Can Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction Help Premature Ejaculation?
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the male sexual dysfunction that pretty much everyone is aware of. However, it is not the only one. Nearly every source of health and medical research and practice cites premature ejaculation (PE), or “early ejaculation”, as the most common male sexual problem worldwide. This is especially true since the treatment of ED has become easier and more effective with the availability of drugs like Sildenafil and Tadalafil. To consider these ED medications being used for treating PE may seem counterintuitive at first, especially to the layman. After all, wouldn’t a drug that helps build and maintain a hard erection, with sexual stimulation, only further an early ejaculation response? Surprisingly, the answer can be “no”. While not officially approved as a treatment for PE, some studies have shown that erectile dysfunction drugs (sildenafil, tadalafil) may actually help early ejaculation problems.
How is premature ejaculation defined?
It’s one of those questions that seems like it shouldn’t really have to be asked – you know what it is when it happens. Put simply, the American Urological Association defines ejaculation as “premature” if it occurs sooner than desired, either before or shortly after penetration, causing distress to either one or both partners. Renowned sex therapists Masters and Johnson even put a qualification on the definition, stating that it is “the inability of the male to control ejaculation sufficiently to satisfy his female partner in more than 50% of coital episodes”. This inability to maintain control over the orgasmic reflex can happen during foreplay, or in the first moments after penetration.
It should be noted that PE is very common in the sense that a large percentage of men experience it at some time in their life. However, when it becomes a chronic condition, present the majority of the time, it can have a profoundly negative impact on a couple, leading to depression, relationship issues and even health problems.
Different types of PE
For purposes of identifying and treating it, premature ejaculation is clinically categorized the by the following criteria:
Primary or Secondary:
- Primary: A lifelong condition, present since the first sexual experience.
- Secondary: Acquired after relatively normal sexual functioning.
Global or Situational:
- Global: Constant, not dependent on specific stimulation or partners.
- Situational: Varies with partners, situations, stimulation, and other factors.
Severity:
- Mild: Occurs in about 30 seconds to 1 minute of vaginal penetration.
- Moderate: Happens within approximately 15 to 30 seconds of vaginal penetration.
- Severe: Occurs at the start of sexual activity, such as before or during foreplay, or within approximately 15 seconds of vaginal penetration.
The generally accepted standard for ejaculation being considered premature is if it happens within 1 minute of penetration. As far as what an ideal lasting time is, one study cites 4 to 7 minutes as the average intercourse time. Another sex therapy study from 2008 made found that 7 to 13 minutes was “desirable”, with less than that being considered “adequate”, and more than 10 minutes considered “too long”. Yet another study actually gave couples stopwatches, which they started after penetration and stopped after ejaculation. The average time for intercourse was 5.4 minutes.
In reality, intercourse time, the time between the beginning of sexual activity and ejaculation, varies for individuals and couples. What may be either acceptable or a problem for one, may not be for another. In any case, most all agree that anything around a minute or less can be classified a premature, and should be addressed before it becomes a source of stress and relationship problems.
A common problem
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NIH), PE affects about 30% of men, and may affect as many as 75%. It is the most common male sexual disorder. (Coincidentally, 30% of men with premature ejaculation issues also report having erectile dysfunction issues.) Other reports put the percentage of PE issues at 40%. Additionally, the numbers may even be low, as embarrassment and frustration can make it hard for men to discuss it, even with their doctors.
What causes premature ejaculation?
Many different factors can contribute to PE. It is commonly considered to be psychological in nature however, biological problems have been identified as possible factors as well.
• Hormone issues
• Diabetes
• Depression/stress/anxiety
• Prostate inflammation or infection
• Confidence/self-esteem issues
• Performance anxiety
• Alcohol/drug use
• Penile over-sensitivity
• Relationship problems
• Erectile dysfunction
How to treat premature ejaculation
The level and severity of PE can often be modified with a combination of physical actions and psychological assistance. The most often recommended steps to take are:
Maintain healthy habits
Having a healthy lifestyle is essential for dealing with any type of medical or psychological issue. This includes a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, grains and protein, along with regular exercise of some sort. Also avoiding excess alcohol, quitting smoking and avoiding recreational drugs.
Pelvic exercises
Pelvic floor muscles support your bladder and enable ejaculation. To find them, stop urinating midstream. The muscles that you use to do that, are your pelvic floor muscles. To exercise them, tighten and hold for 3 to 5 seconds, then relax for 3 to 5 seconds. Repeat this 10 times, and do this once or twice a day.
Sexual behavior modifications
These include things like the “stop and start” method and the “squeeze” method. The names, while not very scientific, are pretty much self-explanatory. The “stop and start” method is simply about taking your time. When you feel and orgasm coming, stop. Focus on giving pleasure to your partner, try a different position, basically take a short break from the intercourse and then go back to it when the urge subsides a bit. The “squeeze” method is a technique where you stop and squeeze your penis just below the head when you feel close to ejaculating. It will provide a break from penetration and help prolong intercourse.
Condoms
Regular condoms can slightly reduce sensitivity during sex, and using thicker ones can help further delay ejaculation. You can even learn to have fun with them.
Numbing agents
Creams, sprays and wipes are available with numbing agents like benzocaine or lidocaine. They can work to desensitize the penis and delay ejaculation. Always follow directions when using these products, and don’t overuse them.
Counseling
Things like anxiety, depression and heavy stress, along with relationship issues can all lead to problems in the bedroom and should not be left unaddressed.
All of the above are self-help ways to treat a problem with PE. However, there are some medical options to consider as well.
Medications
Anti-depressants like sertraline (Zoloft™), paroxetine (Paxil™) and fluoxetine (Prozac™) are what’s known as SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and have shown results in delaying orgasms by increasing serotonin levels.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) medications have also been shown to help. A 2005 study found that found that men using sildenafil for PE experienced increased confidence and ejaculatory control, a shorter time required to recover sexually after ejaculating, and improved overall sexual satisfaction. Sildenafil and tadalafil work to help maintain and erection after ejaculation, and reduce the time in achieving a second erection. Perhaps just as important is that they can bring a renewed confidence and help to develop successful intercourse through learning and gaining increased control.
also found that men using sildenafil for PE experienced increased confidence and ejaculatory control, a shorter refractory period — the time required to recover sexually after ejaculating — and improved overall sexual satisfaction.
Be open with your partner
No matter what self-treatments or medical options you explore in working to overcome an issue with PE, the most important thing you can do is be open and honest with your partner while you work through it. Doing so can help take some of the anxiety and stress out of the situation, helping you to focus on enjoying sex, which is what is most important.
Riize Health is committed to sexual wellness for individuals and couples By offering easy-to-access online physician service, and unique products promoting healthy active sex, Rizze is leading the way in online telemedicine. Our Riize Strips provide a unique compound of the best ED medications available, on a fast-acting, oral dissolving strip. With a combination of sildenafil (Viagra™) and tadalafil (Cialis™), the compound is ready made for helping achieve sexual wellness. It also includes oxytocin, the “love hormone”, for increased closeness and intimacy.
Getting started is just a click away.
SOURCES
- https://www.bumc.bu.edu/sexualmedicine/informationsessions/ejaculation-problems-too-fast-too-slow-or-not-at-all/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/premature-ejaculation/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20354905
- https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/viagra#_noHeaderPrefixedContent
- https://sesamecare.com/blog/how-to-last-longer-in-bed
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546701/
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15627-premature-ejaculation
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16422868/
- https://www.theindependentpharmacy.co.uk/erectile-dysfunction-ed/guides/does-viagra-make-you-last-longer
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1743609515311802
- https://www.healthwaymedical.com/premature-ejaculation/
- https://www.businessinsider.com/premature-ejaculation-natural-remedy-treatment-help-with-exercise-men-last-longer-2023-3
