The treatment of Premature Ejaculation or rapid ejaculation is highly dependent on the causes determined behind it. However, the implementation and impact of self-help techniques are grossly underrated. During the treatment journey, sexual health experts also aim to equip their patients with tools that could help them cope with their diagnosis. This includes behavioral techniques such as the stop-start technique – it involves controlled sexual stimulation.
Stop-Start Technique
This is a technique which is also called ‘edging’ and is useful in learning to delay the ejaculation time In the beginning, the man attempts to do this via a series of masturbation exercises.
Once you understand where the point of no return is’ (the point beyond which ejaculation seems inevitable), transfer this knowledge and understanding during sexual intercourse with your partner.
The following are the steps for this technique.
Aim to do this exercise at least three times a week.
Try to do the exercise when you have some energy left and not as the last activity of the day when you’re tired or after consuming a heavy meal, alcohol, etc.
Ensure that there is enough privacy and that you will not be disturbed
Make sure you have minimal interruptions (i.e. shut off phones, alarms, etc.)


You need to start to stimulate (through masturbation) the penis until you get to a 5 on the scale, at this point, you stop stimulating. This may lead to the erection dropping down, when it gets to a 1 or 2, start stimulating again and this time get it to a 6 on the imaginary scale and allow it to drop down again. Start the stimulation and repeat it once or twice more before allowing yourself to cross the point of no return (8) and ejaculate.
Doing this exercise by yourself over a couple of weeks should give you an idea about your threshold for ejaculation.
This knowledge can then be transferred to sexual intercourse with your partner or during mutual masturbation with them. You can guide your partner into how the stimulation should be and at what point should they slow down so that you can delay the ejaculation time.
Key Takeaways
- The start-stop technique involves stimulation of the penis just before you orgasm, and then pausing till you feel the urge to ejaculate diminish. This, when repeated and practiced several times allows you to better understand and identify your sexual arousal levels just before you orgasm. You then learn how to control and delay your ejaculation.
- The start-stop method, a type of behavioural techniques (and effective) is commonly implemented alongside pharmacological treatment or medical management such as Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5) or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) anaesthetic creams (numbing creams), and/or analgesic effects. All treatments help in gaining better ejaculation control.
- During sexual activity, you shouldn’t keep a time goal or time limit in mind. Behavioural-based treatment alongside exercises such as this will help in pelvic floor muscles rehabilitation and in understanding levels of stimulation. Performance anxiety is common is those that experience PE symptoms, and exercises such as these will help you gain confidence in the bedroom.
- Ejaculatory Dysfunction is common, and while it may seem daunting to explore your sexual pleasures, we encourage you to be open-minded and seek the right help.
- Premature Ejaculation treatments are based on the cause behind your symptoms, an holistic evaluation is imperative.
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