Dealing with premature ejaculation can be a frustrating, stressful experience. It’s also a very common one. About one in three men will experience premature ejaculation at some point in life, making premature ejaculation one of the most common sexual dysfunctions. Premature ejaculation, or PE, is a lack of control over ejaculation. If you have PE, you might ejaculate just a few minutes or seconds after penetration. It’s also quite common to ejaculate during foreplay. While it’s quite common for PE to happen occasionally, when it occurs regularly, it can take a major toll on your sex life. People use all types of things to help with the issue, but lidocaine spray for premature ejaculation is surprisingly successful.
Lidocaine sprays, which lower sensitivity in the tip of your penis, can help you last longer during sex and deal with PE for good.
Below, we’ve explained how and why premature ejaculation happens, how lidocaine spray can help and how you can use lidocaine to treat PE and enjoy better sex with your partner. We’ve also answered some of the most common questions about using lidocaine spray to treat PE.
Why Does Premature Ejaculation Happen?
Before we get into why premature ejaculation happens, it’s important to cover what premature ejaculation actually is. Clinically, premature ejaculation is defined as ejaculation “with minimal stimulation before, on or shortly after penetration and before the person wishes it.”
On average, it takes about five-and-a-half minutes for a man to ejaculate during sex. However, there’s no specific time used to diagnose premature ejaculation. Instead, premature ejaculation is usually diagnosed based on factors such as:
- Difficulty having sex without preventing ejaculation
- Ejaculating almost immediately after penetration
- Disappointment or anxiety about your sexual performance
There’s also a frequency component to PE. It’s totally normal to ejaculate earlier than you’d like to sometimes. PE occurs when you frequently ejaculate during foreplay or just after penetration, to the point that it affects your sexual enjoyment and self-confidence.
It’s worth noting that premature ejaculation is very common. Studies show that as much as 39% of men will experience PE at some point, meaning you’re definitely not alone if you experience PE.
Now, let’s get into why premature ejaculation happens. Unlike other medical conditions, there’s no single cause for PE. Instead, a variety of psychological and physical factors can all contribute to premature ejaculation.
Physical factors include:
- Sensitivity. Some men experience premature ejaculation because of a sensitive penis, which causes them to ejaculate earlier than expected.
- Prostate and/or thyroid problems, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), can contribute to PE.
Psychological factors include:
- Anxiety about sexual performance can increase your risk of experiencing premature ejaculation, especially early in a relationship.
- Depression, stress and other psychological issues can affect sexual performance, causing you to ejaculate early during foreplay or penetrative sex.
- Other relationship problems can also affect your sexual performance and contribute to premature ejaculation.
Our Premature Ejaculation 101 guide goes into more detail on the main causes of PE, as well as common theories about PE that aren’t completely accurate.
How Lidocaine Spray Can Treat Premature Ejaculation
Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that’s used to numb specific areas of tissue. It’s one of the most popular anesthetics in the world, applied either locally as a spray or cream, or by injection into specific parts of the body.
If you’ve ever had dental surgery, you’ve probably had lidocaine or a similar anesthetic applied to your gums.Yes, the same stuff the dentist gives you before a root canal is the same stuff you can spray on your penis to rejuvenate your bedroom game. We know; what a time to be alive.
Anyway, lidocaine works by reducing sensitivity in your skin tissue. When it’s applied to your penis, lidocaine makes you feel less during foreplay and penetrative sex. This means you’re less likely to ejaculate earlier than you or your partner would like you to.
Studies of lidocaine sprays show that they work extremely well as a treatment for PE. In a 2003 study, men with PE went from an average intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IVELT) of just 84 seconds without the spray to 11 minutes and 21 seconds with it.
The men who used the lidocaine spray didn’t report any negative effects on their orgasm quality or sexual experience. While lidocaine spray affects your sensitivity during sex, it doesn’t overly numb your penis or reduce sexual enjoyment.
As well as increasing the average time to ejaculate, the lidocaine spray also improved sexual enjoyment for the men and their partners. The men involved in the study and their partners both reported a significant, consistent improvement in sexual satisfaction from the spray.
How to Use Lidocaine Spray
Using lidocaine spray for premature ejaculation is simple. Apply lidocaine delay spray to the underside of the head and shaft of your penis 10 to 15 minutes before sex. Then, rub it in a circle-shaped pattern until the spray is absorbed by your penis.
Lidocaine delay spray is sold in a metered dose bottle, allowing you to apply one or several sprays to your penis. It’s best to start with one metered dose spray before sex. If you don’t notice a major improvement in ejaculation time, you can increase the dose within the instructions provided.
Everyone is different, meaning you might need multiple sprays before you achieve your desired level of sensitivity. Once you’ve worked out your dosage, it’s easy to use lidocaine spray before sex to reduce sensitivity to your desired level.
It’s best to wipe your penis with a wet towel or take a shower prior to sex to make sure there’s no spray left on your skin. Don’t forget to wipe your hands, as the lidocaine can numb your skin if it’s left there for too long.
It takes five to 15 minutes for lidocaine spray to start working, meaning you’ll want to wait before you start foreplay or sexual activity.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lidocaine Spray
Is Lidocaine Spray Safe?
Lidocaine is one of the world’s most common, thoroughly tested anesthetics. Overall, it’s safe and well tolerated by the vast majority of people. If you are allergic to lidocaine, you should not use lidocaine sprays to treat ED.
Does Lidocaine Spray Have Side Effects?
Used at a normal dose, lidocaine spray side effects are minimal, if non-existent. However, it’s possible to experience lidocaine spray side effects if an excessive amount of spray is used. The most common lidocaine spray side effects are:
- Temporary loss of sensitivity, which could lead to difficulty maintaining an erection during foreplay or penetrative sex
- Skin irritation and/or a burning sensation
- Excessive numbness due to overuse of the spray
Most side effects of lidocaine spray can be avoided by using a small dose of the medication at first, before gradually increasing the dose based on your experience and results.
Can You Use Lidocaine Spray if Your Partner is Pregnant?
Lidocaine is an FDA category B medication, meaning it hasn’t been proven safe for use during pregnancy. Because of this, it’s best to avoid using lidocaine sprays or other lidocaine products if your partner is pregnant.
Is it Safe to Use Lidocaine Spray With Viagra and Other ED Drugs?
Topical lidocaine and Viagra (sildenafil) do not interact with each other and are considered safe to use at the same time. Some studies have looked at the use of Viagra and topical lidocaine in combination as a treatment for PE with no reported negative effects.
How Long Do the Effects of Lidocaine Spray Last?
The effects of lidocaine can last for up to three hours. Most of the time, you’ll notice the numbing effects of lidocaine spray for about one hour after applying it to your penis.
Should You Apply Lidocaine Spray While Erect or Flaccid?
You can apply lidocaine spray while your penis is erect or flaccid. Make sure to apply the spray to the head and shaft of your penis, as these areas are the most sensitive during foreplay and penetrative sex.
Is Lidocaine Spray Safe for Oral Sex?
As long as your partner doesn’t have a lidocaine allergy, lidocaine spray is safe for oral sex. As well as waiting for 10 to 15 minutes after applying the spray, it’s best to either wipe your penis with a wet towel or take a shower to wash away any excess spray before oral sex.
Can You Use Lidocaine Spray With a Lubricant?
Lidocaine spray is completely safe to use with a sexual lubricant. Make sure to wait for 10 to 15 minutes before sex to ensure the spray is effective and to wash off any remaining spray before sexual activity.
Can Lidocaine Spray Reduce Sensitivity for Your Partner?
Provided you wait for 10 to 15 minutes before sex, it’s uncommon for lidocaine sprays to have any effect on your partner’s level of sensitivity during sex. Make sure to wash away any excess spray before sex to reduce the risk of transferring topical lidocaine to your partner.
Does Lidocaine Spray Protect From Pregnancy or STDs?
Lidocaine spray is not a form of contraception and should not be used to prevent pregnancy. It also doesn’t provide any protection from STDs, meaning you’ll want to use a condom or other form of protection to stay safe.
Other Ways to Treat Premature Ejaculation
Lidocaine spray is one of the most effective ways to treat premature ejaculation. However, it’s far from the only treatment option. Other ways to increase ejaculation time and treat premature ejaculation include:
- SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) medication, such as sertraline, which can delay ejaculation and improve sexual performance in men prone to PE. Studies of sertraline show that it can increase ejaculation time by as much as 1,000%. No, that's not a typo.
- Sexual techniques, such as the “stop-start” strategy and the “squeeze” technique, can reduce sensation during sexual activity and help you avoid ejaculating earlier than you’d like to.
- Masturbating before sex. As simple as it sounds, masturbating before sex can help to increase your ejaculation time. During the refractory period (the recovery time between orgasms), it’s significantly more difficult for you to orgasm again during sex.
- Behavioral therapy. Studies show that behavioral therapy can be an effective treatment for PE. In one study, men with PE who were treated using a six-time therapy course had higher CIPE-5 scores (a score used to assess sexual function) than before treatment.
Our guide to preventing premature ejaculation covers all of these treatments in more detail, with real, science-backed data for each treatment option.
Learn More About Premature Ejaculation
Dealing with premature ejaculation can be a stressful experience. However, it doesn’t need to be permanent. From lidocaine spray to behavioral exercises, there are countless ways to treat PE and improve your sexual performance.
From key causes to symptoms, our Premature Ejaculation 101 guide goes into more detail on how PE happens, how it’s diagnosed and how you can treat it.
Important Safety Information
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Do not take Sildenafil (sildenafil citrate) if you:
- take any medicines called nitrates, often prescribed for chest pain, or guanylate cyclase stimulators like Adempas (riociguat) for pulmonary hypertension. Your blood pressure could drop to an unsafe level
are allergic to sildenafil, as contained in Sildenafil and REVATIO, or any of the ingredients in Sildenafil
Discuss your health with your doctor to ensure that you are healthy enough for sex. If you experience chest pain, dizziness, or nausea during sex, seek immediate medical help
Sildenafil can cause serious side effects. Rarely reported side effects include:
- an erection that will not go away (priapism). If you have an erection that lasts more than 4 hours, get medical help right away. If it is not treated right away, priapism can permanently damage your penis
- sudden vision loss in one or both eyes. Sudden vision loss in one or both eyes can be a sign of a serious eye problem called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). Stop taking Sildenafil and call your healthcare provider right away if you have any sudden vision loss
sudden hearing decrease or hearing loss. Some people may also have ringing in their ears (tinnitus) or dizziness. If you have these symptoms, stop taking Sildenafil and contact a doctor right away
Before you take Sildenafil, tell your healthcare provider if you:
- have or have had heart problems such as a heart attack, irregular heartbeat, angina, chest pain, narrowing of the aortic valve, or heart failure
- have had heart surgery within the last 6 months
- have pulmonary hypertension
- have had a stroke
- have low blood pressure, or high blood pressure that is not controlled
- have a deformed penis shape
- have had an erection that lasted for more than 4 hours
- have problems with your blood cells such as sickle cell anemia, multiple myeloma, or leukemia
- have retinitis pigmentosa, a rare genetic (runs in families) eye disease
- have ever had severe vision loss, including an eye problem called NAION
- have bleeding problems
- have or have had stomach ulcers
- have liver problems
have kidney problems or are having kidney dialysis have any other medical conditions
Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Sildenafil may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect the way Sildenafil works, causing side effects. Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take any of the following:
- medicines called nitrates
- medicines called guanylate cyclase stimulators such as Adempas (riociguat)
- medicines called alpha-blockers such as Hytrin (terazosin HCl), Flomax (tamsulosin HCl), Cardura (doxazosin mesylate), Minipress (prazosin HCl), Uroxatral (alfuzosin HCl), Jalyn (dutasteride and tamsulosin HCl), or Rapaflo (silodosin). Alpha-blockers are sometimes prescribed for prostate problems or high blood pressure. In some patients, the use of Sildenafil with alpha-blockers can lead to a drop in blood pressure or to fainting
- medicines called HIV protease inhibitors, such as ritonavir (Norvir), indinavir sulfate (Crixivan), saquinavir (Fortovase or Invirase), or atazanavir sulfate (Reyataz)
- some types of oral antifungal medicines, such as ketoconazole (Nizoral) and itraconazole (Sporanox)
- some types of antibiotics, such as clarithromycin (Biaxin), telithromycin (Ketek), or erythromycin
- other medicines that treat high blood pressure
- other medicines or treatments for ED
Sildenafil contains sildenafil, which is the same medicine found in another drug called REVATIO. REVATIO is used to treat a rare disease called pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Sildenafil should not be used with REVATIO or with other PAH treatments containing sildenafil or any other PDE5 inhibitors (such as Adcirca tadalafil)
Sildenafil does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.
The most common side effects of Sildenafil: headache; flushing; upset stomach; abnormal vision, such as changes in color vision (such as having a blue color tinge) and blurred vision; stuffy or runny nose; back pain; muscle pain; nausea; dizziness; rash.
Sildenafil (sildenafil citrate) is prescription medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED).
Sildenafil is not for women or children.