Sexual health

Premature ejaculation: what actually helps

Premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most common sexual concerns in men, and one of the least talked about. It is also very treatable.

Two different patterns

• Lifelong PE: it has been present since your first sexual experiences, with ejaculation usually within about a minute.
• Acquired PE: timing was fine before and has changed. This often has a cause worth finding, such as anxiety, erectile difficulty, thyroid problems or prostate inflammation.

What matters most clinically is whether you feel little control and whether it causes distress for you or your partner, not a stopwatch.

Approaches that work

• Behavioural techniques such as the stop-start and squeeze methods, which build awareness and control. They work best with guidance and practice.
• Pelvic floor exercises, which can improve control for some men.
• Topical treatments, sprays or creams that reduce sensitivity, used correctly.
• Prescription medicines, either taken before sex or daily, when appropriate after assessment.
• Treating linked problems. If erectile difficulty or anxiety is present, treating it often improves PE as well.

Most men do best with a combination, adjusted over a few follow-up visits.

What to avoid

Unlabelled "delay" pills and online remedies may contain undeclared ingredients, and they skip the assessment that finds the cause. Numbing products used heavily can also reduce pleasure for both partners.

This article is general information and does not replace a consultation with a doctor who has assessed you.