title: Effects of acupuncture and moxa treatment in patients with semen abnormalities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of Chinese Traditional Medicine, acupuncture and moxa treatment, on the semen quality in patients with semen abnormalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective, controlled and blind study, nineteen patients, aged 24 years approximately 42 years and married for 3 years approximately 11 years without children with semen abnormalities in concentration, morphology and/or progressive motility without apparent cause, were randomized into two groups and submitted to acupuncture and moxa treatment at the therapeutic (Study Group) and the indifferent points (Control Group), respectively, for 10 weeks. Semen analyses were performed before and after the treatment course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients of the Study Group presented a significant increase in the percentage of normal-form sperm compared to the Control Group (calculated U=16.0, critical U=17.0).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Chinese Traditional Medicine acupuncture and moxa techniques significantly increase the percentage of normal-form sperm in infertile patients with oligoastenoteratozoospermia without apparent cause.
authors.affiliation: Human Reproduction Division, Discipline of Urology, São Paulo Federal University, Paulista School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil. egurfa@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Edson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gurfinkel
authors.forename: Agnaldo P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Cedenho
authors.forename: Ysao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamura
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Srougi
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012661:Semen / Q000166:cytology*; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000002:abnormalities