Premature ejaculation (PE) is when a man ejaculates earlier than they want or expect to. Men with premature ejaculation often cannot hold an erection for long or continue with intercourse for a satisfactory amount of time.
While this condition itself does not pose a health risk, it can understandably cause feelings of frustration, embarrassment and interfere with intimacy in a relationship.
About 30 to 40% of men in Singapore experience premature ejaculation at some point in their lives. The good news is PE does not last forever; but if it persists, it is best to seek professional help to identify the root cause and get treatment.
There are two types of premature ejaculation:
Regardless of type, PE can be caused by a few factors that are psychological, biological and physical.
The main symptom of premature ejaculation is not being able to delay ejaculation beyond 3 minutes after penetration. While PE is more commonly experienced during sexual intercourse, it might occur in any sexual situation such as during masturbation.
It is not uncommon to ejaculate early at times and should not be a concern unless it happens frequently.
Unless there are any underlying issues, premature ejaculation should not be painful and should feel like a normal ejaculation. But ejaculation can be painful if there is any infection, inflammation or blockage of the lower urinary tract. This includes the bladder, prostate, seminal vesicles or urethra.
A common cause of prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate – this may cause discomfort during ejaculation. A painful ejaculation could also be due to psychological or emotional factors.
There is no specific group of people in Singapore who are more likely to be at risk of premature ejaculation in Singapore.
Premature ejaculation affects 1 in 3 Singapore men in their lifetime and is considered a common sexual disorder in Singapore.Your risk of premature ejaculation may increase depending on certain factors mentioned above.
In general, your doctor will ask you about your sex life, sexual habits and health history. A physical exam may follow after to check for any underlying medical problems.
If premature ejaculation and keeping an erection are concurrent problems, your doctor may require a blood test to be done to check your hormone levels to be able to give an accurate diagnosis and treatment recommendation.
Premature ejaculation usually resolves on its own with time and no medical treatment is needed.
Self-help treatment for premature ejaculation can include learning relaxation techniques or using distraction methods to delay ejaculation. For smokers or heavy alcohol drinkers, cutting down on these can help to improve control of ejaculation.
You can get your partner involved in helping to delay ejaculation by identifying what triggers early ejaculation through specific techniques or sex positions. The use of a condom can help to reduce the sensation which can help to improve premature ejaculation.
If the root cause is psychological, you can opt for counselling or therapy to reduce anxiety or depression related to ejaculating early.
Your doctor may prescribe you medication, creams, gels or sprays to help with improving premature ejaculation.
