Premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the commonest male sexual disorders, affecting up to 40% of those that are sexually active. PE can be lifelong or acquired, the latter secondary to surgery or psychological, endocrine or neurological pathology.

Premature ejaculation is common in men of all ages and can be caused by many different reasons, such as prostate problems, medications, anxiety, stress or relationship issues. Ejaculation is controlled by the central nervous system. When men are sexually stimulated, signals are sent to your spinal cord and brain. When men reach a certain level of excitement, signals are then sent from your brain to your reproductive organs. This causes semen to be ejected through the penis (ejaculation).

Sometimes this occurs in conjunction with erection problems (erectile dysfunction). This is when men are not able to get or sustain an erection that’s firm enough for sexual intercourse. Since an erection goes away after ejaculation, it can be tough to know if the problem is premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction should be treated first. Premature ejaculation may not be a problem once the erectile dysfunction is treated.

Although it is not uncommon to experience premature ejaculation, this should only occur once in a while, with a normal duration of around five to six minutes. If it occurs frequently then you may need to seek the opinion of a doctor, who can give the necessary help and rule out any underlying medical conditions.

Premature ejaculation may be linked to several factors including serotonin levels, age and psychological factors. All of these should be discussed with your consultant before deciding on the most appropriate treatment option for you.

We now offer new therapies for premature ejaculation such as Fortacin Spray (this is a cutaneous spray that reduces the sensitivity of the head of the penis to delay ejaculation). Another common treatment that we recommend is Psychosexual Therapy, from our partner organisation, alongside medical treatments.

if you are suffering with ejaculatory problems or erectile issues please contact our team.

This article is intended to inform and give insight but not treat, diagnose or replace the advice of a doctor. Always seek medical advice with any questions regarding a medical condition.