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Electroacupuncture for sperm improvement in varicocele: a case report
Ida Nurwati1, Uki Retno Budihastuti1,2, Bhisma Murti3
1Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Jawa Tengah, 57126, Indonesia.
Background:
Varicocele is a common cause of male infertility, often associated with impaired sperm quality, hormonal imbalance, and increased DNA fragmentation. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been proposed as an adjunct therapy to improve reproductive parameters, but clinical evidence remains limited.
Case Description:
This case report describes a 38-year-old male with a varicocele treated at Dr. Moewardi General Hospital, Indonesia. The patient underwent 16 sessions of EA therapy. Sperm parameters and serum testosterone levels were measured before and after treatment. Following EA, sperm concentration improved from 5.2 to 6.7 × 106/mL, motility increased from 43% to 60%, and normal morphology rose from 1% to 3%. Testosterone levels increased from 329.6 to 596.2 ng/dL, while the DNA Fragmentation Index (DFI) decreased from 40% to 19.6%.
Conclusions:
This case suggests that EA therapy may improve sperm quality, enhance testosterone levels, and reduce DFI in a patient with varicocele. However, further controlled studies are needed to confirm these findings due to the limitations of a single case report.
