Assisted
Reproduction Therapy (IVF)
Erectile dysfunction
Inducing
Ovulation with Electro-Acupuncture for PCOS
Infertility Study
Low Sperm Quality
Male Sterility
Menopause
Sperm Density
The use of
acupuncture in the treatment of erectile dysfunction
Kho HG, Sweep
CG, Chen X, Rabsztyn PR, Meuleman EJ.
The efficacy
of acupuncture as a mono-therapy was evaluated in a pilot study
of 16 patients suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED). In nine
patients no organic co-morbidity was encountered. In a period of
four weeks, acupuncture treatment was performed twice a week for
a total of eight sessions. Each treatment session consisted of puncture
of the same eight acupoints, four of which were connected to a Swiss
made constant current Doltron ESA 600 stimulator. Low frequency
electrical stimulation (5 Hz and 10 mA) was applied to these four
acupoints, whereas no stimulation was applied to the other four
points. After 30min, the electrical stimulation was terminated and
all needles removed. Blood samples were drawn according to a fixed
time schedule, to study the profile of a number of stress hormones,
for example, adrenocorticotropic hormone, antidiuretic hormone and
cortisol, the gonadotrophines follicle stimulating hormone and leutinizing
hormone, and the sex steroid testosterone and its binding globulin,
within the treatment period. Based on a diary of both patient and
partner, and an interview one month after the end of treatment,
the changes of sexual activity were evaluated over a period of 12
weeks, starting from the four weeks prior to the treatment, the
four weeks during the treatment period and the four weeks after
the treatment. An improvement of the quality of erection was experienced
by 15% of patients, while 31% reported an increase in their sexual
activity. No changes in the profiles of hormones were detected.
The use of acupuncture as a mono-therapeutic modality in ED, did
not influence the profile of the stress and sex hormones, but did
improve the quality of erection and restored the sexual activity
with an overall effect of 39%. No definite conclusions can be drawn
from this pilot study. A controlled and blinded study including
more patients will be needed before any definitive conclusion can
be reached.
Int J Impot
Res 1999 Feb;11(1):41-6
