‘Quick sex’ or premature ejaculation: two words that many men hate to hear. But what are the margins of time that define it?

Three minutes or less, according to a new study by an international group of scientists who have agreed to diagnose the disorder for over a century since it was first documented.

The vague definitions have so far caused confusion among doctors and led many men to mistakenly believe they suffer from the disorder, explains the director of the South African Center for Sexual Health, Chris McMahon, one of the authors of the report published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. While historical studies of the population suggest that between 25 and 30% of men reach orgasm too soon, the most recent data indicate that the proportion is much lower.

According to the definition of the diagnosis agreed in the study, he suffers from the permanent form of the condition, which occurs from the first time one has sex, between 2 and 3% of men. These men typically last a minute or less. In another 4-6% of cases they get it during their lifetime and ejaculate after about three minutes or less.

There are three conditions in the diagnosis, McMahon explains, and it is necessary that all three occur

In addition to duration, it is necessary that men cannot control or delay ejaculation during sex, and that these performance problems cause negative psychological consequences of frustration, to the point of avoiding sex. Cases of ‘variable premature ejaculation’, when the man sometimes comes too early and sometimes not, and ‘subjective premature ejaculation’ when he only has the impression that the conclusion was premature are not included in the diagnosis.

Remedies for Premature Ejaculation

Premature ejaculation is by far the most felt and frequent male sexual dysfunction. It occurs when the man, during sexual intercourse, reaches intercourse after a brief sexual arousal, since he cannot dominate his ejaculatory reflex. Premature ejaculation is due to a complex intertwining of emotional factors (stress, anxiety, fatigue, etc.) and physical-organic factors (alcoholism, short frenulum, prostatitis, urethritis, vesiculitis, erectile dysfunction, etc.).

What to do

• Carve out a daily space for yourself: this behavior relieves anxiety and drives away stress, the worst enemies of love
• Supplement the diet with zinc supplementation, a useful remedy against stress
• Constantly playing sports: practicing sports allows you to get a greater awareness of yourself and your body
• To fully live the relationship as a couple, trying to remove anxieties and fears that hinder the relationship
• Always discuss with your partner about the disorder: dialogue can benefit the couple and the relationship itself
• Perform the “start and stop” practice: the woman interrupts her partner’s sexual stimulation as soon as she senses an excessive (male) excitement. After that, the woman gently squeezes the penis under the glans. After a short period of time, stimulation is resumed. Repeat this procedure up to 10 times. Such behavior helps the man to control his own ejaculatory reflex, in addition to identifying the point of inevitability of ejaculation (beyond which orgasm is no longer controllable).

What NOT to do

• Consume large meals: especially before a relationship, a large lunch or dinner could prevent or hinder a subsequent sexual relationship
• Don’t admit the disturbance: hiding the disturbance behind excuses can cause serious problems to the couple’s relationship
• Lack of dialogue and exchange of opinions: in the couple, communication is essential to tackle any disorder together, including premature ejaculation
• Postponing the doctor’s check: when premature ejaculation becomes a big problem for humans, consulting with a specialist is recommended (eg sexologist)
• Sedentariness and smoking
• Drug addiction: abuse of illegal drugs can cause serious disorders in the sexual sphere (eg erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation)
• Take vasoactive drugs – such as sildenafil, tadalafil and the like – in case of heart disease, regressed history of stroke, blood pressure changes (hypertension), administration of anticoagulants, angina, uncontrolled diabetes.
• Trying to reduce pleasure during intercourse (eg thinking about other topics, politics, economic problems, etc.), in the belief that such an attitude can delay ejaculation. Instead of stifling pleasure, it is advisable to surrender to it.
• Believing that the partner can achieve maximum pleasure exclusively through coitus: this thought can instill anxiety in the man and, seeking female pleasure, ends up unconsciously accelerating his ejaculatory times.

What to eat

• Follow a healthy and balanced diet, limiting excesses
• Prefer foods rich in omega 3 and omega 6 (fish, nuts, flaxseed oil)
• Take food rich in bioflavonoids (lemons, grapefruit, grapes), very useful for controlling ejaculatory impulses
• Take lots of fruit and vegetables, as it is rich in antioxidants (vitamin C and E).

What NOT to Eat

• Avoid consumption of foods that are difficult to digest, such as dips, fries and foods rich in fat (especially before a report)
• Limit the consumption of foods rich in caffeine (coffee, chocolate, cocoa, cola-based drinks, mate, guarana), which with their stimulating effect can aggravate erectile dysfunction, reducing the time needed to produce an ejaculatory stimulus

Natural Cures and Remedies

Natural remedies are recommended when the patient suffering from premature ejaculation does not interpret this condition as a serious and impassable problem.

Among the remedies indicated to overcome the mild forms of premature ejaculation sprout plants with active anti-sedative-sedative principles, useful for removing anxiety and stress:

• Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) – relaxing, anxiolytic properties
• Passiflora (Passiflora Incarnata) – sedative properties
• Tiglio (Tilia cordata) – relaxing, anxiolytic properties

Pharmacological care

Topical application (directly on the penis / glans) of desensitizing creams: local anesthetics are a useful remedy to postpone ejaculation. The use of anesthetic creams can lead to a reduction in female pleasure: therefore, we recommend using a condom

• Lidocaine (eg Lidoc C FN cream, Xylonor spray)
• Prilocaine (eg. Emla)

Tricyclic antidepressants: prolong the duration of a relationship by postponing ejaculation:

• Fluoxetine (eg Azur, Prozac)
• Sertraline (eg. Zoloft, Sertraline)
• Lomipramine (eg. Anafrinil)

Vasoactive substances: for severe forms of premature ejaculation associated with erectile dysfunction. The drugs promote the relaxation of the smooth muscles of the cavernous bodies of the penis, improving erection:

• Sildenafil (ES. Sildenafil Teva, Viagra, Revatio, Sildenafil Actavis, Sildenafil ratiopharm).

Prevention

• Avoid stress and anxiety
• Perform Kegel’s exercises consistently: the domination of the pubococcygeus muscle in the male prone to premature ejaculation allows the management of ejaculatory impulses, postponing orgasm.
• Alternative treatments and remedies
• Sexological rehabilitation therapy
• Psychodynamic therapy
• Alternative therapies: ayurveda, aromatherapy, homeopathy
• Circumcision associated with glandular neurotomy: this surgical practice reduces glans hypersensitivity, a useful remedy for premature ejaculation.