Autoimmune Diseases Fibromyalgia

Treatments for Fibromyalgia (FMS)

Overview

Participating in clinical trials can give patients access to newly emerging treatments for fibromyalgia and help scientists find a cure. (Also see Autoimmune Diseases, and Overview of Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)

Clinical Trials: Fibromyalgia. A list of current and new clinical trials in the United States on Fibromyolgia. Center Watch.

Alternative Therapies

Impact of water therapy on pain management in patients with fibromyalgia (FMS): current perspectives. Water therapy is recommended as a nonpharmacologic therapeutic approach in the management of FMS patients, improving pain, fatigue, and quality of life. PubMed, J Pain Res, 2019 Jul 3;12:1971-2007.

A new approach to the improvement of quality of life in fibromyalgia (FMS): a pilot study on the effects of an aquatic Ai Chi program. A water–based Ai Chi program may contribute to the improvement of mental and physical health and the quality of life in women with FMS. PubMed, Int J Rheum Dis, 2018 Aug;21(8):1525-1532.

Cognitive Therapy

Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) in the Treatment of Fibromyalgia: A Randomised Trial. Depressive symptoms and the impact of the illness were reduced and maintained in the MBCT group of women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. No significant changes were found in the reduction of intensity of pain. Cognitive Therapy and Research.

Exercise

Association of patterns of moderate–to–vigorous physical activity (MVPA) bouts with pain, physical fatigue and disease severity in women with fibromyalgia: the al–Ándalus project. The results suggest that longer bouts of continuous MVPA are associated with better symptoms profile in this population, which needs to be corroborated in longitudinal research. PubMed, Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 01/05/2019.

Low Level Laser

Low–level laser therapy (LLLT) and anesthetic infiltration for orofacial pain in patients with fibromyalgia (FM): a randomized clinical trial. The LLLT by Gallium–Aluminum–Arsenide (GaAlAs) and anesthetic infiltration of lidocaine 2% were equally effective to control orofacial pain in FM individuals. PubMed, Med Oral Patol Oral Cir Bucal, 2018 Jan 1;23(1):e65-e71.

Medications

How is Fibromyalgia Treated? Three medicines have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat fibromyalgia. These are pregabalin (Lyrica), duloxetine (Cymbalta), and milnacipran (Savella). MedicineNet.

Analysis of the analgesic effects of tricyclic antidepressants on neuropathic pain, diabetic neuropathic pain, and fibromyalgia in rat models. Para-sciatic injection of amitriptyline at different concentrations has analgesic effects on neuropathic pain, diabetic neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia in rat models. PubMed, Saudi J Biol Sci, 2020 Sep;27(9):2485-2490.

Efficacy of pregabalin (PGB) as a monotherapy versus combined pregabalin and milnacipran (MLN) in the management of fibromyalgia. The combined therapy of PGB with MLN did not demonstrate superiority over the monotherapy of PGB. PubMed, Int J Rheum Dis, 09/04/2020.

Hope for fibromyalgia sufferers as experts discover common diabetes drug “eradicates pain”. Fibromyalgia and other forms of chronic pain may be caused by insulin resistance, groundbreaking new research suggests. The Sun, 05/08/2019.

Patients' perspective of the effectiveness and acceptability of pharmacological and non–pharmacological treatments of fibromyalgia. This article presents results from a large online survey on fibromyalgia patient perspectives of pharmacological and non–pharmacological treatments. PubMed, Scand J Pain, 10/13/2018.

The relationship of endocannabinoidome lipid mediators with pain and psychological stress in women with fibromyalgia (FM)– a case control study. This study reports about elevated plasma levels of endocannabinoidome lipid mediators in FM. PubMed, J Pain, 06/06/2018. (Also see Endocannabinoid System)

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation

Pain Management and Nerve Blocks. Nerve blocks are sometimes highly effective in providing temporary relief for muscle and joint pain caused by fibromyalgia.WebMD.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Is high–frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the left primary motor cortex superior to the stimulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in fibromyalgia syndrome? Significant improvements in physical role functioning, physical functioning, depression, and general health perceptions were achieved in active rTMS groups. PubMed, Somatosens Mot Res, 2019 Apr 8:1-7.

Adding Prefrontal Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Before Occipital Nerve Stimulation (ONS) in Fibromyalgia. This study suggests that adding right–anode bifrontal tDCS to ONS has no added benefit in improving fibromyalgia–related symptoms. PubMed, Clin J Pain, 2018 May;34(5):421-427.

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