An estimated 5 million Americans suffer from fibromyalgia, with 80 to 90 percent being women. The disorder was no cure for the symptoms of widespread pain and tenderness -even with a slight touch to the skin- but tailored acupuncture may work as a fibromyalgia treatment, according to a recent study.
The study on the use of acupuncture for patients fibromyalgia symptoms was conducted by Dona Mercedes Primary Health Centre, in Seville, Spain. 91 percent of fibromyalgia sufferers use complementary treatments such as hydrotherapy, acupuncture and massage because of a lack of medical treatments, according to one study’s findings.
“This treatment produced an improvement in the participant’s’ condition […] Such an outcome has not been reported by previous studies following the application of standardized treatments: therefore, our results suggest that applying individualized treatment algorithms when starting a course of acupuncture may be important.”
The study compared the difference of tailored acupuncture versus sham acupuncture in 153 patients, according to Dr. Teresa Leiva, leader of the research team. Sham acupuncture uses the same guide tubes just like the genuine acupuncture, but without inserting needles. The sessions were 20 minute weekly sessions for 9 weeks. Regular prescriptions were continued as usual.
Questionnaires were completed that addressed the patients’ levels of depression, pain and the disease’s daily impact on their lives. These were completed pre-trial then again at 10 weeks, 6 months and 12 months. The study found at the 10-week mark, a 41 percent decrease in pain from the tailored group over a 27 percent decrease in pain from the sham group. Again, at the 12-month mark, the tailored group and sham group had a 20 percent and 6 percent decrease in pain, in that order.
Previous clinical trials testing acupuncture’s efficacy have been inconclusive, but these studies did not tailor the course of acupuncture to suit the individual needs of each fibromyalgia patient.
Fibromyalgia is a rheumatic condition because it damages soft tissue and joints and creates pain. Additional symptoms of fibromyalgia include; headaches, muscle stiffness, irritable bowel syndrome and sensitivities to bright lights, sounds and temperatures. The causes of fibromyalgia are unknown but it has been hypothesized to come from traumatic life events and recurring injuries.
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