Premature ejaculation (PE) is a common sexual dysfunction and can be a painful and distressing condition. It affects both the person who suffers from it and their sexual partner and can lead to a negative effect on the intimacy of the relationship.
But not to worry, there are several ways to treat premature ejaculation and improve your sex life. In this article Shag Longer will answer, how does premature ejaculation get diagnosed? how can it be treated? and can a doctor help with premature ejaculation?
What causes premature ejaculation?
So before we can find out if it’s possible for a doctor to treat premature ejaculation we first must understand what causes it.
The individual and their partner ultimately decide what constitutes premature ejaculation. In the medical community, premature ejaculation often refers to ejaculation occurring no later than 60 to 90 seconds after penetration. Younger males or those with fewer previous sexual encounters are more likely to experience it.
Premature ejaculation can be caused by a variety of psychological and physical causes. If a person’s penis is extremely sensitive or they become overly excited or stimulated, it might happen. They could experience it if they are uneasy or apprehensive about a new relationship. Here is a list of some of the typical causes:
Physical factors
- Low serotonin levels
- Erectile dysfunction
- Sensory overload problems
- An issue hormonally affecting oxytocin levels
Psychological factors
- Performance anxiety
- Unrealistic expectations about your sexual performance
- Previous bad experiences with sexual intercourse
- Relationship problems
- Stress
- Depression
- Guilty feelings
How is premature ejaculation diagnosed?
Your doctor will inquire about your sexual and medical history. It is also possible they might want to do a physical exam. Your doctor may suggest blood testing if you experience early ejaculation in addition to difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection. Your hormone levels could also be examined by the testing. Here are some of the questions your doctor may ask you:
- How often does premature ejaculation happen?
- How long have you had PE?
- How have you changed your sexual activity because of PE?
- How are your relationships?
- Does this happen with just one partner or all partners?
- Is there anything that improves or worsens your PE (i.e. alcohol, drugs, etc.)?
- Does PE occur after every sexual attempt?
- What kind of sexual activity do you engage in, and how frequently? (E.g foreplay, masturbation, intercourse)
Your doctor could occasionally advise you to visit other health care professionals like a urologist or a sex therapist. But lab testing is normally only needed if your doctor finds something during your physical exam.
Treating premature ejaculation
The good news is that there are various ways a doctor can treat premature ejaculation, depending on the cause. Some common treatment options include behavioral techniques and medications. Here are some of the different ways to prevent premature ejaculation for both psychological and physical problems:
Psychological
A therapist can help you learn how to cope with premature ejaculation. During sex therapy, you can discuss your sex life with your partner and try out a few behavioral techniques to “unlearn” the ejaculation habit.
Here are a few techniques that may help you delay ejaculation.
The squeeze method
You start by engaging in sexual activities and arousing the penis with the squeeze technique. Then as soon as you feel ready to ejaculate, you or your partner squeeze the penis’s tip where the head meets the shaft. Once the impulse to ejaculate fades, continue to squeeze for a few seconds. You repeat this process as much as you need to.
You can get to the point of entering your partner without ejaculating by repeating as often as necessary. It’s possible that with enough repetition, delaying ejaculation will become second nature and won’t require the pause-squeeze method.
Stop-start technique
If you find the squeeze technique uncomfortable and it is affecting your sexual pleasure you can give the stop-start technique a try. Using this approach, you or your partner stimulates your penis to the verge of orgasm before stopping for around 30 seconds to allow you to regain control.
Before allowing yourself to orgasm, use this “start and stop” technique three or four times. You should keep using this technique until you have good control.
Distraction thinking
The goal of this method is to get you to pay attention to everyday, nonsexual items while you’re getting sexually stimulated.
Using naming patterns can help you concentrate. Imagine, for instance, naming every player on your favorite football team, every advertising brand on the way to your work, or every item in your favorite shop.
Physical
There are plenty of products and medications that are available to improve your sexual function if you are experiencing premature ejaculation because of a physical reason. Here are a few:
Medication
Men who experience premature ejaculation may benefit from a number of medical treatments. Some antidepressants, such as those referred to as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), appear to help delay orgasm. You can get these antidepressants with a prescription from your doctor.
Premature ejaculation has also been treated with drugs that are used to treat erectile dysfunction like sildenafil (Viagra®), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra), and Avanafil (Stendra).
Numbing Creams or Sprays
Another treatment to postpone ejaculation is anesthetic (numbing) lotions and sprays given to the head and shaft of the penis. The anesthetic cream or spray is applied to the penis and allowed to absorb for 10 to 30 minutes, or until your penis feels less sensitive.
Note: To avoid numbing your partner’s vagina or losing your erection, it’s crucial to wash your penis before intercourse.
Kegel exercises
Kegel exercises are workouts to build up the muscles in your pelvic floor. They may also be referred to as pelvic floor exercises. They have an impact on the rectum, bladder, small intestine, and muscles that support your sexual function. Kegel exercises help with premature ejaculation by strengthening the muscles you use during sex. You can have more control over them and therefore more control over your orgasms.
Kegels not only keep them in shape, but they can also prevent bladder leaks and accidentally passing gas or stools. Furthermore, there have been suggestions that a weak bladder could lead to PE, so keeping these muscles strong could help combat that potential cause.
Condoms
Are condoms really helpful to last longer in bed? They can be yes! Simply using a condom may help some men last longer because it may make the penis a little less sensitive.
Also, there are dedicated condoms to help with premature ejaculation (extended pleasure/delay condoms). Some have an internal numbing agent on them to reduce sensitivity. However, if you’re not comfortable with this, there are condoms that just have a thicker material to reduce the friction between the sensitive parts of the penis and vagina.
Conclusion
Premature ejaculation is a very common condition. There are many treatment options for it, including behavioral techniques and medications. It is a problem most doctors should be able to help you with.
When talking with your doctor, make sure you prepare to talk about your sexual problems. A good doctor will be able to give you helpful tips and advice, as well as offer suggestions for treating your premature ejaculation.
Typically, the primary cause of premature ejaculation is a psychological one. This may include performance anxiety, low serotonin levels, or guilt. However, there are also physical causes, such as inconsistent hormone levels, alcohol abuse, or other medical conditions such as erectile dysfunction.
If the source of your premature ejaculation is a mental health issue, your doctor might suggest a psychiatrist. They can work with you to address the emotional aspects of your premature ejaculation and help you learn new ways to cope with stress.
Your doctor might also order blood tests to check hormone levels or perform a physical examination to rule out other conditions that might be contributing to your premature ejaculation. These types of tests aren’t usually necessary.
Some men feel embarrassed to discuss their sexual problems with their GP. But talking to a doctor can provide peace of mind for you and your partner.
It is best to discuss your premature ejaculation with a medical professional. Then, your doctor can create a specific treatment plan. For more information about premature ejaculation and other sexual dysfunctions check out our other FREE articles!
