CAUSES OF PREMATURE EJACULATION

What Causes Premature Ejaculation?

Although there is no universal definition, ejaculation is usually considered to be premature if it occurs within 2 minutes of intercourse or if the man can not control the ejaculation.

Premature ejaculation may be caused by stress, performance-related anxiety and other relationship issues. It can also be caused by hypersensitivity of the skin of the penis (in which case, numbing creams can help).

Who is affected by premature ejaculation?

Although the condition is more common in men under 35, it generally tends to occur in men who are dealing with a new situation, such as a new relationship, a new experience or a stressful situation in the relationship (e.g. tensions or conflicts).

A condition in need of further research

Unfortunately, the causes of premature ejaculation are not fully understood. This is partly due to lack of research/data on the condition, but also because of the underlying psychological factors which make it hard to identify a clear cause.

It is difficult to determine what causes premature ejaculation, whether it is caused by psychological factors, hypersensitive nerves in the penis or a combination of both.

In general, it seems that a combination of different techniques and treatments works best for men suffering from premature ejaculation (PE).

Lifelong Vs. acquired premature ejaculation

Lifelong premature ejaculation means that the problem has always existed since puberty, whereas acquired premature ejaculation indicates that someone started suffering from PE at some point later in his life.

Causes of lifelong premature ejaculation

Psychological issues are more common with men who have lifelong premature ejaculation than those who have acquired premature ejaculation later in life:

• Some men have practiced masturbation in their early stage 
• Some men may have conditioned themselves to ejaculate quickly in their adolescence (to avoid getting caught)
• Some men may have become overly anxious with sex, because of a childhood trauma related to sex
• There may be a cultural aspect too, especially if sex is considered inappropriate or shameful

Causes of acquired premature ejaculation

This type of premature ejaculation can be caused by both physical and psychological issues.

Stress and depression are common causes of acquired premature ejaculation just like relationship issues, conflicts and performance-related anxiety.

Physical causes of premature ejaculation include: conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid problems and prostate disease as well as binge drinking.

Some serious illnesses, such as multiple sclerosis can cause premature ejaculation, as they can result in nerve damage.

The impact of relationship issues

It is widely believed that relationship problems are a common cause of PE.

Relationship issues can lead to a vicious circle (for example, if a man's partner does not support him, but rather exacerbates his anxiety and fear of failure).

When relationship problems cause premature ejaculation, differences in a couple's sexual needs, fear of high expectations, anxiety concerning sexual satisfaction, lack of communication are likely causes.

Some men may also feel overwhelmed by what they consider sexually demanding partners and a lack of preparation for sexual intercourse.