Some people with fibromyalgia prefer so-called complimentary therapies, or fibromyalgia natural treatments. Some, for example, seek the help of a trained acupuncturist. The question is whether acupuncture and other alternative treatments have been proven effective. According to the American College of Rheumatology, the answer is that they haven't really been proven at all, either to be effective or ineffective.
When studies have been published, they tend to conflict one another, even when from esteemed research hospitals and universities. This curiosity is well-explored in a 2005 online newsletter piece from Elisabeth Deffner for the National Fibromyalgia Association.
In it she notes conflicting studies from the Mayo Clinic and the University of Washington regarding the efficacy of acupuncture in relieving symptoms of fibromyalgia, and takes the extra step of quoting researchers from each study. While the article itself is aimed at educating the reader on how to assess and interpret clinical study results, and not at the relative merits of acupuncture for fibromyalgia, she does finish with a quote from Dr. David Martin, the lead investigator on the Mayo Clinic study:
"I think the bottom line is that fibromyalgia symptoms probably do respond to acupuncture, although I wouldn't expect that acupuncture works for everyone, nor is acupuncture a cure for the syndrome. What is perhaps most important is that there are relatively few to no side effects to acupuncture performed with modern disposable needles."
Thus whether you want to pursue acupuncture or not is, like any treatment decision, ultimately up to you. Going into such a treatment - into any treatment - with a positive attitude will go some way in determining whether or not it will relieve some of your symptoms, before the procedure even begins.
Other complimentary therapies for fibromyalgia include:
- Therapeutic massage
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Chiropractic
- Tai Chi
- Physical therapy
- Myofascial release therapy
- Water therapy
- Light aerobics
- Acupressure
- Relaxation exercises
- Breathing techniques
- Aromatherapy
- Biofeedback
- Herbs and nutritional supplements
MyFibro.com does not make fibromyalgia natural treatment recommendations nor dispense medical advice; only a physician is qualified to determine the proper treatment for any patient. We present the following information for general education purposes only.
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