Can a Smartphone App Help Treat Premature Ejaculation?

A new study suggests that a smartphone app designed to help men manage premature ejaculation may improve symptoms and quality of life without requiring medication.

The research, called the CLIMACS Study, was presented at the European Association of Urology Annual Congress in London. It is the first study to evaluate a digital-first approach that allows men to work on treating premature ejaculation at home using a mobile application.

Premature ejaculation is one of the most common male sexual health concerns and can cause emotional distress, relationship challenges and reduced confidence. Despite how common it is, the condition is often underreported because many men feel embarrassed discussing it with a doctor.

“Many men who live with premature ejaculation don’t seek help because of the shame associated with the condition,” said lead investigator Christer Groeben, M.D., from Marburg University and Medical Faculty Heidelberg at Heidelberg University, Germany. “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.”

Investigators wanted to see whether a mobile health tool called the Melonga app could help men improve control over ejaculation using evidence-based behavioral techniques.

The study included 80 men who were randomly assigned to either use the app or receive standard care without the app for the first 12 weeks. After that period, some participants switched groups so researchers could compare results.

The app provides educational information about premature ejaculation along with guided exercises developed by urologists and psychologists. These exercises focus on improving awareness and control of arousal. Techniques include mindfulness practices, cognitive behavioral strategies, and physical training exercises such as the “start-stop” method, which teaches men to pause stimulation to delay ejaculation.

After 12 weeks, researchers found significant improvements among men using the app.

One of the main measures used in the study was the Premature Ejaculation Profile, which evaluates sexual satisfaction, control and distress related to ejaculation. Men using the app saw their scores increase by an average of 4.4 points, while the control group saw almost no change.

Another key measure looked at intravaginal ejaculation latency time — the time between penetration and ejaculation. On average, men using the app increased this time by about 64 seconds, from roughly one minute to just over two minutes.

“The most commonly available pharmacy therapies are designed only to treat the symptoms, not the cause, meaning many men discontinue them after a while,” noted Groeben. “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 normalizing the condition as treatable.”

Participants using the app also reported improvements in sexuality-related quality of life and lower scores on a diagnostic scale used to measure premature ejaculation symptoms.

Overall, about 22% of participants were considered to no longer meet the criteria for premature ejaculation after using the intervention.

Investigators say these findings suggest that digital tools could become an additional treatment option for men experiencing premature ejaculation, particularly for those who prefer privacy or want to try behavioral strategies before medication.

While larger studies are still needed, the results highlight the potential for digital health platforms to expand access to treatment for common but often stigmatized conditions.

“There’s much information and misinformation out there for men who find they have premature ejaculation, and 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,” said Giorgio Russo, M.D., associate professor of Urology at University of Catania, Italy. “The research shows it can completely treat almost a quarter of patients, which is a huge development because these men were treated without pills. I think it would now be interesting to build on this research with a larger study and look at the impact of a digital approach on the satisfaction of partners, rather than just users.”