Premature Ejaculation Treatment

How does premature ejaculation treatment work?

There are several ways to treat premature ejaculation, including:

• self-help treatments
• counselling
• antidepressants
• a drug called dapoxetine (Priligy)
• a group of drugs called phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (including Viagra)
• topical anaesthetics and condoms

All of these treatments work in different ways and will have different effects. Which treatment is best for you will depend on what is causing your premature ejaculation. It can be caused by an illness or injury, or by stress, or depression. Speak to your doctor and they will be able to tell you which course of treatment is best to tackle the causes of your premature ejaculation.

How effective is premature ejaculation treatment?

What is causing premature ejaculation will affect how well your treatment works. If premature ejaculation is caused by an illness or injury your treatment should be effective. Psychological causes, like depression or stress, can be harder to treat. As well as medication and counselling, self-help techniques might also make your treatment more effective.

We offer two different types of premature ejaculation treatment, Priligy and Emla. When using Priligy, more than 70% of men will notice their condition get better. More than 77% of men said they saw a significant difference with the use of Emla Cream.

Premature ejaculation treatment side effects

Like all medicines, all types of premature ejaculation treatment can have side effects, but not everyone gets them.

Emla side effects

Common side effects when using Emla are:

• skin reactions such as paleness, redness, or swelling
• a mild burning sensation, itching or warmth

Rare side effects that you can get when using Emla are:

• small area of bleeding on the treated skin
• irritation of the eyes if Emla is accidentally in contact with them

Priligy side effects

Common side effects that you might get from using Priligy are:

• feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• headache
• feeling or being sick

Rare side effects you might get when using Priligy include:

• abnormal behaviour or abnormal thinking
• depression
• altered taste
• vertigo

Premature ejaculation treatment safety information

Emla safety information

Most men should be able to use either Emla or Priligy. Our doctors will tell you if you cannot use one of them. Emla does not have many side effects and is suitable for most people but may not be suitable if you have a skin condition like psoriasis or eczema.

Priligy safety information

Priligy is suitable for most people but men with heart, liver or kidney problems might not be able to use it. Priligy cannot be taken with some other medicines that are used to treat depression. To find out if Priligy is suitable for you, fill in our online questionnaire and our doctors will review your information.

Grapefruit juice can affect the way this medicine works so you should not drink it for 24 hours before taking Priligy. Also, the risk of fainting, and injuries caused by fainting, can be made worse if you drink alcohol whilst taking Priligy.

Other options to treat premature ejaculation

Antidepressants and premature ejaculation

A group of drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can be used to treat premature ejaculation. They are normally used to treat depression but can also delay ejaculation. Treatment with SSRIs can work quickly for some men but normally it will take 1 to 2 weeks before they start to work.

Side effects some people get with SSRIs are usually mild but can include:

• tiredness
• vomiting or feeling sick
• diarrhoea
• sweating a lot

Counselling and self-help

Psychological causes of premature ejaculation may need counselling or therapy. Our doctors will be able to tell you if they think this is the best option for you. Sometimes both medication and counselling may be helpful.

Things you can try for yourself include:

• masturbating before having sex
• having your partner pull away before you ejaculate
• taking a deep breath if you feel you are going to ejaculate
• having sex slowly and taking regular breaks
• using a thicker condom

The stop-go technique

This is a simple technique where you stimulate your penis until just before you ejaculate and then you stop. Repeat this several times during sex before ejaculating. This can help to teach your body to ejaculate less quickly, as you learn to recognise each phase of your sexual arousal.

The squeeze technique

With this technique you stimulate your penis until you are close to ejaculating. Then you stop and squeeze the head of your penis for 10 to 20 seconds. After this, let go and wait for 30 seconds before you begin stimulation again. Repeat this process a few times before you ejaculate. This causes your arousal to calm down and allows you to avoid ejaculation until you are ready.

Lifestyle changes

Lifestyle choices can make premature ejaculation treatment less effective.

You can avoid this by:

• quitting smoking
• drinking less alcohol
• not using recreational drugs

When you have registered for an account, you can message our doctors to get more information.

What causes premature ejaculation?

Premature ejaculation is when you feel that you ejaculate too quickly. At least 1 in 5 men get premature ejaculation at some time in their life. How long you last when having sex is different for everyone.

A study shows that the average time it takes a man to ejaculate during sex with a partner is five and a half minutes. If you ejaculate before you begin having sex, or within 2 minutes of starting, you might have premature ejaculation.

Causes of premature ejaculation

Premature ejaculation can happen for several different reasons, and sometimes the cause is unknown. There are two main categories when it comes to the causes of premature ejaculation, physical and psychological.

Physical causes of premature ejaculation include:

• prostate problems
• thyroid problems
• recreational drug use

Psychological causes of premature ejaculation include:

• stress
• depression
• relationship troubles
• feeling worried about having sex

For most men premature ejaculation is not something they get all the time. However, for some men, it is a condition they experience most of the time. Causes for this are not well understood. Traumatic sexual experiences, long-term conditions, or simply having a very sensitive penis can all cause premature ejaculation. It can also be caused by sexual conditioning, for example, if a man was used to masturbating quickly as a teenager, ejaculating quickly can become a habit that is hard to break.