Reference: 2026 | Issue 7 | Vol 12 | Page 52
A smartphone app designed to tackle the underlying psychological causes of premature ejaculation can significantly improve sex life and delay ejaculation, while offering a way to reduce stigma around the condition. Results from the first study to test a digital-first approach for treating premature ejaculation at home were presented at the European Association of Urology 2026 Annual Congress.
Premature ejaculation is a distressing issue affecting up to 30 per cent of men. Because the condition is highly stigmatised, only around 9 per cent of men seek medical help. The app teaches men several therapeutic techniques, tips and exercises designed by urologists and psychologists, as well as offering evidence-based information to men about the condition. This guided training is designed to help men manage arousal and better control when they ejaculate. It includes mindfulness, arousal awareness exercises, and cognitive behavioural therapy, as well as hands-on physical exercises to improve ejaculation control, like the start-stop technique.
The German-based CLIMACS study tested whether the information and therapeutic techniques taught to men through the Melonga App could help to delay ejaculation. The researchers recruited 80 men without other underlying health conditions into the 12-week programme. They were each given a series of health questionnaires about their physical and psychological experiences during sex and asked to use a stopwatch to measure the time from penetration to ejaculation. After 12 weeks, men in the control group – who had been given no other support from the study to manage their condition – were offered access to the app and followed up for 12 weeks. A total of 66 patients submitted complete questionnaires.
For app users in the study, the total time from penetration to ejaculation doubled after 12 weeks, increasing by an average of 64 seconds (from 61 seconds to 125 seconds). Men in the control group saw an increase of just 0.5 seconds on average.
Men using the app reported significantly improved control of their ejaculation during sex, reduced worry linked to ejaculation, and a reduced impact on their relationship. There was also a significant improvement in sexuality-related quality of life measures, like enjoyment and confidence, in men who used the app, compared with no change in the control group. After 12 weeks, 22 per cent of men who used the app were no longer experiencing premature ejaculation, based on self-reported measures.
“After 12 weeks, 22 per cent of men who used the app were no longer experiencing premature ejaculation”
The study’s lead researcher, Dr Christer Groeben from Marburg University and Medical Faculty Heidelberg at Heidelberg University, Germany, said: “Many men who live with premature ejaculation don’t seek help because of the shame associated with the condition. 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.
“The most commonly available pharmacy therapies are designed only to treat the symptoms, not the cause, meaning many men discontinue them after a while. These men can remain undertreated and live with a considerable psychological burden that really starts to affect the quality of their relationships. 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.”
