The uncontrolled ejaculation that occurs with minimum penile stimulation is referred to as premature ejaculation (PE), also known as rapid ejaculation, early climax, premature climax, and even ejaculatio praecox (historically). This condition where a man reaches orgasm (i.e. expels semen) before or after sexual penetration is called premature ejaculation.
Even though the definition suggests early expel of semen to be called premature ejaculation, there is no certain timeline to decide how early is too early? A group of experts at the International Society for Sexual Medicine agreed that ejaculation which nearly or always occurs within a minute is defined as premature ejaculation.
Men with Premature Ejaculation insist that they have little to no control over their ejaculation. The average ejaculatory latency is around 4 to 8 minutes. It has been found that both men with PE and average men wish they could last longer.
Causes of Premature Ejaculation
Exact causes of premature ejaculation haven’t been figured out till this day. However, there are seemingly legit assumptions made by different medical experts. Here are some of them:
- One of the causes of premature ejaculation could be hypersensitivity of the skin of the penis. In this case, you’ve got nothing to worry about as numbing creams and desensitizing condoms can help.
- Another cause of PE is thought to be the lack of sex. If it’s been a while since the last ejaculation, it shouldn’t be surprising to face PE.
- Being with a new partner might lead to anxiety, which could also be the cause of PE.
- There are other psychological factors which can cause Anxiety, depression and guilt are among the emotions that top the list as possible causes of premature ejaculation. Performance anxiety and unresolved conflicts building up passive aggressiveness could also be the causes of PE.
- There could be plenty of other medical reasons too such as hormonal problems, injury, to mention a few. PE could also be the result of the side effects of the medications you might be taking.
There is little to no evidence that supports these theories, but still some seem pretty legit. Most men who suffer from premature ejaculation seem to have these conditions, which has led to these assumptions.
Symptoms
The symptoms are pretty apparent.
Since it’s not a disease, there are no symptoms to be seen hours before. The one and only way to know about premature ejaculation is during sex. The only symptom is that you ejaculate before or after the slightest penile stimulation, with very little satisfaction.
Diagnosis
Most people suffering from premature ejaculation avoid visiting the doctor out of shame or embarrassment, which of course is not helpful. You need to discuss your sexual and medical history with your doctor, and your doctor might also want to talk to your partner. Your doctor will first conduct various tests to rule out the medical issues.
Effects of Premature Ejaculation
It goes without saying that premature ejaculation affects the sex life of an individual, and also of the partner involved.
The lack of sexual satisfaction can be extremely frustrating.
The self-esteem and confidence of the man suffering from PE is relatively low. So, not only is the sex life affected, the person constantly feels low and stressed in other areas of life too.
Men with PE also suffer from problems such as anxiety, depression, guilt, and so on… And these psychological issues affect their behavior and personality.
Failure in relationship is one of the first effects of premature ejaculation. Inability to achieve sexual satisfaction can be frustrating, which can lead to heart breaks.
The person with PE might altogether try to avoid sex, which could make life even more depressing.
How to Delay Ejaculation?
A number of methods have been practiced to cure premature ejaculation including medication, natural treatment, self-treatment methods and therapies. Some of them are mentioned below:
1. Self -Treatment
Premature ejaculation is neither new, nor rare.
In the age of internet, every piece of information is just a click away. This prompts many men to opt for self-treatment to avoid the embarrassment of discussing it with the doctor.
- One of the methods is trying to think about something else instead of concentrating on the act or sensation in the penis. This partial distraction is said to be effective in delaying ejaculation.
- Another technique is to not thrust too fast and too hard. Instead, you might want to switch to positions that will involve grinding rather than thrusting.
- Other methods include using more than one condom for the desensitizing effect, which is not recommended because the friction might cause condoms to break.
The statistics of men with PE who were able to cure themselves have been constantly on the rise as the self-help resources have increased too. Only extreme case patients are left with no option but to seek professional help.
2. Psychoanalysis
The Freudian theory suggests that premature ejaculation is caused by underlying neurosis. It says that men nurture unconscious hostility toward women, so rapid ejaculation satisfies them but the women. However, this is mere assumption and there is no evidence to support this theory.
Modern psychologists believe that anxiety, depression and passive aggressiveness could also be the reasons for premature ejaculation. Psychoanalysis and psychotherapy could help solve these underlying psychological issues, which will in turn, cure premature ejaculation.
3. Sex Therapy
Over the years, different kinds of techniques have been developed and applied by sex therapists to cure PE.
Kegel exercises are among the much used techniques in this regard. Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles have been known to allow men to control erection and ejaculation span to some extent.
Stop-start technique and squeeze techniques are in practice for several decades now. Stop-start technique means exactly what it sounds. Whenever the man comes closer to ejaculation he stops for a while until the feeling subsides and then he goes back to having intercourse. This helps somewhat lengthen the time of ejaculation.
The squeeze technique refers to squeezing the penis right before the moment of ejaculation. During the intercourse, just when the man feels the sensation of orgasm, he squeezes the tip of his penis or asks his partner do it. This suppresses the ejaculatory reflex and helps the man last longer in bed.
Apart from these techniques men have also been found to show improvement in maintaining ejaculatory control with the application of following methods:
- Deep breathing – this ultimately leads to relaxation
- Mind/body coordination exercises for physical and mental balance
- Focus exercises so that he can focus on anything he wants
- Whole body massage
Sex therapy has been found to be one of the most successful methods in helping men to maintain their ejaculatory control. Experts claim that sex therapies are effective in about 90% of the cases.
4. Medications
Drugs like paroxetine, dapoxetine, etc, which increase the serotonin, have been found successful in treating premature ejaculation. These drugs are found to be effective as early as a week from the moment of intake.
Some successful treatments report men being completely satisfied with these medicines and a large percentage of men even stopped using them within a year.
However these drugs are NOT without side effects. They may cause erectile dysfunction, decrease in libido and anorgasmia.
Another type of medication used is desensitizing creams for the hyper sensitive skin on the penis. Different types of creams and ointments are available for the purpose. These are generally applied on the penis 10-15 minutes before sexual activity. The potential side effects are minimal compared to pills. These medications are disliked as these ointments causes lack of sensitivity for both partners.
Tropical anesthetic sprays are considered to be a useful alternative to these creams as chemicals from the spray penetrate through the skin on the penis to act with sensory nerves. For those who prefer natural medications, a number of herbal aphrodisiacs are available that can assist men with premature ejaculation.
Anti-depressant medicines are also sometimes used as the treatment method for premature ejaculation if the cause for PE is depression, anxiety and other mental health issues.
Researchers also claim that even though the main idea of medication is to lengthen the time of ejaculation latency directly, medication also helps in developing self-confidence which automatically assists in maintaining ejaculation control.
Myths About Premature Ejaculation
With all the talk about premature ejaculation and methods to cure it, it is still one of the most misunderstood and complex conditions. Here are some of the most common myths about PE, and we have made an effort to debunk some of the silliest myths too.
PE Only Occurs Among Young Men
This is one of the biggest myths that need debunking. Although it is true that experience and age does delay ejaculation in men, PE could very well be an existent issue for older men too. Age is not a factor when it comes to PE.
The Cause of PE is Purely Psychological
While psychological issues could cause PE, they’re not the only reasons. Some other causes are reduced serotonin levels in the brain, hyper sensitivity of the skin around the penis, hormonal issues, injury, medicinal side effects and so on.
Rate of PE is Higher in Uncircumcised Men
The myth going around is that circumcised penis loses sensitivity to some extent over time as it is constantly in direct contact with undergarments. This leads to belief that rate of PE is higher among uncircumcised men. However, statistics show that the rate of PE is pretty much the same in both cases.
PE Only Occurs in Men
Again, not true. Research has found that PE also occurs in women.
It just so happens that not a lot of women who suffer from the issue think of it as a big deal and aren’t as ashamed of it as the men with PE. However, there are women who also feel embarrassed and are even worried that they might not be able to satisfy their men properly. PE is not gender-specific.
Conclusion
Premature ejaculation has clearly not been understood properly and the myths about it are countless. However the important thing is that it can be cured. If PE is affecting your whole life, you must seek professional help immediately.
