Sounds

by Tom A Gordon

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• What to Use
  • The Sounds
    • Types of Sounds
    • Sizes
    • Sterility
• Other Equipment for Sound Play
• Procedure
  • Before Beginning
  • Insertion Technique
  • Does it Hurt?
• Health and Safety Problems

Introduction

Sounds are medical instruments designed for insertion into the urethra, the tube connecting the bladder with the outside world. Basically, they are highly polished stainless steel rods with a handle and a rounded tip, and they come in sizes which are very close to each other (differing in diameter by less than half a millimeter). In a medical setting, their purpose is to gradually and gently enlarge the urethra. In a non-medical setting they can be a source of exceptional sexual stimulation and an instrument used in 'power exchange' or submission/domination/SM experiences.

Incidentally, the name 'sound is used in the sense of 'to find the depth of' in the same way a lead weight on a line is used by mariners to sound the depth of the water.

Regretfully, so far this briefing only covers male sound play. Women's sounds are shorter, for the shorter urethra, differently shaped and have their own difficulties of insertion. Women are also even more prone to infection. Some of this briefing may be of relevance and interest to women, but the technical aspects are largely inapplicable. Certainly sounds intended for use on women should not be used on men, and vice versa.

A word of caution: This kind of play is not something you should engage in with someone who is inexperienced or who does not understand all the necessary precautions. Carelessness can result in infection, injury, or other traumatic problems. You should be introduced to this kind of play in the right setting by an experienced, careful person who cares enough about you to exercise all the cautions set forth herein. This document is intended to be informational, and to discourage carelessness. Having said that, do not be terrified until you have reason: be sure to read the subsequent section Does it Hurt?. There may be pleasures here which you have yet to discover!

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What to Use

The Sounds

There are two types of sounds in common use, named after their inventors. Van Buren sounds are about 30cm (11.5") long and are J-shaped: there is a single curve near the tip. Dittle sounds are straight, and about the same length. For men, avoid the S-shaped sound sometimes sold in sex shops: it is intended for women.

Which type is best is a matter of opinion. There is a curve in the male plumbing system; the J-curve on the Van Buren sound is designed to accommodate that curve, allowing the sound to slip down the penis and into the bladder easily. The problem is that if the bottom gets hard during the process of insertion one has to wait until the erection subsides, as the curved sound cannot be inserted (or removed!) if the penis is hard. It is possible to negotiate the curve with the straight Dittle sound by changing the angle of the penis during insertion, but this requires a bit more skill and sensitivity on the part of the top. As a practical matter, I prefer straight (Dittle) sounds.

Sizes

The diameter of sounds, catheters and some other medical instruments is expressed in the French system. One French unit (Fr) is .33 millimeters (.3mm for ease of discussion). Thus, an instrument which is 20Fr is 20 x .3 = 6mm in diameter (0.24").

Most men can, without discomfort, take a much larger sound than you might imagine. I have never seen an adult who could not handle at least an 18Fr. My own set of sounds, which runs from 12Fr to 40Fr once extended only to 36Fr -- until I worked with a bottom who needed the larger sizes of 38Fr and 40Fr to feel 'fulfilled' or challenged. An average guy can handle a 24Fr to 28Fr without trouble. The idea, of course, is to stretch the urethra just a bit.

You should not attempt to buy sounds until you have experienced them with a competent friend, someone who has the expertise to help you discover the best possible sensations without risk. This will also give you a chance to discover what sizes are right for you. (No top should use them until he has experienced them for himself.) Sounds are expensive because of their precision sizing and careful finishing, and because this is not quite a mass-production product. My own sounds, Miltex, which are made in Germany to the highest quality, are now being sold for about US$65 (GBP45) each or almost US$1000 (GBP650) for a full set. Even an acceptable US-made economy brand costs about US$20-25 (GBP14-18) each through medical wholesale supply companies.

Sterility

Sterility is important in this procedure. Aside from the possibility of transmitting HIV, non-sterile procedures can cause bladder infections. My method of sterilizing sounds has been quite adequate, giving me more than 20 years without an infection problem. Here's the technique I use:

1. After use, the sounds are washed in a hot water/detergent solution (detergents remove surface KY and help break down viral coats).
2. The clean sounds are soaked in a bleach solution (1:10) for half an hour. The purpose of this step is specifically to kill the HIV virus. CAUTION: use only a plastic or glass tray; a metal tray will cause a chemical/electrolytic reaction with the sounds in the presence of the bleach, and the sounds will discolor or corrode.
3. The sounds are rinsed, then wrapped in a clean hand towel tied loosely with thread or string.
4. The towel and the sounds are placed in a pressure cooker for 15 minutes at full pressure, the home equivalent of an autoclave. After processing, the bundle is kept in a plastic container until used again.

Note the final sterilization step below, under Before Beginning.

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Other Equipment for Sound Play

As well as the sounds themselves, you will need:

• Generous amounts of sterile lubricant without preservative or nonoxynol-9, which is highly irritating to the urethra. KY or H&R are recommended.
• A luer-tip hypodermic syringe without a needle, or, better, the type of hypodermic-syringe-like device used to administer medicine to babies, approximate size 10-12ml (cc).
• An ordinary serving tray (approximately McDonald's-size)
• A sterile, or at least freshly-washed, hand towel.
• Alcohol and swabs or paper tissues.
• Latex gloves.
• A clean washcloth and antibacterial soap.

All the specialist items should be available via medical suppliers. See the Resources section of the Play Piercing fact sheet.

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Procedure

Before Beginning

• Have the bottom relax comfortably on his back on a fairly firm table or bed; being flat is better than being in a sling. If a bed is used, position the bottom diagonally, genitals at the very corner, legs spread and off the bed, so you can get very close to him. You will sit at the corner on a chair, facing him, his legs on yours. If the bottom is on a table, he will be conveniently close.
• Wash the bottom's genitals with warm water and antibacterial soap; dry him gently. The objective is to remove surface bacteria.
• Spread the towel on the tray; if you have used the sterilizing technique I described above, just open the bundle. The towel in which the sounds are wrapped is ideal. DO NOT touch the sounds except by their handles.
• Arrange the sounds in order of size so that you do not have to fumble around one-handed later.
• Fill the syringe with KY; try to avoid getting large bubbles in the syringe.
• Put on the gloves; be careful what you touch after this point.
• Using a tissue, scrub each of the sounds with alcohol to kill any bacteria or fungi from the air or inadvertent touching.

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Insertion Technique

The technique cannot really be learned by reading about it. This article is intended to give you an idea of what is involved and of the pleasures which are possible. It would be best for you to attend a demonstration to actually see the procedure, and ideally to work with an experienced top to try it out, whether you are a top or a bottom.

If you are right-handed, you will manage the instruments with your right hand; your left hand will hold the bottom's penis.

As you begin, examine the bottom's penis carefully; spread the opening gently. Estimate what is the largest size sound which will obviously fit into the opening. You want to begin with the largest size possible because larger sounds are less 'pointy' and are more gentle as they slip in.

Place the tip of the KY-filled syringe near the opening of the penis; put a small blob of KY right at the opening to lubricate the passage of the syringe into the tip of the penis. Hold the cock loosely, and gently place the tip of the syringe in the opening of the cock; squeeze in a generous amount of KY (if this were toothpaste, you'd be injecting about 25mm/1"). Keep the syringe in place for a moment while you gently stroke the cock to prevent the KY from shooting out. Some people feel a bit of discomfort at this point, a slight burning at the tip of the cock. This is caused by a difference between the acid/alkaline balance of the lubricant (which is manufactured for 'average' people) and that of the tissues of the bottom. This sensation will pass within a minute and is nothing to worry about.

Holding the cock straight up (at a 90-degree angle from the body), gently insert the first sound about an inch. Aim slightly toward the bottom side of the cock. The sound will have a tendency to slip in just by gravity alone. Your job is to hold it back and guide it -- don't push! If the sound stops slipping in, stretch the cock slightly by holding onto the loose skin; this will straighten out the urethra and allow the sound to find its way.

Never push a sound in. Gravity is the only force used. Your job is merely to guide the sound and to prevent it from dropping in too suddenly; this is especially true until you have some experience with the technique.

When the sound has entered about an inch more than the length of the penis, change the angle of the penis: slowly lower it toward the testicles to form approximately a 45 degree angle; gradually raise it again. This will negotiate the curve in the plumbing and the sound will drop into the bladder. Guide the sound with gentle manipulation of the handle; don't push!

Remove the sound slowly. (One bottom told me that the removal felt like "an orgasm in slow motion.") You can move it in and out slowly if the bottom enjoys the sensation. The larger sizes of sound will tend to drop in more readily because of their greater weight.

Inject a bit more KY as before, and go on to the next larger size. Continue in this manner, going to larger sizes until the bottom feels discomfort; use plenty of lube. Most often, discomfort due to the size of the sound will be felt as slight burning at the tip of the cock. You can tell that you have reached the bottom's optimal size when the skin at the tip of the cock begins to stick to the sound during insertion and removal, even though well lubricated; the tissue forms a slight funnel-shape as the sound is moved. Going to a larger size after this will actually stretch the urethra (It will shrink back to its original size unless this treatment is done three or four times).

When you have removed the largest sound you intend to use, gently milk the bottom's cock to remove some of the KY. Prepare the sounds to be cleaned and sterilized before subsequent use.

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Does it hurt?

There is no real reason why the use of sounds should be painful if the proper precautions are followed and technique is good. Some bottoms have been to an STD clinic to have a gonorrhea test; sometimes such tests involve swabbing out the tip of the penis with a Q-tip to get a sample of any fluids there. This can be an incredibly painful experience because cotton swabs are actually rough and the lack of lubrication makes it irritating. Memories of such experiences can cause bottoms to have far more fear than is justified.

You will discover that the bottom experiences great pleasure when the sound is inserted to a certain depth. The top should gently manipulate the sound at that point; the sound is probably stimulating the prostate gland intensely, and in a way not possible through any other sexual technique.

Most bottoms enjoy seeing the insertion, especially the sound vanishing into the penis by its own weight. Many bottoms have expressed amazement to me that such a large object could go so far in without pain. They feel a sense of complete submission of their most intimate orifice and a voluntary vulnerability beyond any previous experience.

If sounds are used correctly, with plenty of lubrication and without exceeding the appropriate size for the bottom, there should be no real pain. There may be some initial discomfort which will give way to great pleasure after the first anxious moments.

There may be some small discomfort afterward, especially if there has been stretching: there will be a slight burning upon urination, caused by irritation of the urethral tissues. This will pass within 24 hours, but the bottom should remember to drink a lot of fluids to keep the system well flushed out.

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Health and Safety Problems

What if the bottom feels extreme discomfort even with just the injection of the initial lubrication? This is extremely rare, and it is probably a form of hysteria. Maybe such people should not engage in this sort of play. Or maybe they have a hang up about something slipping up their cock. A well-known and very thoughtful bottom once asked me to take him on a trip with sounds because he was so terrified of it; he recognized that with the help of an experienced top he could let go of accumulated fears. In a medical setting, it is customary to anesthetize the penis before sounds are employed: the KY lubricant is laced with a bit of xylocaine or lidocaine. I do NOT recommend this in a sexual setting because pain is such a good indicator that either the technique is faulty or one has gone far enough. Secondly, those of us in this scene are interested in sharing hot sensations, not suppressing them.

What if a constriction is encountered inside the penis? If the sound obviously fits through the opening of the penis but will not pass easily when it is inserted an inch or two, the likely cause is a band of scar tissue caused by a previous bout of gonorrhea. This scar tissue in the urethra doesn't stretch easily; I recommend using only sizes of sounds which will pass this constriction easily. There are many tiny capillaries which surround the urethra, blood vessels finer than a hair. When capillaries are stretched, they will sometimes leak a few blood cells; these tinge the lubricant a light pink. This is not something to worry about. But it is a good sign that you should probably stop for this session and resume another day.

On the other hand, a flow of red blood is a serious sign. It indicates the possibility of damage, and you should cease play immediately. If there is more than a brief dribble of red blood, head for the emergency room. If you follow the advice I have given above, and the only force used has been gravity, this is an extremely unlikely event, however.

One important caution: bottoms often feel a strong urge to masturbate when a sound has been inserted. This must be avoided because of the likelihood of injury. Bottoms often want the top to be more vigorous in insertion. This is a time when the top needs to be responsible and in control, and do only what is good for the bottom. The insertion of sounds produces such unusual and erotic feelings for some people that they need a good top to control their behavior.

Infection is the most likely complication; follow the procedures I have given rigorously; as I said above, I have not had an infection problem in more than 20 years of this kind of play. Shortly after your session, the bottom may have a strong urge to urinate; there may be only a little urine. This suggests only that you have stimulated the nerves which signal a full bladder. The bottom should drink a lot of fluids to flush out any potential bacteria. There may be a slight burning sensation upon urination for the first 12-24 hours; this signals only that you have irritated the urethra a bit. But if the burning continues, or if there is a strong need to urinate which continues for more than 24 hours, there may be a bladder infection.

If infection does occur, it can be unpleasant, but is rarely a problem if medical help is sought and normally responds well to antibiotics. The symptoms, normally developing within a couple of days of play, include discomfort in the bladder, a constant urge to piss, cloudy urine and maybe feverishness or a feeling of being under the weather. Visit a doctor or a genito-urinary/STD clinic, swallow your embarrassment and tell them what the most likely cause is. Don't put off going: infections can cause serious problems if allowed to take hold. Make sure you're fully recovered before indulging in sound play again, and indeed any other sort of urethral or piss play.

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This article was first circulated on the Internet in 1996 under the title 'About Sounds'. This version has been revised and expanded slightly by Dirk. © Copyright Tom A. Gordon 1996, 1997. All rights reserved.