Retarded ejaculation

‘Retarded Ejaculation’ is a condition defined as a “potency disorder in which there is full erection but ejaculation is inordinately delayed or fails to take place altogether, despite the patient’s conscious desire to achieve orgasm.” This condition can be situational (ejaculation occurs on some occasions and not on some) or selective (occurring with one partner, situation or type of stimulation only). It can occur either due to physical or psychological causes or a combination of both.

Some of the physical causes are birth defects of the genitals, disorder or diseases of the spinal cord, spinal injury/surgery, diabetes, testosterone deficiency, consumption of certain medicines and more. Anxiety associated with ejaculation, pregnancy and performance; fear of hurting the woman or being hurt by her; guilt due to religious orthodoxy; hostility/resentment towards the sexual partner and post traumatic stress disorder are among the psychological causes.

While some may envy retarded ejaculators as they can have sustained erections for prolonged periods, they are actually miserable as they cannot experience the joys of an orgasm. Ideally the culmination of a sex act in a male is ejaculation and orgasm. If this does not occur there is a lacuna which can be traumatic for the couple.

Treatment depends on the causes(s). For physical causes appropriate medical/surgical measures have to be undertaken. For psychological causes, psychotherapy and sex therapy will be beneficial. In certain cases vibrators and electro ejaculators may have to be used.

The writer is a sexologist. Mail him at dr.narayana@deccanmail.com