Hope for men affected by 'overlooked' sexual issue

It is hoped new research will assist clinicians in helping millions of men who suffer from an overlooked sexual complaint, despite no medications approved by regulators in the UK currently being available.

The study, led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) and published in the journal Trends in Urology and Men's Health, is the first to collate research into different methods of treating delayed ejaculation, which is believed to affect between one and three percent of men.

The condition is summarized as the persistent difficulty or inability to ejaculate despite the presence of adequate sexual desire, erection, and stimulation. Currently, there is no medication approved by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulations Agency (MHRA), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to treat the condition. However, researchers found a number of promising remedies in their analysis.

Researchers examined papers from 13 different countries dating back to the 1970s and found that several treatments have been effective, including vibration stimulation therapy, and psychotherapy. Use of a cream containing capsaicin and vanilloid, in a randomized clinical trial, showed promise in the treatment of delayed ejaculation.

Delayed ejaculation is a condition that can vary significantly between patients, and researchers surmised that clinicians should also be aware of a patients full medical and sexual history, carry out a detailed physical examination and assessment of the partner view of the disorder, partner sexual dysfunctions and the overall satisfaction with the sexual relationship.

Lee Smith, Professor of Public Health at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), said, "Delayed ejaculation impacts up to three percent of men so potentially affects the quality of life of tens of millions of people worldwide. It is often not discussed, and solutions are under-researched and not commonly known.

"To date, no attempt has been made to collate and evaluate the academic literature around these treatments. Such a review is of utmost importance to guide clinical practice and patients and also to prompt further research into some promising remedies.

"Despite no approved medication, our study suggests that a number of potentially effective solutions should be made more readily available through health professionals, ranging from creams to penile vibratory stimulation and psychological treatment, to help those who are living with this condition."