ABSTRACT
Thirty patients with fibromyalgia were randomly subdivided into 3 groups of 10 patients each. Each group received either 6 acupuncture treatments or 6 placebo treatments with a disconnected laser equipment or no treatment at all (control subjects). The changes in pain were documented before and after treatment by a visual analogue scale, a pain score, dolorimetry, and the help of a questionnaire to supplement symptoms of autonomic nerve disease. The initial occurrence of each symptom was also recorded. It was possible to recognize trends in diagnosis and to test therapeutic procedures. The questionnaire gives a general idea about the patient's psychic status, the perception of his motor apparatus, and his vegetative symptoms.
Patients treated with acupuncture showed a significant decrease of positive “tender points” and an increase of pain threshold. The increase of pain threshold, however, was not significant compared with controls. The results on the visual analogue scale showed no significant changes between the examined groups after treatment. There was a tendency of pain reduction in all groups. The pain score showed this tendency only in the group treated with acupuncture after application, but without statistical significance. No significant changes could be traced in a written inquiry 2 months after the last treatment.
This treatment is only sensitive within a comprehensive therapeutic concept, as an adjuvant therapy in combination with other therapeutic strategies. The clinician is cautioned not to use acupuncture as the only remedy. Acupuncture is a good additional method to relieve or to eliminate states of pain in patients suffering from fibromyalgia.
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