Acupuncture for Fibromyalgia
Sat, June 24, 2006 at 05:17AM Fibromyalgia is a chronic painful condition - there is widespread muscular pain and stiffness, and a number of separate tender points can be found in the muscles around the neck and shoulders. There are often general symptoms like fatigue and insomnia, and there may be other health problems – e.g. irritable bowel syndrome, Raynaud’s syndrome (cold white fingers), headache, and nerve tingling or numbness. It’s estimated that over 3½ million people in the USA are afflicted – ¾ of them are women.
A controlled study of acupuncture in the treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms has been reported by Mayo Clinic researchers. Twenty five patients were given acupuncture (6 sessions over a 2-3 week period) and 25 received ‘sham acupuncture’. One month after starting acupuncture, pain severity had decreased significantly, as well as fatigue and anxiety. The benefits had fallen off by 7 months.
How great was the effect? The researchers say that it was of similar magnitude to that reported for medications, such as antidepressants, Prozac (fluoxetine), and Tylenol (acetaminophen). This suggests that acupuncture may be come a favorite option for fibromyalgia sufferers . . .
Commercial break: If you have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia the internet is a great place to find answers to your medical questions. With thousands of medical sites on the web it's easier than ever to find out anything you want to know, from symptoms to treatment and success stories.
Reader Comments (2)
Thank YOu
Michelle