Sep 26 2008
Research: Fibromyalgia and Alternative Health Approaches
Filed under Homeopathy, Uncategorized, holistic, holistic medicine by continuum wellness
Scand J Rheumatol.
Vegan diet alleviates fibromyalgia symptoms.
Department of Physiology, University of Kuopio, Finland.
The effect of a strict, low-salt, uncooked vegan diet rich in lactobacteria on symptoms in 18 fibromyalgia patients during and after a 3-month intervention period in an open, non-randomized controlled study was evaluated. As control 15 patients continued their omnivorous diet. The groups did not differ significantly from each other in the beginning of the study in any other parameters except in pain and urine sodium. The results revealed significant improvements in Visual analogue scale of pain (VAS), joint stiffness , quality of sleep, Health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), General health questionnaire (GHQ) , and a rheumatologist’s own questionnaire.
The majority of patients were overweight to some extent at the beginning of the study and shifting to a vegan food caused a significant reduction in body mass index (BMI) (p=0.0001). Total serum cholesterol showed a statistically significant lowering. Urine sodium dropped to 1/3 of the beginning values indicating good diet compliance.
It can be concluded that vegan diet had beneficial effects on fibromyalgia symptoms at least in the short run.
Acupuncture
Mayo Clinic study
Acupuncture Relieves Symptoms of Fibromyalgia, Mayo Clinic Study
Schmerz. 2008 Jun;22(3):324-33.
Alternative and complementary therapies in fibromyalgia syndrome
[Article in German]
Langhorst J, Häuser W, Irnich D, Speeck N, Felde E, Winkelmann A, Lucius H, Michalsen A, Musial F.
INTRODUCTION: Interdisciplinary S3 level guidelines were devised in cooperation with 8 medical, 2 psychological and 2 patient support groups. Results were elaborated in a multilevel group process. METHODS: On the bases of the “Cochrane Library” (1993-2006), “Medline” (1980-2006), “PsychInfo” (2006) and “Scopus” (2006) controlled studies and meta-analyses of controlled studies were analyzed.
RESULTS: Only few controlled studies were found supporting in part the effectiveness of CAM therapies in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome. Due to the lack of information on long term efficacy and cost-effectiveness, only limited recommendations for CAM therapies can be given.
CONCLUSION: Within a multicomponent therapy setting, selective CAM therapies (acupuncture, vegetarian diet, homeopathy, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, music-oriented and body-oriented therapies) can be recommended for a limited period of time.
Curr Pharm Des. 2006;12(1):47-57
Complementary and alternative medical therapies in fibromyalgia.
Sarac AJ, Gur A.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Medical Faculty, Dicle University, 21280 Diyarbakir, Turkey.
This article describes the studies that have been performed evaluating complementary or alternative medical (CAM) therapies for efficacy and some adverse events fibromyalgia (FM). There is no permanent cure for FM; therefore, adequate symptom control should be goal of treatment. Clinicians can choose from a variety of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic modalities. Unfortunately, controlled studies of most current treatments have failed to demonstrate sustained, clinically significant responses. CAM has gained increasing popularity, particularly among individuals with FM for which traditional medicine has generally been ineffective. Some herbal and nutritional supplements (magnesium, S- adenosylmethionine) and massage therapy have the best evidence for effectiveness with FM. Other CAM therapies such as chlorella, biofeedback, relaxation have either been evaluated in only one randomised controlled trials (RCT) with positive results, in multiple RCTs with mixed results (magnet therapies) or have positive results from studies with methodological flaws (homeopathy, botanical oils, balneotherapy, anthocyanidins and dietary modifications). Another CAM therapy such as chiropractic care has neither well-designed studies nor positive results and is not currently recommended for FM treatment. Once CAM therapies have been better evaluated for safety and long-term efficacy in randomised, placebo-controlled trials, they may prove to be beneficial in treatments for FM. It would then be important to assess studies assessing cost-benefit analyses comparing conventional therapies and CAM.
Rheumatology (Oxford), 2004 May;43(5):577-82. Epub 2004 Jan 20
Improved clinical status in fibromyalgia patients treated with individualized homeopathic remedies versus placebo.
Department of Psychiatry, Mel and Enid Zuckerman Arizona College of Public Health at the University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of individualized classical homeopathy in the treatment of fibromyalgia.
METHODS: This study was a double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial of homeopathy. Community-recruited persons (N = 62) with physician-confirmed fibromyalgia (mean age 49 yr, s.d. 10 yr, 94% women) were treated in a homeopathic private practice setting. Participants were randomized to receive oral daily liquid LM (1/50,000) potencies with an individually chosen homeopathic remedy or an indistinguishable placebo. Homeopathic visits involved joint interviews and concurrence on remedy selection by two experienced homeopaths, at baseline, 2 months and 4 months (prior to a subsequent optional crossover phase of the study which is reported elsewhere). Tender point count and tender point pain on examination by a medical assessor uninvolved in providing care, self-rating scales on fibromyalgia-related quality of life, pain, mood and global health at baseline and 3 months, were the primary clinical outcome measures for this report. RESULTS: Fifty-three people completed the treatment protocol. Participants on active treatment showed significantly greater improvements in tender point count and tender point pain, quality of life, global health and a trend toward less depression compared with those on placebo.
CONCLUSIONS: This study replicates and extends a previous 1-month placebo-controlled crossover study in fibromyalgia that pre-screened for only one homeopathic remedy. Using a broad selection of remedies and the flexible LM dose (1/50,000 dilution factor) series, the present study demonstrated that individualized homeopathy is significantly better than placebo in lessening tender point pain and improving the quality of life and global health of persons with fibromyalgia.
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Food can have a great effect on our health. So many people don’t realize that though. The first study you mentioned about vegan diet and fibromyalgia is a great example of that.
Massage therapy can also help relieve pain in fibromyalgia sufferers.
Hi Lovelyn,
Massage is great to use and so is homeopathy!
I have the 16 points that fibro is all about. It’s very painful. I find that doing stretches and walking help. Saunas are great to releive the pain. At night time I’ll use a heating pad on my chest area, that’s where my pain is the most. Hope this helps other sufferers.
Interesting post, i bookmarked your blog, best regards
Hi Spirulina,
Thanks!
I am writing to you from the Pacific Northwest Foundation about a case study that may be of interest to your research into fibromyalgia. While this was not a study undertaken by the Foundation, it was a case with which we have had access to in virtually every detail. This includes the chart notes (with the patient’s approval) as well as the observations and insights of the patient’s health care provider.
The case involves an adult female who had been disabled for eight years with diagnosed fibromyalgia. Within four months of treatment, she was able to backpack, regularly work a full day and have little or no pain.
As with all our studies, it is our hope to stimulate additional efforts to determine if these results were an aberration or have wider implications. To this end, we wanted to make you aware of the cast study (which can be found online at http://pnf.org/html/fibromyalgia.html), in the hope that it might prove useful as a starting point for research within your organization.
Thanks and kind regards,
Frank Cook
Pacific Northwest Foundation