Premature ejaculation isn't a true illness

A new review argues that premature ejaculation—which has become the center of a multimillion dollar business—should not be classified as a male sexual dysfunction. By pointing to false assumptions about premature ejaculation, as well as female sexual dysfunction, the review's authors question whether it has become an illness constructed by sexual medicine experts under the influence of drug companies.

"It is important for men to understand that in premature ejaculation the physiology of ejaculation and orgasm is not impaired, and that it is normal in adolescent males especially during their first sexual encounters," said Dr. Vincenzo Puppo, co-author of the Clinical Anatomy article. "Teens and men can understand their sexual response during masturbation and learn ejaculatory control without drug therapy." Also, immediately after ejaculation, men enter a refractory period, which lengthens with age.

His co-author, Dr. Giulia Puppo noted that vaginal orgasm does not exist, so the duration of penile-vaginal intercourse is not important for a woman's orgasm. "In all women, orgasm is always possible if the female erectile organs are effectively stimulated during masturbation, cunnilingus, or partner masturbation, before and after male ejaculation, or during vaginal intercourse if the clitoris is simply stimulated with a finger."