[Painful ejaculation]

Abstract

Objective: To clarify definition, epidemiology, diagnosis, evaluation, etiologies and treatment of painful ejaculation (PE).

Material and methods: Review of the literature performed by searching the Medline database using keywords ejaculation, orgasm, pain, pelvic pain, sexual behavior.

Results: PE is a pelviperineal pain caused by ejaculation or orgasm. Its prevalence rate is between 1 and 4% amongst the general population. Mainly located in the penis, pain usually lasts less than 5 minutes. Assessment is clinical and there is no level of evidence about the strategy of complementary investigations. Benign prostatic hyperplasia, chronic pelvic pain syndrome, radical prostatectomy, prostate brachytherapy and some antidepressant medications are the best estimated etiologies found in the literature. A link between urogenital infections and PE is likely but not clearly established. Alpha-blockers had good therapeutic results in few low level of evidence studies.

Conclusion: The assessment of PE is not clearly defined. Some etiologies are known but PE may be a functionnal pain. Only high level of evidence studies would validate the use of the alpha-blockers as an efficient therapeutic option.

Keywords: Comportement sexuel; Douleur; Douleur pelvienne; Orgasm; Orgasme; Pain; Pelvic pain; Sexual behavior; Éjaculation.