About Premature Ejaculation
Premature ejaculation (PE) is a distressing condition in which patients ejaculate too quickly before or shortly after penetration (often within less than a minute).
PE subtypes
The International Society of Sexual Medicine (ISSM) recognises four subtypes of PE:
-
Lifelong PE: characterized by PE symptoms present since first sexual intercourse
-
Acquired PE: characterized by PE symptoms beginning after a period of normal ejaculatory function
-
Natural variable PE: characterized by short ejaculatory latency which occurs irregularly and inconsistently with some subjective sense of diminished control of ejaculation
-
Subjective PE: characterized by one or more of the following:
1. subjective perception of consistent or inconsistent short intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT);
2. preoccupation with an imagined short ejaculatory latency or lack of control over the timing of ejaculation;
3. actual IELT in the normal range or even of longer duration (i.e. an ejaculation that occurs after 5 minutes);
4. ability to control ejaculation (i.e. to withhold ejaculation at the moment of imminent ejaculation) that may be diminished or lacking and;
5. the preoccupation that is not better accounted for by another mental disorder.
Incidence of PE
-
Lifelong and acquired PE affect around 7% of men globally
-
In addition to lower levels of sexual functioning and satisfaction, up to 65% of sufferers report secondary effects including decreased self-esteem, decreased sexual confidence and increased personal distress, as well as links to anxiety and depression
-
PE can also impact relationships with sexually dysfunctional men, including those with PE, scoring lower than sexually functional men on all measures of intimacy on the Psychological and Interpersonal Relationship Scale
"Partners of these men also suffer, and report sexual dissatisfaction and frustration, as well as problems in the relationship."
Dr Andrea Burri, Psycho-sexologist
Treatment of PE
To date, there are no FDA approved treatments for PE.
Kanna Health is developing new therapeutics in this area.
Drug Treatment
Licensed (not US) and off-label oral and topical treatments
Non-Drug Treatment
Psychosexual counselling, education and behavioural treatments
Combination Treatment
A combination of drug and non-drug treatment