Varicocele from the Perspective of Persian Medicine

ABSTRACT Background and objectives: Varicocele has a relatively high prevalence in men and is a major cause of infertility in men. The disease has been discussed extensively in Persian medicine textbooks. Considering the importance of infertility and its impact on mental health and quality of life, we aimed to review the Persian medicine (Iranian Traditional Medicine) literature on the underlying causes, the process and treatment of varicocele. Methods: This descriptive review was carried out using 13 most authoritative sources of Persian medicine with the help of the Noor software. The search was conducted using the following keywords in their Persian medicine equivalents: "varicose", "testicles", "gonads" and "scrotum". Results: Varicocele was defined as tortuous dilation of testicular veins and their surroundings. Because of the coldness and the weaker nature of the left testicle, varicocele is more prevalent on this side. This could be related to the reduced purification of materials due to the path of left testicular arteries. For the treatment of this disease, the Persian medicine recommends a set of measures including dietary modifications, some oral and topical medications, and even phlebotomy. Conclusion: Studying the Persian medicine literature and utilizing the recommended therapies (after updating and confirming their efficacy in evidence-based research) can provide cost-effective, safer and simpler therapeutic approaches that can be complementary to the current therapies.