Men experiencing premature ejaculation may find a new avenue for improving control and prolonging intercourse through the use of a smartphone application. Preliminary findings from a small, randomized trial suggest this digital approach could offer a significant advantage.
Premature ejaculation stands as the most prevalent sexual dysfunction among men, with estimates indicating it affects approximately one in three individuals. While various treatment options exist, including pharmaceuticals like topical anesthetics or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), these often require repeated administration and can carry the risk of side effects. Furthermore, the need to take medication in advance of sexual activity diminishes spontaneity.
Christer Groeben, based at Heidelberg University in Germany, highlighted the limitations of current medical interventions, stating, “The existing medical treatments are not curing the situation.”
The app in question, named Melonga, provides users with a structured curriculum, meticulously designed by psychologists and urologists. This program integrates arousal-awareness training, exercises targeting the pelvic floor muscles, mindfulness techniques, and cognitive behavioral strategies. Users are guided to identify their individual “point of no return” before ejaculation and learn to employ breathing exercises, relaxation methods, and the start-stop technique to manage arousal levels. The app also includes modules that promote communication with partners and address negative thought patterns through cognitive behavioral therapy.
In the conducted trial, eighty men were randomly assigned to either engage with the Melonga app or receive no structured intervention for an initial period of twelve weeks. Of the sixty-six participants who completed the study, those utilizing the app demonstrated a significant increase in their intravaginal ejaculation latency time, extending from an average of 61 seconds to 125 seconds. These positive results were observed after just four weeks of consistent use. In contrast, the control group, which did not use the app, experienced virtually no change in latency time.
Beyond the objective measurement of latency time, men who used the app reported that its benefits extended to their relationships. They noted a reduced negative impact on their partnerships and a general improvement in sexual enjoyment, directly linked to the sustained duration of intercourse.
While premature ejaculation can be influenced by underlying health issues such as prostate or thyroid conditions, and may sometimes co-occur with depression, the study’s inclusion criteria were specifically designed to ensure that only healthy participants were enrolled, thereby isolating the app’s effect.
Groeben presented these findings at the European Association of Urology congress held in London. Giorgio Russo, a researcher at the University of Catania, Italy, who was not involved in the study, commented on the medical approach to premature ejaculation. “Doctors prescribe pills much more than simple solutions,” Russo observed. He further explained that while pills may represent an easier, albeit less patient-centric, solution for physicians during brief consultations, the Melonga app offers a convenient and accessible alternative. “The app,” he remarked, “is like having a doctor on your phone,” empowering both men and their partners with the means to privately understand and address their premature ejaculation concerns.
Russo described the outcomes of the app, developed by the Netherlands-based health startup Prognoix, as “dramatic.” He highlighted that 22 percent of participants no longer met the clinical definition of premature ejaculation after using the application. “Improving just 1 or 2 minutes is a big result,” he emphasized, underscoring the practical significance of even modest gains.
Russo also pointed to anxiety as a contributing factor for many men experiencing premature ejaculation. He suggested that exercises like Kegels, focusing on pelvic floor muscle control, can aid in managing this anxiety and regulating the ejaculatory reflex.
The market already features a number of similar applications designed to address premature ejaculation. However, the Melonga app distinguishes itself through its evaluation in a controlled study. A notable advantage of a digital treatment approach is the inherent discretion it offers. Groeben articulated this point, stating, “A lot of patients don’t go to see their doctor about this condition because they feel a stigmatising effect when they sit in the waiting room with other patients.” The smartphone app bypasses this barrier, allowing for private engagement with the treatment.