What is Premature Ejaculation?

Premature ejaculation is a type of sexual dysfunction that affects men. This condition goes by many names including:

Premature climaxRapid ejaculationEarly ejaculationRapid climax

Just as the names imply, this condition occurs when a man ejaculates with minimal penile stimulation soon after beginning sexual intercourse. This results in the sexual act ending before either partner is ready for it to end, which can cause a great deal of distress for both parties. Ejaculation is premature when it occurs 30 seconds to 4 minutes after penetration.

Although there are many types of male sexual dysfunctions, early ejaculation is considered to be the most common problem. Prevalence rates vary, but it’s estimated that 1 out every 3 men will experience it at some point in their lives.

Premature ejaculation can either be primary (lifelong) or secondary (acquired). In the latter case, symptoms develop after you have had previous sexual encounters without experiencing ejaculatory problems. With lifelong or primary cases, afflicted individuals struggle to delay ejaculation nearly all the time ever since their first sexual experience.

The good news is that PE is treatable. Keep reading to learn more about symptoms and causes of this condition plus ways to stop premature ejaculation.

Symptoms of Premature Ejaculation

It’s neither abnormal nor uncommon for a man to experience early ejaculation sometimes. This happens to most men when they’re new to sexual activity, have not had sexual encounters for a long time, or become overly aroused when with a new partner. However, if premature ejaculation occurs frequently and ends up causing issues in your sex life, then there’s cause for alarm.

There is a high chance that you might have this condition if you meet one or more of the following criteria:

The inability to delay an orgasm for more than one minute after commencing sexual intercourse.Ejaculation that always occurs within a minute during intercourse or masturbation.An unshakable feeling of frustration and distress about sexual performance that causes you to a avoid intimacy.

Most men do not like to talk about premature ejaculation because they see it as an embarrassing subject to bring up. However, talking about it openly and constructively could very well avert relational conflicts and other sexual problems like low libido and erectile difficulties.

Causes of Premature Ejaculation

The causes of premature ejaculation remain largely unclear. Many theories have been suggested to explain why this sexual dysfunction occurs, but there’s little evidence to back them up. As a result, it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause of rapid ejaculation unless you’re suffering from a medical condition that’s directly responsible.

Men with a previous history of normal ejaculation can develop acquired premature ejaculation due to injuries or medical conditions such as spinal cord trauma, hypertension, diabetes, prostate disease, multiple sclerosis, or thyroid dysfunction. Certain prescription medications as well as poor lifestyle habits like smoking, drinking and drug abuse could also be responsible.

Some men have primary premature ejaculation. This means that they have continued to struggle with this condition since their first ejaculation. In such cases, the main cause could either be a biological or psychological factor.

Psychological Factors that Cause Early Ejaculation

Several psychological factors have been hypothesized as one of the causes of premature ejaculation, which include:

Early Sexual Habits

Some therapists believe that young men are inadvertently encouraged by experiences from their early sexual life to form a habit of ejaculating rapidly. These experiences can include masturbating hastily to avoid being caught (or to quickly get the newfound feeling of orgasm), or rushing through a sexual encounter on the family couch or at the back seat of a car.

With time, such experiences condition the mind to rush through sexual activity and this becomes an ingrained habit that is difficult to break.

Traumatic and Embarrassing Sexual Experiences

Premature ejaculation can sometimes be borne out of sexual anxiety, which some men find hard to shake off when they remember an embarrassing or traumatic sexual experience they went through.

For example, being caught masturbating or sexual abuse are some of the humiliating and traumatizing experiences that can cause a young man to unknowingly condition his mind to ejaculate quickly later on in life during sexual encounters.

Cultural Perceptions and Upbringing

In some cultures, sexual intercourse is considered to be an intimate experience only shared by married couples. Men brought up in such strict cultural backgrounds may find it difficult to relax when having sex, especially if the act is committed during courtship or outside of wedlock.

Anxiety and Stress

Often, distressed men tend to ejaculate quickly during intercourse, thereby failing to give their partners a longer and mutually satisfying experience. In such situations, anxiety, stress or depression can play a role in causing early ejaculation.

The root cause of such emotional difficulties can stem from one’s social, sexual, or even financial life.

Biological Factors

Biological factors that contribute to premature ejaculation can be complex. These causes may include:

Abnormalities with levels of neurotransmitters and brain chemicalsErratic hormone levelsLack of control over ejaculatory reflexesInfections that cause inflammation in the prostate or urethraAn overactive or under-reactive thyroid

Recent studies also suggest that early ejaculation can be an inherited trait. Some researchers have found that a number of men who suffer from this problem have a close relative such as a father, brother, or son who also suffers from or had premature ejaculation.

However, the association between an inability to delay ejaculation and genetic influences is yet to be proven as existing studies have only provided tentative evidence.

How to Prevent or Overcome Premature Ejaculation

It’s quite possible to get rid of premature ejaculation without using drugs or seeking help from a medical expert. There are many remedies for this health problem, which have been tried and found to be effective. So, if you’re looking for ways to stop premature ejaculation, the following natural methods can help you achieve your goal.

Practical Techniques to Delay Ejaculation

It’s possible to train your ejaculatory reflexes to delay an orgasm by using a few practical techniques. You can practice the following methods during masturbation or sex to learn the art of delaying ejaculations.

Kegel Exercise / PC Muscle Training

Kegel exercises help to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles. Women usually do these exercises when treating pelvic floor weakness due to childbirth or as a remedy for urinary incontinence. However, Kegels can also teach men a handy technique that delays ejaculation.

The basic premise of Kegel exercises involves flexing the Pubococcygeus (PC) muscle, which helps to control ejaculation. To identify the PC muscle, pretend that you’re urinating then stop the flow of urine with a muscle contraction.

That same muscle you used to control urine flow is your PC muscle. Your abdominal muscles and thighs should be fully relaxed when you engage this muscle.

The good thing about Kegel exercises is that they are simple to perform and can be done anywhere without people knowing. To perform Kegel exercises:

Flex the PC muscle for about 5 seconds then take the same amount of time to relax before repeating the same reflex.Kegels are most effective when done on a regular basis. Therefore, repeat this routine at least 3 times every day with 10 to 15 muscle contractions per session.Every 3 to 5 days, flex the PC muscle 1 second longer and work your way up slowly until you are able to squeeze it for 10 seconds.With time, the PC muscle will become strong and all you have to do is squeeze it to hold off ejaculation.Practice Stop-Start Technique and Try Different Sex Positions

The start-and-stop method can be done as a solo exercise or with a sex partner. It requires a man to stop intercourse or penis stimulation abruptly when coming close to an orgasm. This is followed by a 30-second rest before sexual activity can continue.

Changing positions before starting intercourse again can also help to prevent early ejaculation even further. Active positions like missionary and rear-entry cause the most friction and stimulation on genital organs.

Changing from these positions to less stimulating ones such as spooning and the propeller can prolong sexual activity.

Trying different positions in conjunction with the start-and-stop method can be repeated as many times as possible until you are ready to ejaculate. With practice and experience, this technique will help you gain control over your arousal and ejaculatory reflexes.

The Penis Tip Squeeze Method

The idea of this technique is to decrease an erection by squeezing the penis when a man is just on the brink of reaching an orgasm. You can practice this technique alone or with the help of your sex partner.

The penis squeeze method can be used along with the stop and start technique. Here are the instructions on how to perform it:

When an ejaculation is just moments away, immediately stop all other stimulation and have you or your partner squeeze the region just below the head of the penis where the glands meet the shaft.Maintain the squeeze for a few seconds then release and pause for about half a minute before resuming intercourse.Keep repeating this process until you’re ready to ejaculate.Testes Tug

You can prevent premature ejaculation by simply pulling or tugging the testicles. Usually, a man’s scrotum rises slightly just before an orgasm. However, pulling the testes down and away from your body delays an ejaculation.

Much like the squeeze method, you can practice the testes tug on your own or with your sex partner.

Perineum Pressure

The Perineum is located midway between the anus and scrotum. This spot provides easy access to the prostate gland. As a result, pressing on the Perineum helps to stop the flow of ejaculate fluid.

Before applying pressure on the Perineum, wait until when you are just about to ejaculate.Pause stimulation for about 30 seconds before resuming sexual activity.Repeat the pattern until you are ready to ejaculate.Bedroom Changes

A different approach to sex can sometimes be enough to stop premature ejaculation. With that in mind, here are a few behavioral changes that can help you last longer in bed.

Masturbate 2 Hours before Sex

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book when it comes to preventing premature ejaculation. Masturbating a couple of hours before sex brings down your level of sexual excitement. Although your level of desire will have decrease, you’ll still be able to get an erection and last much longer than you’re used to.

Wear a Condom

Some men do not like using a condom because sex simply feels better without one. However, condoms can actually work to your advantage if you’re suffering from premature ejaculation.

Condoms decrease sexual pleasure and allow you to avoid being overly aroused. Consequently, most men are able to prolong the time before ejaculation when wearing a condom.

For this technique to be effective at keeping you from climaxing quickly, you need to avoid extra thin condoms. Those made with a thicker texture help to reduce stimulation than the thin ones.

Some climax-control condoms reduce arousal even further with Benzocaine, a slightly numbing gel. Since the numbing gel is on the inside of the condom, it helps to put off ejaculation for longer without decreasing sexual pleasure for your partner.