Premature Ejaculation: Characteristics & Causes

Premature ejaculation (PE) is uncontrolled ejaculation that occurs when a man experiences orgasm and expels semen soon after sexual intercourse. One out of the three men faces this problem. If this happens on a regular basis, then it is a cause of concern.

Characteristics of Premature ejaculation

Premature ejaculation can be Acquired (recent) or Chronic (lifelong).

Acquired PE: Acquired (recent) premature ejaculation means that the condition began in an individual who previously experienced an acceptable level of ejaculatory control and only recently has developed it.

Chronic PE: In chronic (lifelong) premature ejaculation, the person has been experiencing premature ejaculation since he became sexually active (ie, post puberty).

Causes of premature ejaculation:

The causes of PE can be divided into two broad sub-heads, which are biological or psychological causes:

1. Biological Causes: A number of researchers have found differences in nervous stimulations and hormonal differences in men who experience premature ejaculation compared with individuals who do not. Some believe that some men have hyper-excitability or oversensitivity of their genitalia. Abnormal functioning of the ejaculatory system can be attributed to thyroid problems, infection or inflammation of the urethra or prostate, nerve damage occurring due to trauma or surgery (a very rare cause), abnormal levels of hormones and/or neurotransmitters (chemicals present in the brain).
2. Psychological Causes: Premature ejaculation is believed to be a psychological problem and does not represent any known organic / physical disease involving the male reproductive organs or any known defect in the brain or nervous system. It is usually due to a pattern that is hard to change and is a result of your previous sexual experiences. One of the most common reason is childhood habit of reaching climax/ ejaculation quickly because of fear of discovery when masturbating or during early sexual experiences with a female partner. This pattern of rapid attainment of sexual release is difficult to change in later stage of life (in marriage or long-term relationships). Other reasons are situations in which one may have hurried climax/ ejaculation in order to hide any problem or feelings of guilt that make you rush through sexual encounters. Also, psychological causes include anxiety and relationship issues which can also result from deep anxiety about sex that relates to bad experiences encountered by the patient during development (eg: incest, sexual assault, conflict with parents, etc).

If you wish to discuss about any specific sexual problem, you can consult a specilized sexologist and ask a free question.