An Innovative Acupuncture Treatment for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disease that causes widespread pain
and increased sensitivity to pain because of a dysfunction in the central
nervous system. This study investigated the effect of music combined with
vibration on acupuncture points for the treatment of FM. A total of 120
patients with FM were allocated randomly to four groups (30 patients each). One
group listened to a sequence of Bach's compositions. The second group was
subjected to vibratory stimuli on a combination of acupuncture points on the
skin. The third group (complete) underwent both procedures in a simultaneous
and synchronized manner, with inclusion of binaural beats. The fourth group
(control) received no stimulation. The participants underwent the experimental
procedure during five sessions performed on alternate days. They were assessed
by the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Health Assessment
Questionnaire (HAQ) before the first session and after the last session (20
days). All groups showed a significant improvement in FIQ and HAQ scores at the
evaluation after the intervention. The complete group exhibited the best result
on both the FIQ and HAQ (p<0.001), and the improvement in HAQ score was
significant (p<0.004). The results suggest that the placebo effect in FM may
be substantial. However, comparison between groups revealed that the complete
group had the greatest reduction in both FIQ and HAQ, with a significant
improvement in HAQ, suggesting that the combined use of music and vibration
exerts a greater effect on FM symptoms.
Source: Weber A,
Werneck L,
Paiva E,
Gans P.
Effects of
Music in Combination with Vibration in Acupuncture Points on the Treatment of
Fibromyalgia. J Altern
Complement Med. 2015 Jan 30.
No comments:
Post a Comment