Impotence and hypnosis

Of 79 men in whom clinical and laboratory examinations revealed no organic cause for their impotence; 20 men received testosterone, 21 received trazodone, 20 underwent hypnosis and 18 served as placebo controls. They were assessed by interview 4, 6 and 8 weeks after starting treatment: the patient's reports were verified by interviewing their partners. Placebo men had a 39% improvement in sexual function v. rates of improvement in the testosterone, trazodone and hypnosis groups of 60%, 67% and 80%, respectively, none of which reached significance.

Although the improvement was not statistically significant, probably because of the small numbers of subjects involved, the differences were wide, especially in comparison to placebo. Treatment with testosterone and trazodone could be used as an adjuvant therapy in nonorganic male sexual dysfunction, and hypnosis appeared to be the most superior to placebo. A more effective treatment may be obtained by combining these therapeutic modalities. Hypnosis, as I have noted before, continues to be markedly underused, and has great potential to engage and harness the inner pharmacy within each patient.