Did you know that exercising is an effective way to treat premature ejaculation? In case you were wondering, no we’re not referring to gym exercises like deadlifts! We are instead referring to pelvic floor exercises, which are easy exercises that can be done by anyone, anywhere, and at any time! In this article, we discuss what pelvic floor exercises are, how to do them and their benefits. We also include other methods to treat premature ejaculation.
Did you know that exercising is an effective way to treat premature ejaculation? In case you were wondering, no we’re not referring to gym exercises like deadlifts! We are instead referring to pelvic floor exercises, which are easy exercises that can be done by anyone, anywhere, and at any time! In this article, we discuss what pelvic floor exercises are, how to do them and their benefits.
We also include other methods to treat premature ejaculation.
First of all, don’t panic!
Premature ejaculation (PE) is a lot more common than you would expect. Apart from it being the most common ejaculation issue in the UK, PE has affected up to 39% of men around the world.
There are many reasons behind why you might be experiencing PE. These include psychological issues like stress or anxiety, as well as physical health issues like problems with your thyroid or prostate.
After all, studies have shown that your sexual health is directly correlated with your overall health. According to a 2016 study, there is evidence that depression is associated with a significantly increased risk of PE. Similarly, a 2008 cross-sectional observational study showed that PE is strongly associated with diabetic men facing erectile dysfunction (ED).
ED refers to a man’s inability to maintaining or getting an erection firm enough for sexual intercourse.
Thankfully, there are many ways to treat ED and PE. These include taking PE medications, going for therapy, incorporating sex techniques in your bedroom sessions and doing pelvic floor exercises.
In particular, this article focuses largely on pelvic floor exercises, which can help you gain better control of your ejaculation during sexual intercourse.
Pelvic floor exercises are great, as according to a 2005 study, strengthening your pelvic floor muscles should be the first-line approach for men seeking a long-term solution for their PE.
But what exactly are pelvic floor exercises?
Otherwise known as Kegel exercises, pelvic floor exercises are exercises done to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. These muscles are found on your thighs, buttocks and lower abdomen.
These muscles not only support your pelvic organs and ensure that your bladder and bowels function properly, they also help you maintain an erection by increasing blood flow into the penis.
There are many reasons why your pelvic floor muscles can become weak and stop functioning properly over time. These include being unfit, overweight, or just general muscle weakening with age. As these muscles weaken, so does your ability to delay ejaculation, which eventually leads to PE.
As such, pelvic floor exercises are important as they strengthen these muscles, allowing you to have more control over your ejaculations, and be able to contract those muscles at will. Doing so improves your sexual function and performance over time!
This claim has been backed up by research. According to a 2014 study, 82.5% of men who underwent 12 weeks of pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation gained greater control of their ejaculatory reflexes. As such, they managed to increase their climax time and treat their PE.
· Fast-acting (not fast ending!) on demand treatment
· Increases serotonin activity, increases time to ejaculation
· Effective, clinically proven prescription medication
Generally speaking, there are 3 different pelvic floor exercises that you can do to strengthen your muscles.
For all the 3 exercises, it’s recommended that you do 3-5 sets of each exercise, with 8-10 repetitions per set.
If you do them daily, you should be able to see results after just 1 month. By the end of that month, you should be strong enough to hold your squeezes for 10 seconds, and hit around 8-10 sets per exercise.
That said, these exercises should not be causing you any pain. They should just feel like a slight tightening or pressure around your pelvic area. If you happen to experience any form of pain, stop doing any of the exercises and seek medical help.
There are multiple benefits to doing pelvic floor exercises.
For one, they’re extremely discrete and can be done at any time and at any place. They are also easy to follow and do not require any form of specialised equipment. This means that it’s easy to fit these exercises into your daily routine and lifestyle.
Pelvic floor exercises are also great as they can significantly improve your sexual experience. Stronger pelvic floor muscles improves blood flow into your penis, allowing you to get firmer erections.
Being able to contract your muscles at will also allows you to treat PE as you can delay your ejaculations. Overall, it allows you to experience greater pleasure during sex and experience a more orgasms.
Before you do any of the exercises, it’s important to know where your pelvic floor muscles are located. This way, you can be more certain that you’re targeting the right muscles during the exercise.
To identify your pelvic floor muscles, either stop your urination midstream or tighten the muscles that prevent you from passing gas. The muscles that you’re using in these actions are your pelvic floor muscles.
During the exercises, it’s important that you get the proper technique down. This reduces injury and ensures that you can better target the pelvic floor muscles. Once you’ve perfected the technique, you can start to branch out and experiment with doing the exercises while sitting, standing or walking!
It’s also important that you keep focused during the exercises, ensuring that you’re only tightening your pelvic floor muscles. Try your best to not flex the muscles in your abdomen, thighs or buttocks, and do not hold your breath. Breathe freely throughout the exercises.
To reap the benefits of these exercises, it's best that you incorporate them into your daily routine. As these exercises are discrete, it’s easy to do them at any time and place, regardless of the activities you have planned for the day.
As with most exercises, as you get stronger, you will find them less challenging to do. Thus, a good way to further increase your strength is to increase the difficulty of the exercises. You can do so by:
Of course there are!
While pelvic floor exercises are one of the most popular and effective ways to treat PE, it is not the only method available. After all, the most effective way to treat PE differs depending on the individual.
Here are some other ways you can treat PE:
As the name suggests, this technique requires you to delay ejaculation by stopping when you’re just about to reach orgasm, and then starting again when the urge to ejaculate leaves.
You can practice this technique during masturbation. If possible, try to do this several times a week. Overtime, you should be better at identifying the sensations present just before an orgasm, making it easier for you to identify and control your ejaculation.
This technique is very similar to the start and stop technique.
Likewise, as the name suggests, this technique requires you to squeeze the shaft of your penis when you’re just about to ejaculate, holding pressure for a few seconds until the sensation to cum leaves.
Similarly, you can practice this while masturbating. The end goal is likewise to identify the sensations leading up to an orgasm, allowing you to have better control over your ejaculation.
As mentioned, mental distress like stress and anxiety can lead to ED and PE. Furthermore, having PE can lead to performance anxiety or cause partners to feel less connected. As such, counselling and therapy sessions are a great way to navigate through the psychological issues and shame associated with PE.
There are currently many medications available to treat PE, such as oral medications like Priligy (Dapoxetine), and lidocaine sprays and creams. These medications can either be taken on their own, or in combination with other forms of PE treatment, such as pelvic floor muscle exercises.
Regarding Priligy, it is a PE medication belonging to a class of drugs known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). It treats PE by boosting serotonin levels in the body, leading to a delayed reaction in parts of the brain that control ejaculation. This prolongs the time it takes for a man to orgasm.
If oral medications aren’t your thing, you can also opt for lidocaine sprays and creams. Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that’s used to numb specific areas of the body, allowing you to last longer in bed as it reduces the sensitivity of your penis. That said, rest assured that lidocaine will not completely numb your penis or affect your sexual experience.
While these medications are useful, it is possible that you might experience some side effects. Side effects of Priligy include dizziness and headaches, while side effects of lidocaine sprays and creams include skin irritation. As such, it's advised that you speak to a licensed professional or doctor prior to using any of these medications.
Here at Noah, we have a team of trained doctors who can prescribe you with the proper medications and dosage required based on your current condition.
Articles featured on Noah are for informational purposes only and should not be constituted as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have any medical questions or concerns, please talk to your healthcare provider. If you're looking for a healthcare provider, click here.
Dorey, Grace, et al. “Pelvic Floor Exercises for Erectile Dysfunction.” BJU International vol. 96,4 (2005): 595–97. (Link)
Malavige, Lasantha S., et al. “Erectile Dysfunction Among Men with Diabetes Is Strongly Associated with Premature Ejaculation and Reduced Libido.” The Journal of Sexual Medicine vol. 5,9 (2008): 2125–34. (Link)
McMahon, Chris G. “Premature Ejaculation.” Indian Journal of Urology vol. 23,2 (2007): 97. (Link)
NHS website. “Ejaculation Problems.” Nhs.Uk, 24 July 2019. (Link)
Pastore, Antonio L., et al. “Pelvic Floor Muscle Rehabilitation for Patients with Lifelong Premature Ejaculation: A Novel Therapeutic Approach.” Therapeutic Advances in Urology vol. 6,3 (2014): 83–88. (Link)
Xia, Yue, et al. “Relationship between Premature Ejaculation and Depression.” Medicine vol. 95,35 (2016): e4620. (Link)
