Premature Ejaculation

Posts Tagged ‘Sexual Dysfunction’

Premature ejaculation (PE; also known as rapid ejaculation) is the most common type of sexual dysfunction in men younger than 40 years. Most professionals who treat premature ejaculation define this condition as the occurrence of ejaculation prior to the wishes of both sexual partners. This broad definition thus avoids specifying a precise duration for sexual relations and reaching a climax, which is variable and depends on many factors specific to the individuals engaging in intimate relations. An occasional instance of premature ejaculation might not be cause for concern, but, if the problem occurs with more than 50% of attempted sexual relations, a dysfunctional pattern usually exists for which treatment may be appropriate.

Common Ejaculation Problems

When it comes to ejaculation, there are basically three different things that can go wrong.

• Premature ejaculation is by far the biggest complaint that men have about their sexual performance. After studying data gathered by the National Health and Social Life Survey, sociologist Edward Laumann, PhD, estimated that a third of American men complain that they ejaculate too quickly. They want to last longer during intercourse to prolong the pleasure, both for themselves and their partners.
• Delayed ejaculation (or retarded ejaculation) affects a much smaller number of men - as few as 3%, according to some estimates. It’s one of the most poorly understood ejaculation problems. Some men cannot reach orgasm at all, at least not with a partner.
• Retrograde ejaculation is the least common of the ejaculation problems. It causes semen to back into the bladder during orgasm instead of exiting by way of the penis. The semen is then later flushed out when you urinate.Retrograde ejaculation can be caused by diabetes, nerve damage, various medications, and surgery that disturbs the sphincter muscle. It’s harmless and won’t interfere with the feeling of orgasm. (It can also make for an easy post-sex clean-up.) But since it does affect fertility, some men may need treatment if their partners are trying to get pregnant.

What Causes Delayed Ejaculation?

There are lots of different reasons for delayed ejaculation. Some medicines — like antidepressants — are common culprits. For many men, it’s age. As we grow older, the nerve endings in the penis become less sensitive, according to Barbara Keesling, PhD, author of All Night Long: How to Make Love to a Man Over 50, and a professor of human sexuality at the University of California, Fullerton.

“When the reflexes slow down, it takes longer,” Keesling says. “Another thing that happens with age is that your erection ability goes down too, so it becomes more difficult to ejaculate without a full erection.”