Study Indicates Which Alternative Therapies Work Best in Fibromyalgia

[Cort]

Big proviso here. Not all alternative therapies are studied and some on the list may not have been studied enough AND you really have to find your way with these diseases; some things that work for others might not work for you. They also don't say how effective these approaches are - at least in the abstract. They simply say whether they were positive or not.

With that said this is what they found:

• Consistently positive results were found for: tai chi, yoga, meditation and mindfulness-based interventions, hypnosis or guided imagery, electromyogram (EMG) biofeedback, and balneotherapy/hydrotherapy.
• Inconsistent results were found for: qigong, acupuncture, chiropractic interventions, electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback, and nutritional supplements.
• Inconclusive results were found for homeopathy and phytotherapy.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26246841

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:610615. doi: 10.1155/2015/610615. Epub 2015 Jul 13. A Systematic Overview of Reviews for Complementary and Alternative Therapies in the Treatment of theFibromyalgia Syndrome.Lauche R1, Cramer H1, Häuser W2, Dobos G1, Langhorst J1.
Abstract

Objectives. This systematic overview of reviews aimed to summarize evidence and methodological quality from systematic reviews of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Methods. The PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Scopus databases were screened from their inception to Sept 2013 to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses of CAM interventions for FMS. Methodological quality of reviews was rated using the AMSTAR instrument. Results. Altogether 25 systematic reviews were found; they investigated the evidence of CAM in general, exercised-based CAM therapies, manipulative therapies, Mind/Body therapies, acupuncture, hydrotherapy, phytotherapy, and homeopathy. Methodological quality of reviews ranged from lowest to highest possible quality.


Consistently positive results were found for tai chi, yoga, meditation and mindfulness-based interventions, hypnosis or guided imagery, electromyogram (EMG) biofeedback, and balneotherapy/hydrotherapy.

Inconsistent results concerned qigong, acupuncture, chiropractic interventions, electroencephalogram (EEG) biofeedback, and nutritional supplements. Inconclusive results were found for homeopathy and phytotherapy.

Major methodological flaws included missing details on data extraction process, included or excluded studies, study details, and adaption of conclusions based on quality assessment. Conclusions. Despite a growing body of scientific evidence of CAM therapies for the management of FMS systematic reviews still show methodological flaws limiting definite conclusions about their efficacy and safety.

 

[VJ Knutson]

I am repeating myself here, but I find acupuncture, meditation/visualization, restorative yoga, and Therapeutic Touch all help me. As I am unable to tolerate medications, these are my mainstays. My greatest obstacle is myself - trying to incorporate practice everyday - distractions are readily available, lol. I also think humour goes a long way to promoting health and think this could be a worthwhile personal experiment.

 

[Cort]

I am repeating myself here, but I find acupuncture, meditation/visualization, restorative yoga, and Therapeutic Touch all help me. As I am unable to tolerate medications, these are my mainstays. My greatest obstacle is myself - trying to incorporate practice everyday - distractions are readily available, lol. I also think humour goes a long way to promoting health and think this could be a worthwhile personal experiment.

Thanks VJ - being disciplined about this is my main hangup as well. Thanks for the reminder

 

[tatt]

VJ have you tried magnesium? Some people still don't realise that you dont have to take tablets (the cheapest ones cause diarrhoea but there are types that don't) but can absorb it through the skin by either spraying it on or, if you can take baths, soaking in water that contains it. When the victorians prescribed sea bathing they weren't completely wrong as sea water also contains magnesium.

What the review actually said in the main body of the text was "The comprehensive reviews also included nutritional supplements, some of which had limited evidence [52], while others were considered ineffective [53]." Looking further "For nutritional supplement one review from 2003 [52] found positive results while one review from 2011 [53] found negative evidence. One could assume that nutritional supplements are not effective in the treatment of FMS."

My conclusion is different - not enough controlled trials. When I had severe pain magnesium took the edge of it when nothing else, including medication, was working. (Medication helped eventually but it had to build up to work) Reviews of magnesium products on Amazon are about 70% positive and most of the others couldn't take diarrhoea or dry skin, two side effects of magnesium oxide and the magnesium sprays.

 

[VJ Knutson]

I haven't tried magnesium, but have just been thinking about it - a friend who had similar symptoms to me did, and swears by it. There is a liquid product called Calm, which I see advertised - was going to look into that. I don't believe any of us in a position to wait on science - we need to be our own testing grounds.

On another note, I have cut back on some of the supplements I am taking, as it seems like too much, and I'm not sure what is working and what is not - probiotics for sure seem to keep my gut settled, and digestive enzymes. I am taking an immune boost, which I also think helps, as well as an adrenal boost - all herbals obtained through my doctor of Chinese medicine. I was taking Vitamin B12, D, C, however; she seemed to think that vitamins are not well absorbed by the body, and that too much D can damage the liver (she used to be a liver specialist). I was also taking Omega 3, but unsure (tends to harm my gut).
With this overhaul, I am now thinking of starting magnesium.
Any other experiences?