Delayed Ejaculation

As many as 50 million men in the US and Europe suffer from erectile dysfunction.  Most men who report erectile dysfunction are referring to the classic definition of impotence, or the inability to get or keep an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse.  This definition, however, is not inclusive of the variation of erectile dysfunction that exists.  Aside from the inability to get or maintain an erection, premature ejaculation and delayed ejaculation are also possible forms of erectile dysfunction.

Delayed ejaculation is a sexual dysfunction condition where it takes a man a prolonged period of sexual stimulation in order to ejaculate.  This condition usually means that a man needs more than 30 minutes of sexual stimulation to reach climax.  Some men with this condition are unable to ejaculate at all.  This is not necessarily a condition that affects men chronically, although it can.  Most men who experience delayed, or impaired ejaculation, only experience it occasionally.  This can occur only in specific situations or with certain partners.

There are plenty of risk factors for erectile dysfunction, like lifestyle habits like smoking, drug/medication use, nicotine and alcohol use.  For others mental health, neurological, or neurophysiological disorders are the problem. These include depression, stress, stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, dementia, or neurologic disease. In a smaller subset of men hormonal abnormalities, or depleted testosterone levels are the cause. 

For delayed ejaculation, the cause might be a worsening health issue like diabetes or heart disease.  Here is a list of some common physical causes of the sexual impairment:

·       damage to the pelvic nerves

·       heart disease

·       infections, especially prostate or urinary tract infections

·       neuropathy or stroke

·       low thyroid hormone

·       low testosterone

Lifestyle habits like drug use is definitely linked to delayed ejaculation as well.  For example, habitual cocaine use may make you less able to finish what you start. Chronic cocaine use can impair sexual function in men by causing delayed or impaired ejaculation.  Furthermore, cocaine is a vasoconstrictor, meaning that it causes blood vessels to constrict, and blood vessels in the penis need to be dilated in order for an erection to occur.

If you have had a traumatic experience related to sex, then the anxiety or stress that comes from this negative perception of sex can result in delayed ejaculation.  Furthermore, like other types of sexual dysfunction, stress within a relationship, feelings of anger, or sexual disappointment can also result in delayed ejaculation.  Unfortunately the condition itself can cause anxiety and depression, resulting in worsening symptoms.