Author’s Bio: Saher B.Haider has a Pharmacy degree and is a freelance writer in the health and wellness industry. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Premature Ejaculation, premature climax, or early Ejaculation is a highly prevalent sexual dysfunction in men characterized by early and rapid ejaculation during intercourse. According to The Official Foundation of The American Urological Association, PE affects 1 in every 3 men between 18 and 59 in the US. When left unmanaged, PE can take a heavy toll on psychological health, adversely affecting sex life and relationships.

What causes Premature Ejaculation PE?

The exact cause of Premature Ejaculation is unknown. However, several biological and psychological factors are believed to play a role in causing sexual dysfunction. Role of Neurotransmitters Serotonin is the ‘happy chemical’ produced by our brain. This neurotransmitter has several roles in regulating your mental and cognitive health and keeping depression at bay. It is now believed that lower than normal serotonin levels can reduce the time of erection in men, causing premature ejaculation. Psychological Factors Premature ejaculation is very closely related to the psychological state of men. Mental health issues, including depression, stress, anxiety, can create problems in maintaining an erection. Men suffering from relationship problems may also develop premature ejaculation. Other causes that play a role in causing PE are:

Strong history of sexual repression and guilt
Unrealistic ideas about sex
Lack of confidence
Aging

In most cases, these causes are inter-related, and multiple factors may be involved in causing sexual dysfunction.

Symptoms of Premature Ejaculation

In regular sexual intercourse, it is common for men to have control when they ejaculate. Men with PE are unable to keep this control and end up ejaculating before reaching the sexual climax. It is this failure to maintain an erection normally needed for satisfying intercourse that leads to PE. The primary symptom of premature ejaculation is the inability to hold an erection for a minute during sexual intercourse. Though early ejaculation may happen in men from time to time, a persistent problem in maintaining an erection now and then requires medical attention.

Can Premature Ejaculation be cured?

With timely diagnosis and prompt management, PE can easily be cured. However, there is no standard treatment plan that works for all men with Premature Ejaculation. If your sex life is disturbed due to sexual dysfunction, you need to get examined by a health care provider right away.

Your doctor will assess your sexual dysfunction after a thorough examination based on your symptoms and medical history. Your health care provider will also identify the factors that improve or worsen your problem.

Managing PE

Once diagnosed with premature ejaculation, your health care provider will devise a treatment plan based on behavioral therapy, psychological therapy, and medications. In most cases, your doctor will use a combination of all three to cure your PE. Medications There is no single drug approved for the treatment of premature ejaculation in the US. However, some drugs are effective in maintaining an erection. These include anti-depressants, numbing creams, and numbing sprays.

Anti-Depressants

SSRIs are a group of anti-depressant drugs that increase the availability of serotonin in the nerve cells. Fluoxetine, Sertraline, and Paroxetine are some of the commonly prescribed SSRIs in depression, but they are also prescribed off-label to treat PE Clomipramine is another anti-depressant that makes serotonin available to the nerve cells. It also helps to fight the symptoms of PE.

Topical Anesthetics

Topical anesthetics are numbing creams and sprays that contain a local anesthetic, such as lidocaine, benzocaine, and prilocaine. When applied on the tip of the penis 20-30 minutes before sex, they delay ejaculation in people with PE. However, numbing creams are best suited for non-vaginal sex as their contents can irritate the vagina.

Condoms

Wearing condoms may also lower the ‘early’ sensation in PE and delay ejaculation. Behavioral Therapy Behavioral therapy incorporates a series of exercises that help to maintain an erection. With regular practice, behavioral therapy builds endurance and gives you more control in delaying Premature Ejaculation. Some exercises that help in PE are:

The Squeeze Method

In this method, you or your partner stimulates your penis until it is close to ejaculation. As soon as you are close to ejaculation, you can squeeze the penis so that the erection goes away. Doing these exercises a couple of times helps you understand your sensations and control your erection.

The Start-Stop Method

Start-Stop Method means you or your partner start to stimulate your penis and stop right away when it comes close to ejaculation. Repeating this practice thrice helps you gain control of your erection.

Pelvic Floor Exercises

These exercises strengthen your pelvic floor muscle, which improves erection and fights premature ejaculation in the long-run.

Psychological Therapy
Premature ejaculation is closely related to relationship problems, anxiety, and a history of sexual repression, all of which impact sex life. Psychological therapy helps people with premature ejaculation by identifying their problems, rectifying them through counseling, and building confidence.

In mild cases of PE with no underlying medical problem, psychological therapy alone may treat the problem. It can also be used along with medications and behavioral therapy.

Online Doctor Visits

Premature ejaculation is a sexual dysfunction that heavily impacts your sex life, psychological health, and relationships. If you or your partner struggles with PE or similar sexual health issues, it is important to get help. At Home Urgent Care provides telehealth services so you can safely and confidently keep your health in check with our online primary and urgent care services. ,b>Feel free to book an appointment today with our health experts available at your convenience 365 days a year.