Here are some key points about premature ejaculation.
- Premature ejaculation is considered a form of sexual dysfunction only when a man has, for a considerable time, almost always found himself ejaculating before or very soon after sexual penetration, and is upset about this. The disorder is relatively rare.
- Less worrying forms of ejaculating before the desired moment are common, and the female partner may be less concerned about the problem than the man.
- Being unable to control ejaculation is rarely due to a medical condition, although doctors will need to rule this out, including checking for erectile dysfunction.
- Most cases of premature ejaculation have psychological causes - ranging from common anxieties about sex and relationships resulting in a temporary problem, to more serious psychological factors being possibly responsible for a persistent problem.
- Premature ejaculation can lead to symptoms of secondary effects such as distress, embarrassment, relationship stress, anxiety, and depression.
- Treatment options range from reassurance after a doctor's visit that the problem can go away in time, through home methods of 'training' the timing of ejaculation (alone or with the help of a trusted partner), to talking therapies and couples counselling.
- Drug options are available, although none with an official licence to help against premature ejaculation.
- Doctors may carefully consider offering 'off-label' prescription of a certain type of antidepressant, which can be helpful, but can have side-effects. Local anaesthetic creams applied to the penis can also be offered for men to try out.
How many men get premature ejaculation?
Estimates of the prevalence of men who think they have had premature ejaculation range between 15% and 30% - these are figures of 'self-reported' prevalence obtained through surveys.
But when the estimates look at how many men have the true diagnosis of a genuinely troublesome problem, the prevalence is much lower.
However, premature ejaculation in general remains the most common form of male sexual dysfunction - more common than erectile dysfunction.The most persistent problem in men who have hardly ever experienced sex without ejaculating prematurely - known as primary or lifelong PE - is the least common form, affecting around 2% of men.
