Premature Ejaculation

Overview and Facts about Premature Ejaculation

Premature ejaculation is a condition in which a man ejaculates sooner than he would prefer during sexual intercourse. This is the most common sexual complaint and it affects up to one in three men.

When it occurs infrequently, it should not be a concern, but if it occurs frequently you may have a clinical diagnosis.

There are two types of premature ejaculation:

• Lifelong: Premature ejaculation has occurred since the beginning of a person’s sexual experiences.
• Acquired: Premature ejaculation develops after previous sexual experiences without a problem.

Symptoms and Signs of Premature Ejaculation

Signs and symptoms of premature ejaculations include:

• A tendency to avoid sexual intercourse
• Feelings of frustration and distress in the man or partner
• Frequent ejaculation within one minute of penetration
• Frequent inability to delay ejaculation during sexual intercourse

Causes and Risk Factors of Premature Ejaculation

Premature ejaculation may have biological and/or psychological causes as listed below:

Psychological causes:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Poor body image
• Relationship problems
• Sexual abuse
• Worrying about premature ejaculation

Biological causes:

• Inflammation or infection of the urethra or prostate
• Abnormal hormone levels

Tests and Diagnosis of Premature Ejaculation

Your doctor will discuss your medical history and your experiences of premature ejaculation. He or she may order a blood test to check your testosterone level.

Treatment and Care for Premature Ejaculation

There are a number of treatment options for premature ejaculation.

Behavioral techniques

• Masturbating an hour before sex to help you delay ejaculation during intercourse or abstaining from sex for a period of time.
• Pause-squeeze technique. This involves stopping intercourse when you feel you are about to ejaculate, gently squeezing the penis, and then continuing intercourse.
• Pelvic floor exercises. Weak pelvic muscles can cause premature ejaculation.
• Using condoms. This may decrease the sensitivity of the penis.

Medications

Your doctor may recommend oral medications which can very useful. Others, such as topical anesthetics can help by numbing your penis. These latter can be applied ten minutes before intercourse.

Although they are effective, topical anesthetics may have side effects such as decreased sexual pleasure. In addition, oral medications can also be given for this condition. A thorough evaluation and assessment will need to done prior to starting.