Back in the 19th century female sexual arousal didnt have a name, it had a diagnosis, Hysteria. Fortunately, this recurring alignment could be cured with hysterical paroxysm (aka orgasm). The use of vaginal massage as a therapy for hysterical patients dates back to Hippocrates.
 
The treatment was not generally regarded as sexual but doing it by hand was tiring, although lucrative, work for the medical professional. Not surprisingly, the invention of stream-driven vibrating machines was welcomed by all but they were expensive and not easily portable.
 
The vibrator was first patented as a medical device by Joseph Mortimer Granville, a British doctor, in 1883. The electromechanical version of the vibrator was designed to relieve Hysteria but it too was large and not easily portable.
 
The huge potential market for hand-held vibrators was recognised by entrepreneurs with Hamilton Beach of Racine, patenting their first hand held vibrator in 1902. The vibrator was the fifth electrical home appliance available, after the sewing machine but well before the electric iron and vacuum cleaner. Vibrator innovation was even a driving force behind the creation of the small electric motor.

In the early 1900s women could use mail order to buy vibrating massagers from advertisements in publications such as Needlecraft, Modern Priscilla and Womens Home Companion. One Vibrator advertisement, from 1910 stated, The secret of the ages has been discovered in Vibration. Great scientists tell us that we owe not only our health but even our life strength to this wonderful force. Vibration promotes life and vigour, strength and beauty. ... Vibrate Your Body and Make It Well. YOU Have No Right to Be Sick..
 
These days an enormous range of vibrators can be purchased using the Internet. Broad categories would include;

Rabbit Vibrators

From Dolphins to Rabbits with shiny little pearls all rabbit vibrators have a clitoral stimulator for clitoral stimulation. As seen in Sex And The City, the rabbit vibrator is the sex toy no girl should be without! A girls best friends and the UK's best selling sex toy.

G Spot Vibrators

The G-Spot does exist and theres no mystery about it. It's simply an area of increased sensitivity that many women like to have stimulated. Named after Ernst Grafenberg, a German doctor who wrote about "an erotic zone located on the anterior wall of the vagina along the course of the urethra that would swell during sexual stimulation". G Spot Vibrators have curved ends or middle bits just in the right spot to provide the added pleasure many women enjoy.
 
Remote Control Vibrators

Remote controlled vibrators can be lots of fun! Once properly inserted or secured your partner will get great enjoyment in watching you squirm when the remote is activated. Nothing leads to a more impassioned night of lovemaking than playing with remote-controlled toys while having dinner at a nice restaurant. Matron warns, Don't think you'll get away with your little game in a quiet lecture hall or art museum. Stick to places with a light cover of sound, and only use remote-control toys at events from which you can easily escape!.
 
Dildos

Dildos are for penetration, they don't vibrate, move, or talk, they just fit well in the hand and in whatever orifice you choose to use. Vibrators vibrate; dildos fill space, whether it be vaginal or anal. While lots of people enjoy the stimuli vibrators produce, many others enjoy the feeling of fullness a dildo provides, as well as the level of thrusting control they can experience with this stationary device.

Realistic Vibrators

Realistic vibrators look just like the real thing with veins, testicles and some even squirt on command.

Jelly Vibrators

Soft, supple and durable, Jelly rubber is a great material for sex toys. Jelly toys can also be very colourful, coming in pink, black, blue, red, orange and purple.

Jackrabbit

Two pronged for stimulation of both the vagina and the clitoris.

Discreet vibrators

Vibrators discreetly shaped as every-day objects, such as lipstick tubes, cell phones, or art pieces.
 
About the Author

Matron Winger is the founder and pleasure distributor for Matron.com (http://www.matron.com), a sex toys superstore based in the UK.