What is delayed ejaculation?
Delayed ejaculation is defined by a difficulty or inability of a man to reach climax or orgasm and fail to ejaculate semen. There are multiple causes for this however the most common causes is either physical or psychological.
When a man taken longer than 30 minutes of penetrative sex to ejaculate, despite a good erection, then it’s considered as delayed ejaculation. Delayed ejaculation is uncommon only affecting 1 to 4% of men throughout the world.
Delayed ejaculation often results in distress for both man and his partner. It can trigger anxiety about health, result in low libido and sexual dissatisfaction. This also may result in relationship problems that include a fear of rejection for both parties, and a great concern for couple who wishes to start a family. Most men suffer from delayed ejaculation at some point of their lives, but for a select group, this may be lifelong problems for them.
Facts regarding delayed ejaculation
Below are the key points of delayed ejaculation.
Delayed ejaculation is one form of sexual dysfunction affecting man’s ability to achieve orgasm. The average time taken for ejaculation varies between individuals, with no strict figure or time for what constitutes as normal. Most causes of delayed ejaculation are psychological; however organic reasons are also possible and are ruled out prior to diagnosis.
Common causes of delayed ejaculation
Most partners will often ask does my partner really desire me; partners of men having difficulty reaching orgasm may be troubled by such questions. Delayed ejaculation may have both psychological and biological causes. This could be a lifelong condition, where a man has always had difficulty reaching an orgasm, but more commonly, delayed ejaculation occurs after a period of normal function.
Physical causes of delayed ejaculation may include:
Side effects of certain medications, such as antidepressants especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), anti-anxiety drugs, blood pressure medications and certain painkillers. Other causes include alcohol abuse or the use of certain recreational drugs can also have impact. Nerve damage, including stroke, spinal cord injury, surgeries around the perianal region, multiple sclerosis and uncontrolled diabetes can also lead to abnormal ejaculatory function. Increasing age can also decrease the sensitivity of the penis to sexual stimulation. Other psychological causes that only happen in specific situations for example, it’s more likely that delayed ejaculation has a psychological basis if a man is able to ejaculate normally when masturbating, but experience a delay during sex with partner. Once the cause of this is known during counseling, the problem will be rectified.
Some psychological factors that may underlie delayed ejaculation include:
Men with a persistent problem of delayed ejaculation are likely to be distressed by it. Early life history including abuse, difficulties bonding, neglect by parents, negative sexual upbringing, unexpressed anger, unwillingness to enjoy pleasure, a religious belief perhaps sexual activity is a sin, fear of for instance semen or female genitalia, or of somehow hurting or defiling a partner through ejaculation, fear of pregnancy, issues of confidence such as performance anxiety, low self-esteem regarding body image, rough and frequent masturbation can also play a role in delayed ejaculation.
One recent study in delayed ejaculation found a relationship between the condition and the following masturbatory patterns such as masturbating frequently > 3 times per week, having a masturbation style that cannot be matched by sexual intercourse, particularly at a high speed, high pressure or high intensity. If patients have their own fantasy that differs from their partners, used during masturbation to reach an orgasm. One study that was done in New York has found that most men with delayed ejaculation reported no problems reaching an orgasm and ejaculation via masturbation.
How do we diagnose?
Delayed ejaculation is diagnosed when a man is concerned about a marked delay or infrequency of achieving ejaculation during most sexual encounters over a period of 6 months or more, and when other organic problems have been ruled out.
To conclude with a diagnosis, your physician will ask regarding symptoms and how often they occur. Your physician will then rule out other potential medical problems, such as infections, hormonal imbalance, and so on. This may involve using blood and urine tests.
What is the available treatment?
A multifactorial discipline approach is the best treatment. Professional counselors may try to treat delayed ejaculation by identifying the source of the problem. Treatment for delayed ejaculation depends on the cause. For instance, if SSRIs are the issue, an alternative drug may be prescribed.
If excessive alcohol or non-prescription drug use are factors, reducing or eliminating these may help. If there are other medical conditions, managing the primary condition, such as a neurological problem, may help resolve the delayed ejaculation.
Primary causes of delayed ejaculation may not be straightforward to treat. They often require the help of professional counselors such as psychologists, psychotherapists, psychosexual counselors, sex therapists, or couple’s therapists.
Psychologists recognize that there is no single intervention that works for all patients and that the key to successful treatment is to identify the source of the problem and to use appropriate, targeted therapy to deal with the psychological factors that trigger or contribute to the problem.
