Premature ejaculation is one of the most common sexual problems for men, with around 10 percent of men in the UK saying that they’ve experienced this problem at some point in their lives. It tends to be more common in younger men, as it improves as men age as they gain better control of their sexual impulses. However, a 2004 survey discovered that middle-aged men in Europe still have this problem – there are a number of treatments available to help combat this problem. Given the varying opinions on what constitutes a satisfactory length of time for intercourse, it can be extremely difficult to diagnose premature ejaculation – however, the average lasting time for a man with premature ejaculation is 1.8 minutes, whereas ‘normal’ activity lasts an average of 7.3 minutes. There have been reports of men who have lasted 25 minutes yet claim to have premature ejaculation, whilst others cannot last longer than 90 seconds in the vagina – men have wildly differing opinions of what constitutes this problem, but the latter would no doubt be suffering with premature ejaculation. While there isn’t any physical harm to premature ejaculation, it does matter as it can cause frustration and unhappiness within a relationship. It can also be damaging to a man’s self-confidence if he can’t ejaculate properly. However, it is simply an irritation to most men and can be treated with sex therapy, counselling and medication.
Medical experts believe that premature ejaculation is caused by early conditioning, but it can also be caused by anxiety and physical problems. If you have mild PE, such as when you can last for five minutes but would rather last around 10, you don’t need to go to the doctor – this isn’t a serious case of the problem and can usually be solved by improving your stamina through experience. You can do this by using simple distraction techniques, which means you think of something else when you’re about to climax to make your experience last longer. Some men opt for a local anaesthetic which is a topical gel applied to the shaft before intercourse to make him last longer, but it can actually dull the sensation for your partner so it’s not advised. It can also lead to itching, soreness and irritation There are also condoms which have been designed to make you last longer, but if your problem is severe you may need medical help. The Masters Johnson technique, for example, is a re-education programme which can last for weeks or months, depending on how severe your issue is. Some GPs also recommend antidepressants, as these affect the male climax – while this is unwanted by most men, for those with PE it can be a welcome side effect. However, these are powerful drugs and shouldn’t be used as a long-term solution.
The cognitive ‘stop start’ technique could help as well, which is a way of addressing the kind of thinking which causes premature ejaculation. For example, if a man believes that ‘real men’ thrust endlessly to provide pleasure to their partner, this damages the confidence of the man and is actually incorrect. Re-educating men on this kind of thinking can actually do wonders for treating PE as it helps them enjoy sex as an overall experience, rather than focusing too heavily on the orgasm. Most experts agree that a man can condition himself to last longer by masturbating alone – without the pressure of sex, they will feel more relaxed and can learn to stave off a climax until a sufficient amount of time has last. The main thing to remember is that premature ejaculation doesn’t have to spoil the intimacy in a relationship.
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