THEejaculation precocious or premature is, together with erectile dysfunction (= erection problems), the most common disorder of male sexuality. Its causes are varied: they can be psychological, behavioral, neurobiological or genetic.

While definitions vary between countries and medical societies, they all agree on three points. Premature ejaculation results in:

• a ejaculation which occurs too quickly, before the man or his partner wish it, systematically or very often;
• an inability to “hold back” or control ejaculation;
• of the psychological repercussions negative.

We distinguish:

• theejaculation precocious primary who is present in each report, with different partners, throughout life.
• theejaculation precocious secondary or acquired that appears when it was not present during previous sexual intercourse. It is usually associated with an underlying disease such as prostatitis, an erectile or neurological disorder, or a psychological problem.

Who is affected by premature ejaculation?

According to many studies, premature ejaculation affects 20 to 30% of men¹.

However, it is difficult to obtain precise figures, especially since the diagnostic definition has long remained vague. In addition, very few men who consider themselves to be affected by this disorder consult a doctor for this reason.

According to the ISSM (International Society of Sexual Medicine), the prevalence of premature ejaculation varies between 3 and 30% depending on the studies.

Causes of premature ejaculation

We now know that premature ejaculation, which has long been considered a purely psychological disorder, is also linked to neurobiological disorders and / or genetic susceptibility.

The exact causes, however, are unknown.

Several biological factors could promote this disorder, in particular² :

• hypersensitivity of the glans,
• hyper-excitability of the ejaculation reflex,
• disturbances in the transmission of nerve messages in the brain or hypersensitivity of certain nerve receptors (especially serotonin receptors),
• inflammation of the prostate (chronic prostatitis)
• abnormalities of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism)
• a neurological disease, such as multiple sclerosis.

No large-scale study has yet clearly demonstrated the role of any of these neurobiological causes.

It is evident that certain psychological and environmental factors also have a role to play.

Course and possible complications

Premature ejaculation is not a disease in itself. It is a disorder that only becomes problematic if it is a source of embarrassment, discomfort or distress for the person complaining about it or for his partner.

Thus, the psychological consequences of premature ejaculation can be very negative, for the subject as for the couple. Men who suffer from it can develop symptoms of depression, anxiety, and even withdraw into themselves by avoiding any romantic or sexual relationship.

This is why it is important to talk about it, especially as solutions exist, whether medical or not.