When you're dealing with premature ejaculation (PE), it can feel pretty overwhelming in the moment.
Nobody wants to have trouble performing but taken in a broader context, premature ejaculation is quite common; around 30% of all men admit to dealing with it at some point in their lives.
While some medical conditions can cause it, more often than not, the trigger for premature ejaculation is in our heads - anxiety, stress, or being overly excited.
Luckily there are safe and effective treatment options available.
And one such treatment is Paxil (Paroxetine), which is typically prescribed for anxiety and depression.
But, studies have shown that taken daily or even 3-4 hours before sex, it can also help treat premature ejaculation.
Quick FAQs
While everyone is different, and your doctor will ultimately determine your dosage amount, the studies have shown it to be effective at 20 mg daily.
Paxil increases serotonin in the brain, the neurochemical responsible for things like mood and emotion, among other things. Paroxetine blocks the reuptake of serotonin in the brain, allowing you to last longer in bed.
Yes, fortunately, there are several great alternatives. Some are over-the-counter solutions, like Promescent Delay Sprays and Wipes, and others are just simple exercises and techniques.
While everyone's experience will vary, Paxil is generally considered safe and effective in the treatment of PE. However, it is a medication, and like all medications, it comes with its own list of potential side effects that we'll discuss below
No, studies show that taken daily or as needed, typically 3-4 hours before sex can increase orgasm control.
Let's take a closer look at Paxil, and see if this treatment option is right for you.
We'll also examine some of the alternatives and see how they stack up when compared to Paxil and each other.
These usually occur as your body acclimates to the drug and often subside after a few weeks.
Note: Most of these only occur in patients taking higher doses - if you're taking Paxil just for PE, your dosage might be low enough that you don't experience any side effects.
With that said, there are a few more severe side effects that you should be on the lookout for, things like:
Fainting
Blurred vision
Memory issues
Seizures
However, these are uncommon.
This clinical study shows that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are so widely prescribed because they're generally safe and highly effective at treating PE.
Alternatives to taking Paroxetine for premature ejaculation
While antidepressant treatments can delay ejaculation in many men and be considered a negative, that same side effect can be a tremendous positive for men dealing with PE.
SSRI treatments have a profound impact on delaying orgasm and helping you last longer.
At this point, you may be thinking, but what if I’m not comfortable taking a prescription? Do I still have options? Yes!
Fortunately, there are several safe, simple, and highly effective methods for treating premature ejaculation, and none of them require a prescription.
Better still, you can combine many of these techniques for even greater orgasm control.
Delay Sprays
For decades, desensitizing sprays have been a simple, easily accessible solution to treat premature ejaculation.
They’re typically lidocaine-based, which is a safe and well-studied drug that’s generally well tolerated by most people and has been around since the 1940s.
Some of these sprays include additional ingredients like ginkgo biloba to enhance your overall sexual health, but ultimately, the lidocaine itself does the work.
These sprays are clinically proven effective, and easy to use; simply apply them directly to the most sensitive parts of the penis, wait 5-10 minutes before sex, wipe off any excess, so it doesn't transfer to your partner, and you’re good to go!
You’ll still experience all the incredible sensations of sex, just slightly muted so you can last longer.
These discreet wipes pre-treated with benzocaine, another highly studied numbing agent that is safe and effective as a premature ejaculation treatment.
Benzocaine might be an excellent alternative for those allergic to lidocaine, and it works very nearly identically.
Like the spray, you simply apply these wipes about 10 minutes before sex and wipe off the excess to avoid transference.
The nice thing about the wipes is they are very discreet - a package can fit in your glove box or pocket for when you need them.
Exercise for premature ejaculation
We're not talking about squats here, although exercise, in general, is important to your health - sexual and otherwise.
In this case, we're going to be discussing Kegels, an exercise you might have heard of in the context of women who want to strengthen their pelvic floor.
But don't be fooled - these powerful exercises aren’t just for women. If you’re interested in having more intense orgasms, male or female, Kegels are for you.
Kegel exercises focus on strengthening your pelvic floor muscles; these are the muscles you use to stop the flow of urine.
Simply engage those muscles, hold them for a count of 10, and then release them.
Studies confirm that doing ten sets of 10 a day can dramatically impact your ability to control your orgasms. It should also make them last longer and feel better.
Plus, you can do them anywhere, anytime, so no excuses, you got this!
Premature Ejaculation Techniques
A handful of proven techniques can also help you last longer during sex. Let’s take a look at some of them now.
Edging or the start-and-stop method involves learning where your point of no return is and stopping all sexual activity right before reaching it, then allowing that sensation to subside before resuming sexual activity.
Squeeze Technique as you might imagine from the name stopping before climax and squeezing the the penis, just under the head (frenulum). The squeeze method will cause your arousal to fade much quicker than the start-and-stop method.
Sex Positions can have a lot to do with premature ejaculation. Not only are there certain sex positions that can help you control it, but the act of just changing positions itself can give you greater orgasm control.
Pro tip: The MYHIXEL male stamina trainer is an app enabled device specifically designed to train you to last longer in bed.
Try Boosting Your Foreplay Game
Take the time to really focus on your partner's pleasure so you can close the orgasm gap.
Incorporate things like female arousal gel from Promescent to help get her closer to orgasm before penetrative sex begins.
Another tip many people find success with is pre-sex masturbation; get that first one out yourself.
This allows you to take advantage of the refractory period. You’ll almost assuredly last longer for the next round.
Important Takeaways
Premature ejaculation can be frustrating, and ruin your sex life, but it is 100% treatable.
Unlike other sexual issues like erectile dysfunction, PE is largely mental, with stress, depression, anxiety, and worries about your sexual performance being the primary causes.
Lidocaine and benzocaine wipes are a discreet, effective, and on-demand way to desensitize the penis and delay orgasm.
But, when coupled with things like Kegels and edging you can expect some significant increases in your ejaculation times.
The worst thing you can do is nothing - the stress or anxiety that’s causing your PE will continue to feed that vicious cycle and will likely carry over to future sexual encounters.
The bottom line is, It doesn’t matter how you treat your PE. What's important is that you understand it is treatable.
And now you’ve got the tools, so address it and start enjoying better and longer-lasting sex.
Dr Laurence Levine is a Professor of Urology and practices at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. He is focused specifically on Male Sexual Health and is past President of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA). Dr. Levine graduated from the University of Colorado School of Medicine where he received his MD and completed his training in Urology at the Harvard Program in Boston.
Sources:
Absorption Pharmaceuticals LLC (Promescent) has strict informational citing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic or research institutions, medical associations, and medical experts. We attempt to use primary sources and refrain from using tertiary references and only citing trustworthy sources. Each article is reviewed, written, and updated by Medical Professionals or authoritative Experts in a specific, related field of practice. You can find out more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.
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SMSNA Staff. (n.d). Benzocaine Wipes Might Help Men with Premature Ejaculation. The Sexual Medicine Society of North America. https://www.smsna.org/patients/news/benzocaine-wipes-might-help-men-with-premature-ejaculation. Accessed March 22, 2022.
Antonio L. Pastore, Giovanni Palleschi, Andrea Fuschi, Cristina Maggioni, Rocco Rago, Alessandro Zucchi, Elisabetta Costantini, and Antonio Carbone. (2014 June). Pelvic floor muscle rehabilitation for patients with lifelong premature ejaculation: a novel therapeutic approach. NCBI. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4003840/. Accessed March 22, 2022.
Dong Zhang, Yue Cheng, Kerong Wu, Qi Ma, Junhui Jiang & Zejun Yan. (2019 January, 03). Paroxetine in the treatment of premature ejaculation: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Urology. https://bmcurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12894-018-0431-7. Accessed March 30, 2022.
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The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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