Acupuncture for fibromyalgia syndrome
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1. Overview
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) causes pain all over the body as well as increased sensitivity to pain, fatigue and muscle tension.
Around 1 in 25 people in the UK population suffer from fibromyalgia and chronic pain.
2. Symptoms
Symptoms of fibromyalgia include whole body pain, sensitivity, poor sleep, headaches, tiredness, stiffness, poor memory and concentration, dizziness, restless leg syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome.
3. Causes
The cause of fibromyalgia in Chinese medicine a chronic deficiency, which makes energy and blood slow down, which causes the pain.
4. Treatment for fibromyalgia
Successful alternative medicines that can treat fibromyalgia include those used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In TCM, fibromyalgia is a chronic deficiency causing stasis (pain) in the body. Acupuncture treatments can help to reduce the pain and allow the body to build up strength.
Because this is a chronic conditions, it can take several months to successfully treat fibromyalgia patients if they follow medical advice. Making changes to lifestyle and diet together with taking Chinese herbs can greatly speed up the process of recovery.
Randomized controlled trials have shown the effectiveness of acupuncture as a complementary therapy for the treatment for fibromyalgia versus sham acupuncture. Clinical trials have shown long term benefits and can improve a person's quality of life.
5. Fibromyalgia factsheet
For further information, read the acupuncture for fibromyalgia factsheet.
References
David P. Martin, Christopher D. Sletten, Brent A. Williams, Ines H. Berger, Improvement in Fibromyalgia Symptoms With Acupuncture: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial, Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Volume 81, Issue 6, 2006, Pages 749-757, ISSN 0025-6196, https://doi.org/10.4065/81.6.749.
Sprott, H., Franke, S., Kluge, H. et al. Rheumatology International (1998) 18: 35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002960050051.
Targino, Rosa Alves; Imamura, Marta; Kaziyama, Helena H. S.; Souza, Luiz P. M.; Hsing, Wu Tu; Furlan, Andra D.; Imamura, Satiko Tomikawa; Neto, Raymundo Soares Azevedo, Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, Volume 40, Number 7, July 2008, pp. 582-588(7), Medical Journals Limited, DOI: https://doi.org/10.2340/16501977-0216.
