Can Premature Ejaculation (PE) Be Cured With Viagra?

What is Premature Ejaculation?

Premature Ejaculation (PE) occurs when a man ejaculates sooner than he or his partner would like either before or shortly after sexual penetration, with minimal sexual stimulation. Ejaculation is the ejection of semen from the body. This is controlled by the central nervous system, where sexual stimulation sends signals to the spinal cord and brain. When a certain level of excitement is reached, signals are sent from the brain to the reproductive organs, leading to ejaculation.

PE affects as many as 1 in 3 men, and it is one of the most common forms of male sexual dysfunction. There are two forms of PE, including lifelong (occurs all or nearly all of the time beginning from the first sexual encounter) or acquired (develops after previous sexual encounters with ejaculatory issues). Lifelong PE is often the result of psychological factors, such as having a distressing sexual experience. Acquired PE can be a result of both psychological and physical factors, which include alcohol consumption and prostatitis.

What Are The Benefits And Side Effects Of Viagra, And Is It Safe To Use?

Viagra is the well-known brand name of Sildenafil, a common medication used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). It is a very popular medication used worldwide, and is both effective and safe to use. It belongs to a class of drugs called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors.

An erection forms when your body releases nitric oxide, triggering the events responsible for an erection and allowing blood to flow into the penis. An enzyme called PDE5 blocks this flow of blood and can lead to ED when a sufficient amount of blood is stopped after arousal, making it difficult for an erection to form or continue.

PDE5 inhibitors like Viagra suppress the PDE5 enzyme, making it easier for blood to flow into the penis and allowing the penis to stay erected during sex. They also help prevent blood from flowing back out from the penis during sex, allowing the erection to last longer.

Viagra should be taken 30 to 60 minutes before sexual activity on an empty stomach (for faster absorption), and its effects can last between 2 to 4 hours. Do note that you will need to be sexually stimulated in order for the medication to fully take effect.

It is recommended to consume Viagra only once a day. It is important to stick to safe, recommended doses - your doctor could prescribe a dosage anywhere between 25mg to 100mg.

Side effects can include dizziness, headaches, stomach pain, congestion, nausea, or changes in vision (colour changes or blurred vision). If you have a medical history of heart conditions, liver or kidney problems, blood cell issues, stroke, or abnormal penis shape, you should consult your doctor for advice before using Viagra.

Does Viagra Help With Premature Ejaculation?

Viagra (sildenafil), the first in-class PDE5 inhibitor, was first introduced in 1998 for the treatment of ED. Since its market launch, Viagra has been prescribed to more than 23 million men around the world, with clinical studies showing that Viagra can effectively treat ED.

Recent studies have also shown that Viagra could possibly be effective in treating PE, although it is not acknowledged as a formal treatment for PE since further investigation and research is needed to prove its effectiveness in helping with PE.

In 2000, a clinic in Korea conducted a study of 52 patients with PE. Each patient was administered with Viagra for 4 weeks, then Viagra with SS-cream for 4 weeks. SS-cream is a topical agent used for treating PE. It was found that patient satisfaction was significantly higher after the administration of Viagra and SS-cream (90.4%) compared to the consumption of sildenafil alone (80.8%). There was also an improvement in sexual function, which included overall satisfaction, orgasmic function, erectile function, and intercourse function with sildenafil treatment.

A 2005 study of men between the age of 18 and 65 diagnosed with PE found that patients who took Viagra reported significantly increased ejaculatory control and ejaculatory confidence, improved overall satisfaction, as well as decreased postejaculatory erectile refactory time compared to the placebo group over the course of 8 weeks.

Furthermore, a 2007 clinical study of 180 potent men with primary PE and without ED revealed that Viagra can extend intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT). IELT refers to the time taken for a man to ejaculate during vaginal penetration. It was found that Viagra led to statistically significant improvements in a number of parameters, including the intercourse satisfactory score (ISS) of patients and their sexual partners, frequency of intercourse, and decreased PE with mild side effects. In a parallel study, they also found that Viagra can improve PE accompanied by ED and improve ED at the same time.

However, in a 2006 study of 84 patients measuring the efficacy of Viagra as a treatment for PE, no significant difference was found between the Viagra-only and the placebo group. Their results showed that taking only Viagra was an ineffective treatment for PE.

Past studies have proven the effectiveness of Viagra in treating PE, but for now there is no conclusive or definite proof of its efficacy specifically for treating PE. A few of these studies show how Viagra can help with ejaculation by increasing IELT and improving sexual satisfaction, allowing men to last longer in bed and have more enjoyable sex. Overall, Viagra isn’t usually the first choice for PE treatment, but it may.

How Can I Treat Premature Ejaculation?

All in all, Viagra shouldn’t be used to specifically treat PE, even though there have been studies showing that the medication has some benefits in helping to improve PE. Ultimately, Viagra remains primarily an ED medication, and it is preferable that you use PE treatments should you experience the condition.

If you’re experiencing the symptoms of PE, it would be best for you to visit your doctor and receive a diagnosis. Your doctor will ask about your health history and may conduct a physical examination along with blood tests.

There  are numerous effective ways to specifically treat PE, though it can take some time to find the treatments that work best for you if you are diagnosed with the condition. Common treatments include medication, therapy, behavioural techniques, topical anesthetics such as creams and sprays, as well as natural supplements.

Other ways to manage PE include pelvic floor exercises, trying different sex positions, or even simply trying on a thicker condoms earlier in an sexual encounter to decrease stimulation of the penis in order to delay ejaculation.

The pause-squeeze technique is also one method recommended to help those with PE by delaying their ejaculation and prolonging sex. The method works in three steps:

1. Begin sexual activity with penis stimulation until you are about to climax or ejaculate
2. Your or your partner should squeeze the end of the penis, where the head joins the shaft, and maintain a firm pressure until the sensation to ejaculate passes
3. Return to sexual activity, and repeat the technique as many times as you’d like

There are a multitude of possible treatments for you to try if you do have PE, but it is advised that you speak to a licensed professional or doctor in order to figure out the best possible treatment or combination of treatments that work for you.

With Noah, a digital health clinic for men in Singapore, you can speak to a doctor and get the PE treatment you need from the comfort of home. Licensed doctors on our platform can prescribe you with the proper medications and dosage required based on your condition.