You and your partner enjoy each other’s company, having a fulfilling relationship. However, it is not only emotional satisfaction that is important for a couple, Physical intimacy also plays an important role to keep your relationship healthy and happy. When you wish to get intimate with your partner, you ejaculate (semen comes out of your penis) much sooner than desired, bringing your sexual encounter to an abrupt end. This can be quite frustrating, as you wish you could delay reaching orgasm (peak sexual excitement), and ejaculate when you wish to. Though annoying, premature ejaculation is a common sexual disorder, faced by approximately one in five men.
About premature ejaculation
This is a condition, where men ejaculate much sooner than desired by them or their partner, causing some amount of embarrassment and distress during sexual intercourse.
Premature ejaculation on its own is neither harmful nor a major health problem. It may be experienced just at the beginning of intercourse or shortly after penetration. Nevertheless, when this occurs frequently, the quality of your sex life gets affected and you may need help to overcome this issue.
Causes
The definite cause is still not known, but it can be a combination of psychological and biological factors. Psychological factors include anxiety, mainly about sexual performance or anxiety caused by other issues. Too much excitement, nervousness, guilt feelings, and relationship problems can result in premature ejaculation. Issues like erectile dysfunction and anxiousness to maintain an erection, where men cannot maintain an erection sufficient for satisfactory sexual performance can be a cause for early ejaculation. Some studies have shown that low amounts of serotinin, a natural substance produced by the nerves may be a cause for premature ejaculation.
Other factors that may be responsible include:
- Sensitive skin over the penis
- Abnormal hormone levels
- Thyroid problems
- Inflammation of the prostate or urethra (parts of the male reproductive system)
Rarely, nervous system damage due to some trauma or other risk factors like smoking, diabetes, drugs, cardiovascular diseases, racial or ethnic differences may contribute to this condition.
Diagnosis
There are no specific diagnostic tests. In most of the cases, the doctor will carry out a detailed session about the sexual history or sex life. He/she will ask questions about frequency and duration of the problem, about the kind of sexual activities, the nature of relationships, any other stimulating factors or conditions that tend to make premature ejaculation better or worse.
Often, there is trouble getting an erection and maintaining it (erectile dysfunction) that then leads to premature ejaculation. Hence, diagnosing and treating erectile dysfunction first may help resolve the ejaculation problem.
Therapy and Management
The goal of treatment and managing this condition is to delay orgasm as much as possible, so that ejaculation happens when both the partners desire it. Ideally, a combination of the below mentioned therapies might work for many men. These include:
- Behavioral therapy/sexual therapy
- Psychological therapy
- Medications
Behavioral therapy teaches how to overcome premature ejaculation by practicing some techniques alone or with a partner, such as “Stop and Start” and ”Squeeze” methods. The “Stop and Start” technique involves stimulating yourself or taking your partner’s help, till you reach orgasm. Then, stop the stimulation for about 30 seconds to gain control and repeat again. This process is repeated until you wish to ejaculate. The “Squeeze” technique works in a similar manner, where just before there is a feeling to ejaculate, you or your partner will gently squeeze the head of the penis (glans penis) and hold for 30 seconds, thus losing orgasm. This technique is repeated several times till you wish to ejaculate.
Psychological therapy involves discussing with a man, his feelings about sexuality and sexual relationships. These are in the form of talk sessions with a therapist, either alone or as a couple.
Medications for premature ejaculation include certain antidepressants, which can help delay ejaculation. These are known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These are available as a doctor’s prescription, but are not approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A) to treat the condition. Such drugs should be taken at a lower dosage to minimize side effects like nausea, sweating, drowsiness, and dizziness. It is best to have your doctor decide the right antidepressant for you.
Anesthetic creams can also be applied on the penis to make it less sensitive and prevent premature ejaculation. Such creams can be applied about half an hour before intercourse, and then washed off just before having sex. Using a condom can also help delay ejaculation as this makes the penis slightly less sensitive.
Continuing a Fulfilling Relationship
It should be remembered that premature ejaculation is a very common problem faced by men, either young or middle aged. Communicating with your partner, and seeking counseling are sometimes more important than emphasizing on actual intercourse.
If it comes to a stage where it is affecting your sex life, there are several treatment options to be explored, which will help bring back intimacy and improve the quality of your sexual relationship.
