Premature ejaculation is when a man reaches orgasm and releases semen very quickly after starting sexual intercourse, earlier than when he or his sexual partner would like him to. This condition can be embarrassing for men, but understanding its causes and how to treat it can help.
What Causes Premature Ejaculation?
The condition has been linked to a range of different factors, and so pinning down the particular causes for each person can be difficult.
It can be caused by many psychological factors including anxiety and depression. Some argue that associating sex with feelings of guilt from a young age may encourage you to try to end it quickly and lead to very fast ejaculation.
Many men attempt to reach orgasm very quickly when masturbating at a young age, to minimise the risk of being discovered. Doing this can train you to get used to ejaculating soon after stimulation begins.
Relationship problems may also be feeding into it. Or it may be that your relationship is a very new one; sometimes the excitement of being with a new partner can speed up ejaculation.
Quite a few biological factors have been linked with the condition too. These include an imbalance of hormones, thyroid problems, infection of the urinary system or prostate, genetics, or in very rare cases nerve damage.
How Can It Be Treated?
The most common treatment is to try and improve your self-control. Pay attention to how you feel and what your body does when you are about to ejaculate, and then learn to work with your body to calm yourself down and avoid reaching orgasm too soon.
Attempting to “edge” yourself during masturbation, where you masturbate and then stop just before orgasm, before masturbating again, can help you understand what it feels like when you are right on the point of orgasm. When you know reliably that an orgasm is coming, you can then take actions such as withdrawal and changing positions during sex to give yourself more time.
Building up the muscles in your pelvic floor can also help with voluntary ejaculation control. This muscles can be built by a routine called Kegel exercises or “Kegels.” To do this exercise, stop while urinating and hold your urine for a couple of seconds before releasing again. Do this several times per urination. Over time, your pelvic floor will strengthen. These exercises also cause you to ejaculate further.
Using condoms reduces the intensity of sexual stimulation and can help you to last longer. The thicker the condom, the more it will reduce the feeling of direct stimulation. Anaesthetic creams and sprays can also be applied to achieve a similar effect.
Masturbating before sex can also help. The second erection that comes after a first ejaculation has already been achieved is less sensitive for many men, and so you may take longer to ejaculate if you have already done so a short time beforehand.
For psychological issues such as anxiety or depression, counseling and medication may be recommended. It is worth speaking to a medical professional about this. Counselling may also be helpful if you believe that relationship problems may be feeding into the condition. There are also various medications available which can help with the issue.
Take Action for Satisfying Sex
Good sex is crucial to a happy and healthy relationship. It’s common to have qualms about your sex life, but help and treatments are available. Always make sure to consult with your doctor.
