Premature ejaculation is the most common sexual disorder and is likely to strike younger men more than older men. As many as 1 in 5 men experience difficulty controlling their ejaculation at some point in their life. Even though it is not a disease, if it happens quite frequently and interferes with the sexual pleasure of a man or his partner, it is recognised as a health problem.

Brief description: Premature ejaculation

Premature ejaculation, also known as rapid ejaculation, is the occurrence of ejaculation prior to or immediately after sexual intercourse. Various factors are said to cause premature ejaculation from psychological to physical as well as a combination of both of these factors. No matter what is the cause of your condition, it has a negative impact on your life and can raise many issues.

Effects of premature ejaculation on men

Premature ejaculation can affect the self-confidence of men and make them less inclined to start new relationships, feel ashamed due to their condition and feel guilty for not being able to last long enough to pleasure their partner. Some married men experience frustration on a daily basis and avoid contact with their spouse to save their embarrassment. Most men suffer in silence instead of communicating with their partner or seeking help.

Causes of premature ejaculation

Performance anxiety is often the major cause of premature ejaculation. Another option is that most men’s earliest sexual experiences are done secretly and quickly, for fear of discovery. It is thought that these early experiences make some men’s sexual response to a pattern of rapid ejaculation. Earlier, the primary cause of premature ejaculation was believed to be psychological and treatment for premature ejaculation focused of behavioural and psychological counselling. However lately, researchers have started to look at biological factors that may influence premature ejaculation. The hormone testosterone has also been linked to ejaculation and some researchers suspect that hormone levels may play a major role in controlling ejaculation. Hyperthyroidism and diabetes are also being linked to premature ejaculation.

Treatments for premature ejaculation

Psychotherapy or behaviour counselling is the right approach for men or couples where the problem is clearly psychological. If your premature ejaculation is brought about by psychological conditions such as depression or performance anxiety, you must seek a counsellor or therapist. For single men not in relationships, individual psychotherapy is helpful to address men's reluctance to enter into relationships. For men in relationships, individual psychotherapy helps when the problem appears to be caused by childhood issues or excessive fear or hostility to women. Combined psychotherapy helps where both the partners are motivated to seek treatment. The 'stop and squeeze’ technique stops sexual intercourse as it involves squeezing the shaft of the penis between a thumb and two fingers. This temporarily stops his urge to ejaculate but causes inconvenience as it hinders the flow of sexual activity. The latest advancement in the medical field has led to the discovery of a SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) called dapoxetine. This oral drug is sold under the brand name of Priligy and helps by increasing the time to control ejaculation by up to three times as long as before.