How to Fix Retrograde Ejaculation for Sexual Satisfaction

Have you ever experienced a dry orgasm, where little or no semen comes out? It can be both confusing and frustrating, raising concerns about sexual wellness. You may also notice cloudy urine afterward, which occurs when the bladder neck fails to close correctly, causing semen to flow backward into the bladder instead of out of the penis. This condition, called Retrograde Ejaculation (RE), is more prevalent than most men realize and can affect both fertility and sexual confidence.

The good news? RE can often be managed with simple lifestyle changes, behavioral techniques, and targeted exercises to strengthen or relax your pelvic muscles. When natural approaches aren’t enough, medications can also help. 

In this guide, you’ll learn how to fix Retrograde Ejaculation through 4 methods, both natural and medical, so you know exactly what steps to take next.

Method 1. Adjust your lifestyle and dietary habits

Making changes to diet and lifestyle habits can help you manage the RE symptoms by supporting overall nerve and sexual health. Additionally, such changes can also naturally manage the causes of RE, such as Diabetes, with consistency: 

1. Proper diet and hydration

A nutritious diet and enough water help keep your pelvic muscles, nerve function, and blood circulation healthy, all of which are important for controlling ejaculation. You can improve your diet by:

• Fruit and vegetable intake: Focus on consuming a variety of fruits and vegetables enriched with antioxidants (such as spinach), zinc (like oysters), and omega-3 fatty acids (like salmon or tuna). These offer support to your sexual health by protecting nerves. 
• Staying hydrated: Drink plenty of water, approximately 2-3 liters per day, to avoid dehydration, which can affect muscle functioning. 

2. Manage stress

Although stress is not the root cause of RE, it can negatively impact your nervous system, which can indirectly influence ejaculation by impacting the nerves of your bladder neck. Moreover, stress is also a consequence of RE, so managing it can improve your quality of life. Do the following to reduce stress:

• Better sleep: Sleep helps regulate stress hormones. Therefore, aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Not just total hours, aim for consistent sleep timing as well. 
• Mind-body practices: To calm your nervous system, engage in activities that support both the body and mind, such as meditation or yoga. Do them for 10-15 minutes daily for gradual improvement in stress management. 
• Gentle activity: Engage in light exercises, such as swimming or walking, for 20-30 minutes daily. These gentle activities can help reduce your stress level and enhance your overall well-being. 

3. Avoid unhealthy substances

There are certain substances that you have to avoid eating or drinking, as their consumption can worsen your RE.

• High sugar intake and processed foods: Avoid fast food, refined carbohydrates (such as white bread), and excessive sugar, as they can interfere with hormonal balance and cause inflammation. 
• Alcohol: Try limiting or avoiding alcohol as it can damage your nerves and disrupt testosterone, your primary reproductive hormone. 
• Smoking: Completely avoid smoking cigarettes, as it can damage your blood vessels and impact sperm quality. 
• Recreational drugs: Recreational drugs like cocaine can interfere with your smooth muscle contractions and nerve function that are linked with ejaculation. 

Method 2. Start doing exercises for muscle health

Once you begin making adjustments to your diet and lifestyle habits, it’s time to combine these healthy changes with regular physical activity. Pelvic floor exercises are helpful as they support your bladder and help you gain control over ejaculation. These benefits can indirectly improve semen flow. Let’s discuss these exercises in detail:

1. Kegels

Kegels can help you when your RE is linked with aging, reduced muscle tone, and nerve weakness. If your pelvic floor muscles are weak, it can lead to poor closure of the bladder neck. Given below at the steps you can follow to strengthen the muscles involved in ejaculation: 

• Empty your bladder: Start with an empty bladder to contract the muscles correctly and safely.
• Find the right muscles: Imagine holding the gas or stopping your urine mid-flow. The muscles you are using to do so are the pelvic floor muscles.
• Tighten and release: Gently tighten your pelvic muscles without clenching your thighs, stomach, and glutes. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds, and then release for the same time. 
• Repeat and build endurance: Do 10 repetitions 2-3 times a day. When you feel your control is improving, gradually increase the hold time to 8-10 seconds. 

2. Pelvic floor relaxation (Down-training)

While Kegels help you strengthen the pelvic muscles, pelvic floor relaxation helps reduce pelvic tension, which, otherwise, can interfere with ejaculatory function. Relaxation exercises also improve semen flow by supporting muscle coordination. 

• Get comfortable: Sit or lie down to make yourself feel at ease. A relaxed position will help your muscles release tension.
• Deep breathing: Breathe into your belly through your nose. If your abdomen is rising naturally while doing so, you are doing it correctly. Then, exhale out through your mouth while imagining the pelvic area gently loosening. This method is also known as diaphragmatic breathing. 
• Sniff, flop, drop: Inhale (sniff) for 3 seconds, consciously relax your pelvic floor muscles by letting them go loose (flop). Next, exhale for 4 seconds through your mouth while imagining your pelvic floor sinking downward (drop). 
• Try stretches and poses: Combine the breathing exercises with simple stretching poses. Lie on your back with your knees wide, then hold them for a gentle pelvic stretch called the happy baby pose. Or kneel with your hips back and forehead down to do the child’s pose. 

Method 3. Practice techniques to control ejaculation

Behavioral control techniques help increase forward semen flow and awareness about ejaculation timing. It can reduce the chance of semen entering the bladder. You can practice these alongside pelvic exercises for better results. Some of the beneficial techniques are:  

1. Bladder emptying technique

When your bladder is empty, it increases the chances of the forward flow of semen. To do this technique, follow these tips:

• Urinate completely: Fully empty your bladder right before getting intimate with your partner. 
• Relax and focus: Keep your pelvic muscles relaxed as you proceed with sexual activity. 

2. Start-stop technique

This technique will help you become more aware of your ejaculatory reflex as well as arousal levels. Additionally, you can enhance your coordination and control, which can help prevent backward semen flow in mild cases of Retrograde Ejaculation.

• Stimulate normally: Start self sexual stimulation, or your partner can help you by massaging your penis, until you come closer to your climax. 
• Pause stimulation: You have to stop just before the point of ejaculation to regain your control. 
• Resume gradually: Once your arousal has slightly decreased, continue with the sexual stimulation. 
• Repeat cycle: It is safe to repeat the start-stop cycle 2-4 times in a single session. 

Tip: Start–stop can be paired with the squeeze technique for better control. When you feel close to ejaculation, pause stimulation and gently squeeze the base of the penis for 2–3 seconds, then resume once the urge goes away. You can repeat this 2–4 times in one session. 

Method 4. Shift to medical options

You should seek medical treatment options if natural approaches, such as dietary changes and regular exercise, do not offer improvement. Early medical intervention can prevent unnecessary worry and quicken your recovery time. 

1. Talk to a doctor

You can expect a few visits before a doctor decides the appropriate treatment for you. Here’s what you must do when visiting a doctor:

• Talk about symptoms: Explain changes in semen volume or urine appearance after orgasm, including absent or low semen.
• Reveal medical history:  Do not hesitate to share your complete medical history with the doctor. Include surgeries (prostate, pelvic), nerve injuries, or chronic conditions like Diabetes.
• Discuss your medications:  Share a complete list of all medicines and supplements with your doctor, especially antihistamines, antidepressants, and alpha-blockers, as these may contribute to RE.

2. Take prescribed medications

A doctor will prescribe medications based on the severity of your condition. Although the general recommended dose is provided below, consult a doctor for a personalized dose plan. Commonly prescribed medicines are as follows:

• Pseudoephedrine: It narrows the blood vessels in the bladder neck to prevent semen from flowing backward. Take 60 mg, 6 hours before ejaculation. 
• Imipramine: It is an antidepressant that strengthens the bladder neck muscles to prevent backward flow of semen. The standard maximum daily dose is 50 mg. 
• Brompheniramine and Chlorpheniramine: These are antihistamines that constrict the bladder neck during ejaculation. Safe dosages are Brompheniramine 8–16 mg daily and Chlorpheniramine 4 mg twice daily.  
• Midodrine: A blood pressure medicine that helps close the bladder neck and support forward semen flow, especially in nerve damage-induced RE. Start with 7.5–15 mg, gradually increasing to 30 mg daily if needed. Midodrine can be used with Pseudoephedrine as a combination therapy.

If nothing works for you, surgery is the last option, which is considered only if there are structural problems with the bladder neck or issues from a past surgery. It is rarely recommended, as most men respond well to the treatments we discussed above. There is nothing to worry about as your urologist will recommend this approach only after assessing the benefits and risks. 

Ultimately, by making adjustments in your lifestyle and practicing exercises like Kegels, you can gradually regain control over ejaculation and have a better sexual life. Remember, every case is unique, so consulting with a doctor can help you find the most effective approach.