Premature Ejaculation Treatment

Premature Ejaculation

Premature Ejaculation in a Nutshell

Premature ejaculation is the name of a condition which causes men to ejaculate quicker than planned during sexual intercourse. It is the most common type of sexual problem which men can experience.

There is no strict definition for how long sex between partners should last, but a study involving 500 couples found that the average time for ejaculation was about five-and-a-half minutes after starting sex. Generally, a man is considered to have experienced premature ejaculation if it happens before penetration or less than two minutes after penetration during intercourse.

If your ejaculation time is causing distress on a persistent basis, then there are numerous treatments which you can consider which have proven effective for many patients. Though premature ejaculation is not a life-threatening condition, it can potentially lead to psychological issues such as low self-esteem, feelings of depression and anxiety.

How common is premature ejaculation?

It is very common for men to have occasional experiences of premature ejaculation. It can be a sign of a short term problem such as anxiety, stress, drinking too much alcohol or inflammation of the prostate gland.

If you have experienced premature ejaculation before but only on the odd occasion, then it’s not likely something you have to be too concerned about. It’s only if the problem has begun happening frequently or proven a lifelong issue that you should look more closely at the causes and treatments.

What causes premature ejaculation?

Premature ejaculation can be caused by dozens of factors and some of them may disappear on their own. On occasions, it can be an indicator of an underlying illness, and if that's the case it’s worth talking to your doctor about it.

Even if there is no underlying illness, it is still worth speaking to your doctor or GP if premature ejaculation is a frequent issue for you. You may find it an embarrassing subject to speak about, but your doctor will be trained to speak about it with you. The more they know, the easier it will be to identify the cause and the most effective treatment for your issue.

There are two versions of this condition which are known as primary premature ejaculation and secondary premature ejaculation:

• Primary premature ejaculation means you’ve always had this particular problem and the cause is often psychological.
• Secondary premature ejaculation means the problem has recently developed and it can be caused by both psychological and physical factors.

Physical factors

Underlying illnesses and certain other physical factors are common causes of premature ejaculation. These include but are not limited to the following:

• Oversensitivity of the penis. This is one of the most common causes of premature ejaculation and is also one of the easiest to get help with.
• Problems with the prostate
• An overactive or underactive thyroid gland. This is a butterfly shaped gland in the neck which helps control metabolism
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Multiple sclerosis
• Drinking too much alcohol frequently
• Taking recreational drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines

Psychological factors

Certain psychological or emotional factors can affect how long you can have sexual intercourse before ejaculation occurs. These may be short term and easily resolved, or they could be more permanently ingrained if they have been a part of your life for a long time. Emotional and psychological issues which can cause premature ejaculation include the following:

• Depression. This long term health problem can affect your sexual performance.
• Stress and anxiety. Men under 35 are more likely to suffer from premature ejaculation than older men, and a lot of this is down to anxiety about sexual performance either for the first time, or in a new relationship. This is sometimes known as performance anxiety.
• Relationship difficulties. If you are having problems in your relationship or with your sexual partner, then this can make it more difficult to last long.

What are the most effective premature ejaculation treatments on the market?

The most effective way of treating premature ejaculation depends on whether the issue is caused by psychological or physical factors (or both). That’s why it’s so useful to talk to your doctor or GP about the issue if you’re experiencing it, since they’ll be able to help identify the specific reasons and the best solutions to respond to them.

It may be an embarrassing or uncomfortable topic to talk about in detail, but nothing you say to your doctor or GP will be shared with anyone else. They are used to dealing with these kind of problems on a near daily basis. Being as honest as possible will help you get the correct solution as quickly as possible.

Medicinal cures

Medicines have been created which are specifically designed to prevent premature ejaculation from occurring in men who are having trouble with this condition. Some of these treatments can be bought from pharmacies including Doctor-4-U with a prescription.

If premature ejaculation is occurring due to having an overly sensitive penis, then you could be prescribed a medicinal cream or spray designed to reduce sensation in this area and delay ejaculation.

Examples include Fortacin and STUD 100, which are both sprays that have proven effective in delaying ejaculation during intercourse. Sprays such as these (known as delay sprays) contain topical anaesthetics and the contents are sprayed directly on the penis before sex to provide a longer-lasting experience.

Certain medicines which can be taken to ease mental illness can also help you with premature ejaculation, even if you do not have depression. These anti-depressants are known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and they can potentially be used to help with sexual and urological problems as well as depression.

One particularly noteworthy example of such medication is Priligy, a tablet medication which contains dapoxetine. Priligy and similar medicines won’t be the most suitable solution for everyone, but such treatment can be very effective if premature ejaculation is linked to psychological factors.

Can you treat it without medication?

Some causes of premature ejaculation can be solved yourself without needing medication but by using certain self-help preventative techniques instead. Techniques you could consider include the following:

• Masturbating an hour or two before you have sex may make you last longer during the intercourse
• If you think your problem is due to an oversensitive penis, then you may find it preferable to use thick condoms since they’ll decrease sensation
• If you have sex with your partner on top, then this will allow them to pull away when you are close to ejaculating. Having breaks during sex or telling your partner when you feel close to ejaculation can also help prolong intercourse.
• Taking a deep breath just before you think you’re about to ejaculate can help because this briefly shuts down the ejaculatory reflex
• You may be able to make intercourse last longer before ejaculation if you distract yourself by thinking about something completely different and boring. This is actual advice offered by the NHS!

Therapy/counselling

If you believe your problem with premature ejaculation is psychological, you may benefit from speaking to a therapist. If it’s possible that relationship problems or performance anxiety are the source of your troubles, then an honest conversation with your partner or visiting a couples therapist could help you to overcome these difficulties.

If you think some level of trauma in your childhood or teenage years may have contributed to your struggles, then a trauma therapist may be able to help with your problems. An open conversation with your partner is always a good place to start though.

More generalised (not sex specific) anxiety, stress or depression may be considered a factor, in which case your doctor may still recommend speaking to a counsellor therapist or they could suggest a different course of action.

Can you get treatment for premature ejaculation without visiting your GP?

It is very much possible to get effective treatment for your premature ejaculation without needing to speak to your GP. As mentioned above, for instance, there are numerous self-help methods which you can follow which could improve your condition without needing to see any doctor or your GP.

If medicinal treatment is considered the most appropriate course of action, then you can get a prescription for such a thing without needing to see your GP. You can visit an online medication provider such as Doctor-4-U in order to get your premature ejaculation treatment sent to you in discreet packaging.

While you won’t need to see your GP to complete an order from us, you will be required to answer a number of questions to assess your suitability. All questions are reviewed by a GMC registered doctor before a final decision is made on whether to approve your order. If the order is approved, then your medication will be dispensed from a fully regulated and registered UK pharmacy.

Other types of ejaculation problems

There are other sexual problems which men can potentially experience which are related specifically to ejaculation. These include the following:

• Delayed ejaculation: This is where the man either cannot ejaculate, or takes far longer than he wishes to be able to do so, even though there is nothing wrong with the erection. It is diagnosed if a sufferer fails to ejaculate at least 30-60 minutes after getting an erection, without choosing to delay it, or a man fails to ejaculate at least half of the time he has sex.
• Retrograde ejaculation: This is the rarest kind of ejaculation and happens when the semen travels backwards into the bladder instead of through the urethra. The man will still feel the same please of an orgasm, and there are no long term health problems associated with it, but it can affect a man’s fertility. Symptoms include producing no semen after the feeling of ejaculation, and producing cloudy urine after sex.