There are numerous factors that contribute to overall male sexual health. Issues with any of these particular factors can contribute to a number of different problems in the bedroom, range from the inability to achieve a firm erection, toward issues such as a poor sex drive or not being able to ejaculate during sexual intercourse.
For this reason, men are advised to attend to their sexual health by implementing healthier lifestyle choices, which may help to improve their performance in the bedroom and even contribute to better fertility; thus increasing their chance of parenthood.
When looking up information regarding potential problems that men commonly experience in the bedroom, the majority of publications available on the internet would provide details regarding erectile dysfunction mainly.
This is mostly due to the fact that this particular condition is often considered to be the most problematic amongst men, but it is important to note that many other sexual dysfunctions can also lead to numerous issues in a man’s sexual health and their performance during sexual intercourse.
Today, we want to discuss ejaculatory disorders, with an emphasis on one particular ejaculatory issue that men often experience – delayed ejaculation.
We are going to take a look at what delayed ejaculation is, why men may experience this sexual problem, what symptoms are considered signs of this condition and also consider how the condition can be treated in order to alleviate the symptoms that a male patient may be experiencing; thus improving his performance and confidence in the bedroom.
What is Male Ejaculatory Disorders and Problems?
There are a number different ejaculatory disorders that a man can suffer from. Each of these particular disorders have their own symptoms and characteristics; thus it is important that men become educated about these disorders separately in order to determine what they suffer from should they experience issues with their ejaculatory control. Ejaculatory disorders are often divided into two categories, as reported by Boston University School of Medicine[1].
Let’s take a look at these two categories and discuss the characteristics and symptoms of each particular category in order to provide men a better overview of what type of ejaculatory disorder they may be suffering from.
Premature Ejaculation – This category of ejaculatory disorders refers to a single type, which is called premature ejaculation. As the name suggests, the condition is classified as reaching orgasm and ejaculating early, or prematurely, during sexual intercourse.
The condition is relatively common amongst men and accounts for the majority of cases where a man may suffer from issues regarding his ejaculatory control.
Numerous causes have been identified to contribute to premature ejaculation, and there are different types of treatment options that have successfully helped delay the time it takes a man to ejaculation during intercourse with a sexual partner.
Delayed Ejaculation – Delayed ejaculation is also self-explanatory. As the name of the condition suggests, this term refers to a condition where a man takes an extra long time before he is able to reach orgasm and ejaculate.
It should be noted that, while delayed ejaculation is the primary condition in this category, many medical publications would also classify inhibited ejaculation, a condition where the man is unable to ejaculate even with prolonged sexual stimulation, within this category.
This is because in many cases, there may be times when a man suffers from delayed ejaculation where he experienced symptoms of inhibited ejaculation as well.
In addition to premature ejaculation and delayed ejaculation being the primary types of ejaculatory dysfunction in men, we also want to point out that an additional type of these conditions exists, named retrograde ejaculation[2].
While the primary two types of condition classified as ejaculatory dysfunctions still cause a man’s ejaculate to be expelled from his penis, in retrograde ejaculation, the ejaculate is not expelled from the man’s penis, but rather pushed toward the man’s bladder.
Even though the ejaculate is not expelled through the penis and rather pushed into the bladder, it should be noted that retrograde ejaculation is not a hazardous condition that may have a significant effect on a man’s overall health, but rather a condition that may cause issues in the bedroom when no semen is expelled during sexual intercourse – or even through masturbation or other forms of sexual stimulation.
What is Delayed Ejaculation?
In this post, we want to focus particularly on delayed ejaculation. While this is not the most common type of ejaculatory dysfunction that men tend to suffer from, it is still a condition that men need to be aware of.
Delayed ejaculation can be detrimental to a man’s sex life, and even have consequences that affect his relationship, his self-esteem and other areas of his life.
The condition causes a man to find it difficult to ejaculate during sexual intercourse, and the man often requires sexual stimulation for long periods of time before he is able to reach orgasm. In some cases, the man may not even be able to ejaculate, even when he is sexually stimulated for an extended period of time.
Knowing what symptoms to look out for, how the problem may develop and what treatment options may be available to assist in relieving the symptoms caused by this sexual dysfunction can be very helpful to a man.
There are two different types of delayed ejaculation. Realizing the difference between these two types are the first step to better understanding this sexual dysfunction. Let’s consider these two forms of delayed ejaculation.
Lifelong Delayed Ejaculation – This condition refers to men who have experienced delayed ejaculation throughout their entire life – from the very first sexual experience they have had.
Acquired Delayed Ejaculation – The second type of this condition refers to men who have not always experienced delayed ejaculation, but rather developed the condition later in their lives.
Acquired delayed ejaculation is more common that lifelong delayed ejaculation, and can be especially worrisome as it may develop unexpectedly and also suddenly.
Some men may also suffer from a type of delayed ejaculation that is often referred to as situational delayed ejaculation. This type of the condition falls within the acquired delayed ejaculation category since it has not affected men from the first time they had a sexual experience.
In situational delayed ejaculation, men will experience the condition only when they are in a certain situation – such as when they are with a specific partner.
When the man is not faced with a particular situation that triggers their condition during sexual intercourse, then they may be able to ejaculate normally without any significant delays.
What are the Symptoms of Delayed Ejaculation?
The primary symptoms caused by delayed ejaculation is exactly as the name of the condition imply – a delay in the ejaculation of a man. According to Medical News Today[3], a man would be considered to suffer from delayed ejaculation when it takes more than 30 minutes for him to ejaculate during sexual penetration.
Even when the man has a normal, rigid erection that lasts for the entire time, when he takes 30 minutes or more to ejaculate, then he suffers from delayed ejaculation.
It is important to note that delayed ejaculation that only occurs on rare occasions should not be a cause for concern, as this may be caused by temporary issues in a man’s life, such as after a stressful day at the workplace.
When a man suffers from delayed ejaculation more often, then he should be more worried about the condition and consider seeking advice from a medical professional.
In some cases, delayed ejaculation may also cause a man to experience a complete inhabitation of his ability to ejaculate during sexual intercourse.
While the fact that a man is unable to ejaculate within the first 30 minutes during sexual intercourse is the main symptom associated with delayed ejaculation, it is important to also consider the fact that additional symptoms may also be present when the underlying cause to a man’s delayed ejaculation is caused by psychological or physiological conditions.
What are the Causes and Risk Factors of Delayed Ejaculation?
Thanks to extensive research on ejaculatory dysfunctions and delayed ejaculation in particular, a long list of causes and potential risk factors have been made available in order to help men realize what may be the reason to the symptoms they are experiencing.
On the other hand, the extensive list of possible causes that may be contributing to delayed ejaculation may also make it much harder for a medical professional to accurately diagnose a man with this condition and identify the causes of the delayed ejaculation.
According to Healthline[4], there are three primary categories that need to be looked at when determining what may be the cause of a particular male individual’s symptoms. These include physiological health problems, psychological disorders and the possibility that the condition may be caused as a side-effect by certain types of medication.
Psychological Causes – In many patients diagnosed with delayed ejaculation, psychological causes are often to blame for the symptoms they have developed. Depression and anxiety are the most common psychological factors that interfere with a man’s sexual function.
These mental conditions are known to reduce a man’s sexual desire. In turn, the loss of their libido may cause them to take much longer to ejaculate.
In some cases, negative beliefs that are placed on sexual activity by certain religions and cultures can also cause a man to experience delayed ejaculation.
Other psychological causes of the condition include relationship problems, guilty feelings when being unfaithful to a partner and having gone through a traumatic experience, especially sex-related, in their past.
Physiological Causes – It is also relatively common for a man to experience delayed ejaculation caused by some physiological factor. When certain nerves located in the pelvis area or within the spine is damaged, it may cause issues to develop with the man’s ability to ejaculate.
Having undergone surgery in the prostate can also cause damage to the nerves in the area, which may lead to delayed or inhibited ejaculation. Some acute and chronic health ailments are also known to contribute to this condition.
Men with testosterone levels that are lower than what is considered normal, as well as those men with low levels of thyroid hormones, are more likely to experience delayed ejaculation.
Furthermore, when a man develops an infection in their urinary tract or their prostate, then it can also contribute a delay in his ejaculations.
Medication – In addition to several psychological and physiological factors contributing to the development of symptoms associated with delayed ejaculation, it should be noted that numerous types of pharmaceutical drugs can also lead to this problem.
Men who take some types of antidepressants often develop delayed ejaculation as a side-effect. Certain antipsychotic medication, including thioridazine, can also contribute to this condition.
Other medications that may contribute to delayed ejaculation include diuretics and certain pharmaceutical drugs used to treat high blood pressure.
Apart from these common causes, it is also important for men to know that the use of illicit drugs and alcohol are also considered risk factors for delayed ejaculation. When a man uses certain types of illicit drugs, and when he consumes alcoholic beverages excessively, then he is more likely to develop this condition.
How to Diagnose Delayed Ejaculation?
Men who suffer from delayed ejaculations from time-to-time without the condition affecting their overall health or their life in general usually have no reason to become too worried about the condition.
When the symptoms appear more frequently, especially when delayed ejaculation occurs during every sexual encounter the man has, then he is advised to see a healthcare professional in order to obtain an accurate diagnosis for his condition.
Men should not try to self-diagnose the condition and take their own approach to treating the condition since the underlying cause of delayed ejaculation can sometimes be serious.
When a man sees a healthcare professional regarding his symptoms, then the first step would be for the doctor to conduct a thorough physical examination on the man. This will allow the doctor to determine if any obvious signs of an underlying condition may be present.
The doctor will also ask the man about his current lifestyle, and try to determine whether any additional symptoms are present that may indicate what is causing the man to experience the delay in his orgasms.
A record of the man’s current medication will also need to be provided to the doctor since several types of medication have been shown to cause this condition as a side-effect.
What are the Treatment Options for Delayed Ejaculation?
The diagnosis of delayed ejaculation is vital for the treatment approach provided by the healthcare professional to be effective.
The underlying cause for this condition needs to be determined before the doctor will be able to decide what the best method would be to help the man improve his symptoms and regain his confidence during sexual intercourse.
When a doctor has conducted a physical examination on the patient, several additional tests may also be ordered to determine the cause – thereafter, the patient might be referred to a specialist in a particular area in order to provide the patient with the correct treatment plan.
The treatment administered to a patient who experiences delayed ejaculation will depend on why they are suffering from this condition.
There are quite a large number of treatment options available, and many of these options can offer a male patient successful results and the restoration of his normal ejaculatory function. Let’s consider some of the most common treatment options that are used to assist with relieving the symptoms a man may experience due to delayed ejaculation.
In men with lifelong delayed ejaculation, a urologist will usually need to assess the structure of the man’s genitals.
This will help them determine if any birth defects may be present that are contributing to the issue. If birth defects are present, they can sometimes be corrected through surgical procedures.
If a doctor suspects that certain medication that a man is currently taking may be contributing to the problems they are experiencing in the bedroom, then the doctor might make some modifications to the specific type of medication the man is taken or alter the dosage of this medication to see if that helps to clear up the man’s symptoms.
Since psychological issues cause a lot of cases where a man suffers from delayed ejaculation, addressing mental disorders like depression and anxiety can often yield positive results as well.
In such a case, a doctor will most likely prescribe an antidepressant to the patient that are not known to cause ejaculatory issues as a side-effect.
Certain pharmaceutical drugs are sometimes used to help relieve the symptoms of delayed ejaculations and make a man ejaculate sooner during sexual intercourse.
It should be noted that these medications have not bee approved to be specifically used for delayed ejaculation, but they are helpful in some cases. Examples of such medication[5] include Periactin, Symmetrel and Buspar.
What are the Potential Complications of Delayed Ejaculation?
Delayed ejaculation itself is not a serious health condition and will certainly not cause death or any other significant issues in a man’s general wellbeing. This, however, does not mean that delayed ejaculation is a condition that should be taken lightly.
The problem lies with the underlying causes of the problem, which often relates to mental or physical health concerns that may be harmful to the man’s overall health.
Heart disease, for example, can contribute to delayed ejaculation – in such a case, the delayed ejaculation is not serious, but the heart disease can be very serious and even life-threatening if not attended to.
Apart from the fact that the underlying causes of delayed ejaculation can pose as issues that could lead to complications, it should be noted that other complications may also develop when a man has delayed ejaculation.
The man’s performance in the bedroom may be affected in an adverse way. Relationship problems are also not uncommon where the man suffers from delayed ejaculation – the man’s partner may think that he is not attracted to them anymore.
Mental issues may also develop due to this problem, and the man may also start to suffer from performance anxiety.
Can Delayed Ejaculation be Prevented?
Preventing a disease or health condition is always better than treating it. When it comes to answering the question whether delayed ejaculation can be prevented or not, the answer is somewhat complicated.
Yes and no would be the correct answer. Many of the underlying health problems that cause delayed ejaculation can be prevented and, in turn, this may help a man avoid developing delayed ejaculation.
In such a case, the answer would be yes – by implementing healthy lifestyle choices, heart disease and other conditions can be prevented; thus also preventing delayed ejaculation. On the other hand, however, when birth defects or something more “permanent” is causing the symptoms, then prevention may not be possible.
Outlook for Male Patients Diagnosed with Delayed Ejaculation
A lot of men diagnosed with delayed ejaculation would want to know what their outlook is. This is also quite a difficult question to answer since the outlook would depend on the particular factors involved with an individual patient.
For one patient, the outlook may be very positive and they may be able to regain normal ejaculatory control rather quickly, but the next patient may suffer from this condition due to a cause that is not as easy to treat; thus leading to a negative outlook.
For this reason, it is important to consider the cause of the condition before discussing what the outlook is, and also take a look at how serious the underlying cause is.
Read Next: Male Ejaculation: Is It Worth To Get Good Health?
Conclusion
Male sexual health plays a role not only in parenthood but also in a man’s overall performance during sex and his ability to please his sexual partner. Unfortunately, various conditions can develop that affect a man’s sexual health in an adverse way.
The most common types of sexual issues that men suffer from include erectile dysfunction, a low libido and several types of ejaculation issues.
While erectile dysfunction is often discussed amongst online publications that provide details on common male sex issues, we find that ejaculatory problems are less often discussed.
In this post, we provided a comprehensive look at what delayed ejaculation is, a relatively common form of ejaculatory dysfunction that a lot of men suffer from.
The condition can be either temporary or lifelong and can be quite problematic for a man’s sex life.
We have taken a look at the potential causes, symptoms, diagnoses and treatment options. We also considered possible methods that can be utilized to avoid the issue from developing, as well as discussed the outlook of delayed ejaculation for men diagnosed with the condition.
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