Premature ejaculation could be cured with a new stick-on patch that uses electric impulses to relax the pelvic muscles, scientists say.
The battery-powered patch, which is about a square inch in size, can increase the time before ejaculation fourfold, according to research.
The single-use patch is placed on the perineum – the area between the anus and the scrotum – ten minutes before intercourse.
It works by transmitting mild electrical impulses to the muscles at the base of the penis which contract and force semen out during ejaculation.
Scientists say that this neuromuscular transcutaneous electrical stimulation keeps the muscles contracted for several minutes and temporarily prevents the rhythmic contractions needed for ejaculation.
The strength of the electrical impulses can be controlled by an app, researchers said.
A study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research last year showed that stimulating these muscles can help with premature ejaculation.
Researchers gave 20 men a commercially available electrical stimulation device to use.
They found that ejaculation time had increased by 3.5 times, according to the study at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa.
Now scientists at Stanford University are trialling the new adhesive patch with men in the US.
They’ll be asked to use the patch before sex for the next four months.
Professor Raj Persad, a consultant urologist at Bristol Urology Associates, told the Daily Mail: “No treatment for premature ejaculation has been found to be ideal.
“The approach draws on the potential for using the pelvic floor muscles. Results are encouraging and, if proven of clinical value, may be a cost-effective way of treating this distressing problem for men.”
Ejaculation is classed as premature when it occurs within one minute.
However intercourse typically lasts far longer – with studies suggesting that the average time is around 5.5 minutes.
It’s a major concern for many blokes, with 30 percent of lads reporting to have been affected by the condition last year.
According to the NHS, a number of psychological and physical factors can cause premature ejaculation.
Physical reasons include prostate problems, thyroid problems and recreational drugs.
Meanwhile psychological problems include depression, stress, relationship problems or anxiety about sexual performance.