Premature Ejaculation - Types And Diagnosis

Disorders be it physical or psychological can affect anyone, irrespective of thier age. However, there are certain issues, which can dampen you relation with your partner and can negetively impact your relationship. Premature ejaculation (PE), also referred to as rapid ejaculation, is the most common type of sexual dysfunction in men younger than 40 years and seen across all age groups. In elderly men (>60 years) erectile dysfunction is more common. A study conducted by the Journal of Sexual Medicine revealed that this condition is almost equally prevalent in sexually active men of all age groups. If a man experiences uncontrollable ejaculation (discharge of semen from penis) either before or shortly after sexual penetration (usually within 1-2 minutes of penetration), he may be suffering from PE.

Types of premature ejaculation:

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

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

How to diagnose PE:

The specific criteria for premature (early) ejaculation are as follows:

• In almost 75-100% sexual activity, the experience of ejaculation occurring during sexual intercourse within 1 minute after vaginal penetration and before the individual wishes it.
• The problem has persisted for at least 6 months and is a cause of mental stress to the person.
• The dysfunction cannot be better explained by any other nonsexual mental disorder, any medical disease, the effects of a drug or medication, etc.

Severity of PE:

The severity of premature (early) ejaculation is broadly defined as follows:

1. Mild: Occurring within approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute of vaginal penetration.
2. Moderate: Occurring within approximately 15-30 seconds of vaginal penetration.
3. Severe: Occurring even before sexual activity, at the start of sexual activity, or within approximately 15 seconds of vaginal penetration. In such cases, conception will not be possible unless artificial insemination is used. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a sexologist.