An ‘arousal training’ app could help men last twice as long in bed, a study has found.
The Melonga App guides users through a number of therapeutic techniques, tips and exercises designed by urologists and psychologists.
It is designed to help men manage arousal better and includes elements of cognitive behavioural therapy and physical exercises to improve ejaculation control without taking medicine.
The at–home self–help tool could benefit men who are hesitant to seek help because they are ashamed, researchers said.
And it could help the 20 to 30 per cent of men in the UK who are estimated to suffer from the issue, which is defined by ejaculating sooner than wanted during sex.
‘Many men who live with premature ejaculation don’t seek help because of the shame associated with the condition,’ lead researcher Dr Christer Groeben said.
‘Our study shows that, as an at–home self–help tool, this can support men to improve control of their ejaculation and achieve a satisfying sex life without losing spontaneity.
‘Going to a doctor for help can feel like a big first step, and so an app like this can help to bridge that gap by normalising the condition as treatable.’
Over a 12–week study, men who used the app lasted twice as long in bed compared to usual, the scientists said
The Climacs study, led by researchers in Germany, included 80 men with no other underlying health conditions who took part in a 12–week programme.
Each were given a series of health questionnaires about their experiences during sex and were asked to use a stopwatch to measure the length of time between penetration and ejaculation.
Researchers found that on average, app users doubled the time from penetration to ejaculation from 61 seconds to 125 seconds.
For comparison, men who did not use the app experienced an increase of just 0.5 seconds on average.
Remarkably, at the end of the 12 weeks, 22 per cent of app users reported no longer experiencing premature ejaculation.
Dr Giorgio Russo, associate professor of urology at University of Catania in Italy, and chairman of the EAU office of young academic urologists, said: ‘There’s much information and misinformation out there for men who find they have premature ejaculation.
‘So this app is devised by urologists and psychologists as a new way to bring together the most effective advice into a single, easily accessible and trusted, evidence–based resource.
‘The research shows it can completely treat almost a quarter of patients, which is a huge development because these men were treated without pills.’
The app contains elements of physical activity to help improve ejaculation control. Some features also encourage men to involve their partners
Melonga is currently available in Ireland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Belgium.
It costs €2.01 (the equivalent of around £1.75) per day for the most basic level, which includes reading material arranged in 12 ‘modules’.
It also included 77 bite–sized videos and 26 exercises to be performed on their own or with a partner.
Those who opt for the pricier option, of €4.52 (around £3.91 per day) will also have access to ‘incognito’ group sessions with an expert urologist and psychotherapist.
The researchers behind the app say the exercises require one to three hours of commitment per week to see results.
One 60–year–old user described the app as ‘extremely helpful’ for helping improve their premature ejaculation.
Others praised the structure of the app and they appreciated that it was scientifically–backed.
The findings, presented at the European Association of Urology Annual Congress (EAU26) in London, could provide another avenue of treatment for men that doesn’t require medical treatment.
‘The most commonly available pharmacy therapies are designed only to treat the symptoms, not the cause, meaning many men discontinue them after a while,’ Dr Groeben explained.
‘These men can remain under–treated and live with a considerable psychological burden that really starts to affect the quality of their relationships.’
Various psychological and physical factors can cause a man to suddenly experience premature ejaculation including prostate problems, recreational drugs, depression, stress or anxiety.
Current treatment options include taking antidepressants, Viagra, using thicker condoms and psychosexual counselling.
