In those early days, if a patient were to ask his physician about his PE
concerns, the doctor would often offer a do-it-yourself technique for
addressing the problem. The stop and start method remained the most widely
prescribed premature ejaculation treatment, for several decades.
The Creation of the International Society for Sexual Medicine
The prognosis began to change in 1982, as the International Society for Sexual
Medicine (ISSM) began to gather specialists to address PE and to give it a
proper medical definition. The purpose of the ISSM is to promote and encourage
the highest standards of practice, training and research in the field of sexual
medicine.
After nearly 65 years of published research, more than 100 case studies, and 26
years of reviewing the available data, the ISSM experts agreed unanimously that
lifelong PE exhibits a combination of three key factors:
1. Ejaculation, which always or nearly always, occurs prior to or within about
one minute of vaginal penetration.
2. The inability to delay ejaculation on all, or nearly all, vaginal
penetrations.
3. Negative personal consequences, such as the stress, bother, frustration
and/or the avoidance of sexual intimacy.
Lifelong PE and Acquired PE
There are actually two types of PE conditions: lifelong PE and acquired PE.
Acquired PE is different, only in that it begins later in life and that it
happens to men, who have previously had normal ejaculatory experiences.
After nearly 65 years of research, the medical community has concluded that in
some cases, PE may be the result of psychosomatic conditions. Yet, the medical
community remains unwilling to lump all premature ejaculation issues into the
psychosomatic category. In fact, when discussing acquired PE, medical
professionals list the following as possible causes: psychological issues,
relationship problems, erectile dysfunction (ED), an inflamed prostate gland, or
thyroid dysfunction.
The official evidence-based definition, as offered by the ISSM, has only
recently been defined. It was an important milestone in the treatment of PE,
because now clinicians can use the definition to provide a consistent diagnosis
and treatment plan for patients. Since the definition is still new, it remains
too early to determine how many men can be classified as lifelong PE sufferers.
According to the analysis of previous research, it may be possible that as many
as 35% of men suffer from premature ejaculation of some kind. If time proves
the 35% number accurate, then PE will be found to affect more men than erectile
dysfunction, or ED. Erectile dysfunction typically affects men more as they
age. However, premature ejaculation seems to affect men equally, across all age
groups.
The History of Treatments for Premature Ejaculation
The first topical treatments for premature ejaculation started hitting the
shelves of drugstores in the 1930s. Since the early 1980s, pharmaceutical
companies have developed a range of additional drugs to treat this condition.
Antidepressants
Since the mid-1990s, the pharmaceutical industry has conducted an
increasing number of controlled, evidence-based studies of Selective Serotonin
Reuptake Inhibitor drugs, commonly prescribed to treat premature ejaculation.
The studies have shown the effectiveness and safety of SSRI drugs to delay
ejaculation. However, before you get too excited, it is important to understand
what Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs really are. SSRIs are a
class of compounds, typically used as antidepressants in the treatment of
depression, anxiety disorders, and some personality disorders.
SSRIs should not be confused with SRIs. Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SRIs
can be either selective or non-selective in their actions. What that means is
that SRIs may inhibit the reuptake of serotonin or a range of other compounds.
On the other hand, SSRIs will only inhibit the reuptake of serotonin.
SSRIs are considered to be the first class of psychotropic drugs to be
rationally designed. As a result, they are the most widely prescribed
antidepressants, in the United States and many other countries.
While SSRIs have been shown to be effective in the treatment of premature
ejaculation, it is still an antidepressant drug.
Topical Analgesics
The second most common approach to the treatment of PE is a range of
cream-based topical analgesics, i.e. numbing products. Most of the numbing
products on the market, available for the treatment of PE, contain as its
active ingredients, compounds such as benzocaine, lidocaine or other similar
local anaesthetics, which are commonly used for pain relief and preparation for
surgery.
Benzocaine is a painkiller that is commonly used to treat toothaches, sore gums
and sunburns.
Lidocaine is a much stronger painkiller and causes anaesthesia deeper in the
skin. Lidocaine is used in products that treat minor sunburns, scrapes, and
insect bites. It is also used to numb the skin before surgery, and reduce the
pain resulting from laser surgery and laser hair removal.
In January of 2009, the FDA issued an alert about the possible serious and
life-threatening risks associated with the improper use of these products. (1)
The FDA stated that these products are used to the desensitize nerve endings
that lie near the surface of the skin, causing a numbness of the skin.
The FDA-issued Public Health Advisory, indicated that these products may be
absorbed into the bloodstream, after application to the skin, if the products
are used improperly, which may cause life-threatening side effects in patients.
As we are discussing the topic of sexual health, using a "numbing
product" may be counterproductive to one's goal of enjoying the sexual
experience. Besides numbing the penis, topical analgesics may cause redness to
the skin, or a slight burning or stinging sensation. Additionally, in some
cases, your female partner may also experience numbness and irritation on
sexual contact.
Ancient Asian Herbs Are Now Being Studied Seriously By Western Medicine
If you desire to avoid the use of antidepressants and topical analgesics, there
are other options available.
For many centuries, people in Asian countries have utilized herbs to promote
the overall physical and sexual vitality of humans. Natural herbs had been
mostly ignored by Western medicine, until the last couple decades. In recent
years, medical researchers and primary physicians in Western countries have
begun to give natural herbs honest consideration.
Disclaimer: For the record, "the U.S. Food and Drug Administration do
not strictly regulate herbs and supplements." It recommends that,
"there is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of products and
effects may vary. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical
condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak
with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy. Consult a
health care provider immediately if you experience any side effects."
Panax Ginseng
According to the Medline Plus section of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
website, provided in conjunction with National Institutes Of Health, scientific
studies have shown that "ginseng is well tolerated by most people, when it
is used at recommended doses, and side effects appear to be rare." (2)
Within the same page, it was stated that early studies have suggested that
applying an herbal combination containing Panax ginseng on the penis may help
treat premature ejaculation. The NIH citation suggested that since the Panax
ginseng was tested with other herbs, the contribution of the ginseng remains
unclear.
Butea Superba
Another herb that has attracted a lot of attention is Butea superba. The PubMed
website, provided courtesy of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and
National Institutes of Health, acknowledges studies conducted in Thailand,
concerning the positive impact of Butea superba on men's sexual health.
In three separate studies, mentioned on the PubMed website, Butea superba has
been shown effective in increasing sperm count, and in the treatment of
erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation. It has also been shown safe for
human consumption and topical application.
In the first study, Butea superba was shown to increase the weight of the
testes and increase the sperm count in rats. (3) Butea superba was given to the
rats at a rate that is 100 times greater than what is recommended by Thailand's
FDA for human consumption. Yet, no adverse health effects were seen in the rats
that were tested.
For ED patients, improvement was shown in 82.4% of participants. (4) The
conclusion of this study indicated that Butea superba appears to improve the
erectile dysfunction in ED patients without any apparent toxicity.
The third study of Butea superba suggested that ethanol extracts of Butea
superba were effective in enhancing penile erection in rats. (5) The results of
the study suggested that this herb might act through the cAMP/cGMP pathways,
which are intracellular secondary messengers that play a key role in mediating
cellular responses to various hormones and neurotransmitters.
Other Herbal Supplements Are Always Being Tested
It is recommended that whenever you are considering any herbal supplement, you
should check for the existence of any medical studies and reports, documented
by a government agency or a medical journal, concerning the effectiveness and
possible side effects, of any natural herbal remedy.
Just because a substance is "natural" does not mean that it is
guaranteed safe. Since the FDA does not regulate herbs, it is your
responsibility to make sure that any substance that you apply topically or
consume internally, will not cause you any harm or adverse side effects.
As stated previously, the FDA recommends that you should always read product
labels and get educated about the active ingredients in any herbal remedy. The
FDA also recommends that if you have a medical condition, or are taking other
drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified health care
provider before starting a new therapy. As a final word of warning, the FDA
recommends that you consult a health care provider immediately, if you
experience any side effects.
Bud Castillo writes about medical issues. The
active ingredients, for the treatment of premature ejaculation, in D-Lay(r) For Men are Panax ginseng and Butea
superba. As documented in this article, the U.S. National Library of Medicine
and National Institutes Of Health have suggested that these herbal
supplements are safe for humans and may be effective for the treatment of
premature ejaculation (PE) for men. Learn more about our PE topical
treatment, D-Lay(r) For Men, at our website: www.delay-cream.com
