myself who enjoy CBT, there is something exciting about the act of penetrating a cock - it's a bit subversive. I enjoy the visuals of sounding, of seeing a metal rod being slowly inserted into a cock and stretching it out from the inside.
Not only is it fun to watch while it's happening, but the anticipation and fear brought on by the psychological side of sounding play allows for a slow-burn game of building tension, a kind of sensual sadism which makes an ideal addition to other role-plays and fantasies.
How is it performed?
The most common instruments used for sounding in BDSM play are Hegar Dilators: long stainless steel rods which have a smooth surface and are typically between 18 and 20cm in total length. Most common sets of dilation rods vary in thickness from around 3cm to 18cm, although some can go even wider. These rods are used in urological surgery to increase the size of the urethra, check for blockages and clear the urethra of objects.
To begin, the rods are thoroughly disinfected, as well as the skin surrounding the urethra. The Rods are then lubricated with a sterile lubricant, which may also be injected directly into the urethra via a sterile lubricating syringe.
The rods can be inserted slowly at first, with care to ensure adequate lubrication throughout the process. Be especially careful with the smallest sizes of dilators, as these may be more likely to puncture tissue.
After the area is warmed up, you can explore moving with different pace and rhythm, adding larger sounds or multiple sounding rods.
Safety tips for sounding
- Sounding without sanitary precautions poses a high risk of infections such as UTIs. Make sure to wear gloves!
- While sounding can be performed both on male and female urethras, it has a higher risk of causing UTIs in female-assigned bodies due to the shorter urethral length.
- It is recommended to use a spray indicated for disinfecting the mucous membranes of the body on the skin around the urethra to prepare the area before insertion.
- Always disinfect your sounding equipment properly prior to use. Smooth metal is generally preferred as a material, as this can be more easily disinfected and is less abrasive than silicone and other materials used for sounding toys.
- Safe handling is important to avoid losing the instrument inside of the body (this carries serious risks). Lubricating the portion of the sounding rod which will be inserted, and not the base which you will be holding, can help to avoid slippage.
- Additionally, using too little lubricant internally can increase the risk of the sounding rod becoming stuck, especially when sounding deeply. Sterile lubricant syringes are helpful for internal lubrication.
Scene inspiration:
Doctor’s office
A patient comes into the office for a routine check-up and gets inspected, fully naked. All of the body’s cavities are checked for abnormalities, and last but not least the urethra is measured. Unfortunately, this urethra is a little too tight, which requires treatment via the uncomfortable-but-necessary sounding procedure to stretch the urethra back to its normal, heathy size.
Interrogation
An interrogation scene where fear mixes with pain and pleasure: After getting caught with no practical means of escape, you'll be tied down, intimidated and harassed, completely helpless and at my disposal. Allowing the tension and anticipation to build, I will take my time in tormenting you with various tools and techniques until I get what I want.
Feminization play
An alternative to the feminization and strap-on play scene: getting dressed up like a good little slut, except this time a different kind of hole is getting filled.
