Premature ejaculation is when ejaculation occurs earlier than desired, often within 1 minute of penetrative sex. It’s characterized by an inability to delay orgasm to the extent that it causes bother or frustration to the patient and/or their partner.
Symptoms
The main symptom of premature ejaculation is the inability to delay ejaculation for more than one minute after penetration. However, the problem might occur in all sexual situations, even during masturbation.
Premature ejaculation can be classified as:
- Lifelong (primary). Lifelong premature ejaculation occurs all or nearly all of the time beginning with your first sexual encounters.
- Acquired (secondary). Acquired premature ejaculation develops after you've had previous sexual experiences without ejaculatory problems.
Many men feel that they have symptoms of premature ejaculation, but the symptoms don't meet the diagnostic criteria for premature ejaculation. Instead these men might have natural variable premature ejaculation, which includes periods of rapid ejaculation as well as periods of normal ejaculation.
Treatment
Yes. Although no single treatment works for everyone, many men can be treated successfully through over-the-counter topicals, prescription medication, behavior modification, or a combination of these treatments.