The place of acupuncture in the management of psychogenic impotence.

Abstract

Successful sexual functioning is a complex process involving psychological and social responses as well as neurological, biochemical and vascular processes. Today it is believed that more than 50% of the sexual dysfunction cases have an organic etiology. Reflecting the controversy over the management of psychogenic impotence, there are several different methods which are currently in clinical use. In this prospective study we aimed to evaluate the curative effects of acupuncture therapy in men with purely psychogenic impotence. Of the 29 patients treated with this procedure 20 patients demonstrated successful erections following a varying number of acupuncture sessions. In the light of our findings we may conclude that acupuncture may be an effective alternative in the management of purely psychogenic impotence.