Premature ejaculation occurs when a man reaches orgasm and ejaculates too quickly and without control. In other words, ejaculation occurs before a man wants it to happen. It is a very common form of male sexual dysfunction and is the most common instance of sexual dysfunction for men under 40 years of age. As many as one in five men will experience difficulty with uncontrolled or early ejaculation at some point in their life. When premature ejaculation happens so frequently that it interferes with the sexual pleasure of a man or his partner, it then becomes a medical problem that needs to be addressed.
Causes And Symptoms Of Premature Ejaculation
Premature ejaculation can have a variety of underlying causes and these causes can range from being physical, psychological, or genetic in nature. However none of these causes is anything to feel shame or embarrassment over as they are incredibly common, and are largely out of a man’s control. Symptoms of premature ejaculation are often associated with the following physical manifestations:
- Ejaculation that routinely occurs with little sexual stimulation and with little control
- Decreased sexual pleasure because of poor control over ejaculation
- Feelings of guilt, embarrassment or frustration
Types Of Premature Ejaculation
There are two main types of premature ejaculation:
Lifelong (or primary) premature ejaculation is when the man has experienced premature ejaculation – ejaculation that always or nearly always occurs before or within about one minute of penetration – since becoming sexually active.
Acquired (secondary) premature ejaculation occurs in men who have had previous sexual experiences not affected by premature ejaculation. They tend to have a significant reduction in the time to ejaculation (often to about 3 minutes or less).
How Is It Diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, medical history, sexual history and may perform a physical examination. During your discussion with your doctor be frank and open. The more your doctor knows, the better he or she can help you. Depending on the results, certain tests such as blood tests may be suggested to determine any underlying causes for premature ejaculation. Often however these kinds of tests aren’t necessary.
How Is It Treated?
Premature ejaculation can be a lifelong problem unless it is properly treated. Treatment will depend on whether you have primary or secondary premature ejaculation. Possible treatment options for premature ejaculation include:
- Behavior modification and/or counseling to help with emotional issues or stressors
- Topical medications to apply prior to sexual intercourse
- Oral medications
- Use of a condom
One thing to keep in mind is that it may take some time in order to find the treatment or combination of treatments that will work for you. So don’t get too discouraged if a particular course of treatment doesn’t work in the way you expected.
