Acupuncture helps men with azoospermia

Light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to examine semen before and 1 month after acupuncture treatment.

The study group originally contained three severely oligoteratoasthenozoospermic, two pseudoazoospermic and 15 azoospermic patients. The control group was comprised of 20 untreated males who underwent two semen examinations within a period of 2-4 months and had initial andrological profiles similar to those of the experimental group.

No changes in any of the parameters examined were observed in the control group. A definite increase in sperm count was detected in the ejaculates of 10 (67%) of the 15 azoospermic patients, 7 of whom exhibited post-treatment spermatozoa that were detected even by LM.

The sperm production of these seven males increased significantly, from 0 to an average of 1.5 x 106 spermatozoa per ejaculate (p=0.01).

Males with genital tract inflammation exhibited the most remarkable improvement in sperm density (on average from 0.3 x 106 spermatozoa per ejaculate to 3.3 x 106 spermatozoa per ejaculate; p=0.02).

The researchers concluded that acupuncture may be a useful, nontraumatic treatment for males with very poor sperm density, especially those with a history of genital tract inflammation.

Reference

Siterman, et al. (2001) Does acupuncture treatment affect sperm density in males with very low sperm count? A pilot study. Andrologia, 32: 31-9.