What is it about ?
Premature ejaculation refers to ejaculation so fast that it causes dissatisfaction for the man or his partner with the sexual intercourse he / she has just had. In some men, premature ejaculation is occasional; in others, it is systematic.
What do we mean by “early”?
In general, ejaculation is considered premature if it occurs within 1 to 2 minutes of penetration. The normal time to ejaculation may vary, but on average it is about 7 minutes. In general, this delay is less than 5 minutes in half of the men and longer in the other half.
Cause
The cause may be organic (for example, a hormonal disorder), psychological or symptomatic of a relationship problem. When a man has suffered from the problem all his life, it is more likely that a physical cause is responsible for premature ejaculation.
What is its frequency?
It is the first sexual disorder in men. More than 2 in 10 men suffer from it from time to time.
How to recognize it?
When the man does not control ejaculation and it occurs upon penetration, in less than 1 to 2 minutes, it is a question of premature ejaculation. Ejaculation occurs so quickly that it causes feelings of dissatisfaction for one or both partners.
Premature ejaculation is also possible with anal sex, oral sex or masturbation.
How is the diagnosis made?
The doctor will make the diagnosis based on the story and the complaints.
- Is the problem recent or has it always existed?
- Did it exist with the previous partners?
- How often do you have sex?
- Does the problem occur occasionally or with every penetration?
- Is this a new relationship or have you been in a relationship for a while?
- Are there relationship issues?
- Is the erection good and does it last long enough?
- Does the man take any medication?
- Does he drink alcohol?
- Are there any signs of overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) (tremors, palpitations, sweating, weight loss)?
If a physical cause is suspected, a blood test can also be done.
What can you do ?
If you have relationship problems, see a psychologist for a behavioral management about your relationship and your sex life.
There are also exercises to teach you how to control and delay ejaculation. Solving the problem requires a lot of frankness with your partner, who must help, even if it is not fun. Some examples of exercises:
- pressure stop: you interrupt manual stimulation or intercourse and compress the glans penis before ejaculation. The technique is effective 5 to 6 times out of 10.
- stop-pause: you stop the report and you wait. The technique is effective 8 times out of 10.
What can your doctor do?
If the doctor does not see any physical conditions that could be responsible for premature ejaculation, and non-drug treatment does not work, he or she may try low-dose antidepressant therapy. Its downside is that it sometimes has unpleasant side effects.
An alternative is to use an anesthetic gel on the glans. To avoid the associated loss of sensitivity in your partner, you can use a condom. The combination of a drug and an anesthetic gel is effective in about 8 out of 10 men who have this problem.
Want to know more?
Are you looking for more specialized help?
- Find a therapist – AEMTC – Association for the Study, Modification and Therapy of Behavior
- Mental Health Services – The Social Guide
- Find a psychologist – Commission des psychologues
Source
Foreign clinical practice guide ‘Premature ejaculation’ (2012), updated on 23.05.2017 and adapted to the Belgian context on 28.05.2019 – www.ebpnet.be