A smartphone app designed to address the causes of premature ejaculation could help men last longer in bed, reveals a study presented at the European Association of Urology Annual Congress (EAU26), held in London.

The tool could also benefit those who hesitate to seek medical help due to embarrassment, the authors point out.

“Many men who live with premature ejaculation do not seek help due to the shame associated with the condition,” says lead author Christer Groeben of the University of Marburg in a statement from the UAE. “Our study shows that, as a self-help tool at home, this can help men improve their ejaculation control and achieve a satisfying sex life without losing spontaneity,” he adds. A common and undertreated dysfunction: Premature ejaculation affects men who ejaculate sooner than desired during sexual intercourse, usually within 60 seconds of penetration. According to the study, this dysfunction affects up to 30% of men, is highly stigmatized, and only 9% seek medical assistance. Its causes are complex and include relationship problems and factors such as anxiety, stress, and depression. The most common treatments, such as pills or creams, only relieve the symptoms without addressing the root cause.

“The most common over-the-counter therapies are designed only to treat the symptoms, not the cause, which means that many men discontinue them after a while,” says Groeben.

Many of them may “live with a considerable psychological burden, which really begins to affect the quality of their relationships,” he adds.

What the Melonga app does

The app, called Melonga, guides users through therapeutic techniques, tips, and exercises designed by urologists and psychologists.

It includes elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy and physical exercises aimed at improving ejaculation control and better managing arousal.

Study Results in Germany

The Climacs study, led by researchers in Germany, included 80 men with no underlying health conditions during a 12-week program.

Participants completed questionnaires about their sexual experiences and timed the time between penetration and ejaculation. At the end of the period, 66 patients submitted completed questionnaires.

Users of the app doubled their ejaculation time on average: from 61 to 125 seconds.

Men who did not use the app experienced an increase of just 0.5 seconds.

In addition, nearly 22% of those who used Melonga reported that after 12 weeks they no longer experienced premature ejaculation.

An app designed by urologists and psychologists

Groeben suggests that this app can help “normalize the condition as something treatable.”

Meanwhile, Giorgio Russo, associate professor of urology at the University of Catania and president of the EAU's office of young academic urologists, highlights the tool.

“There is a lot of information and misinformation for men who discover they have premature ejaculation, so this app has been designed by urologists and psychologists as a new way to bring together the most effective advice into a single reliable, evidence-based, and easily accessible resource,” he points out.

“Research shows that it can completely treat almost a quarter of "This is a huge step forward for the patients, because these men were treated without pills," he emphasizes. "It would be interesting to expand this research with a larger study and look at the impact of a digital approach on the satisfaction of partners, rather than just users," Russo concluded. Melonga is currently available in Ireland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Belgium. JU (DPA, European Association of Urology, Climacs)Approximately 22% of those who used Melonga reported that after 12 weeks they no longer experienced premature ejaculation.

An app designed by urologists and psychologists

Groeben suggests that this app can help “normalize the condition as something treatable.”

Meanwhile, Giorgio Russo, associate professor of urology at the University of Catania and president of the EAU's Office of Young Academic Urologists, highlights the tool.

“There is a lot of information and misinformation for men who discover they have premature ejaculation, so this app has been designed by urologists and psychologists as a new way to bring together the most effective advice into a single, reliable, evidence-based, and easily accessible resource,” he points out.

“Research shows that it can completely treat almost a quarter of patients, which is a huge breakthrough because these men were treated without pills,” he emphasizes.

“It would be interesting to expand this research with a larger study and look at the impact of a digital approach on couples' satisfaction, rather than just user satisfaction,” Russo concluded. Melonga is currently available in Ireland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Belgium. JU (DPA, European Association of Urology, Climacs)Approximately 22% of those who used Melonga reported that after 12 weeks they no longer experienced premature ejaculation.

An app designed by urologists and psychologists

Groeben suggests that this app can help “normalize the condition as something treatable.”

Meanwhile, Giorgio Russo, associate professor of urology at the University of Catania and president of the EAU's Office of Young Academic Urologists, highlights the tool.

“There is a lot of information and misinformation for men who discover they have premature ejaculation, so this app has been designed by urologists and psychologists as a new way to bring together the most effective advice into a single, reliable, evidence-based, and easily accessible resource,” he points out.

“Research shows that it can completely treat almost a quarter of patients, which is a huge breakthrough because these men were treated without pills,” he emphasizes.

“It would be interesting to expand this research with a larger study and look at the impact of a digital approach on couples' satisfaction, rather than just user satisfaction,” Russo concluded. Melonga is currently available in Ireland, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, and Belgium. JU (DPA, European Association of Urology, Climacs)