Articles — fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is an ill-understood rheumatic disease causing a wide variety of symptoms that vary greatly from patient to patient. Wide-spread, deep burning pain is perhaps the most frequent symptom. Fibromyalgia pain occurs more commonly in the trunk, low back, hips, and shoulders. It is rare in the hands and feet. Onset is usually gradual and can interfere with even simple daily activities. It is more common in women and also has a stron association with mental stress and depression. Additional symptoms associated with fibromyalgia include fatigue, sleep disturbances, morning stiffness, headaches, irritable bowel-like symptoms, memory problems, anxiety and depression. Fibromyalgia...

Acupuncture and associated techniques are regularly used for a broad range of pain, neurological and psychological conditions.  The broad systemic affects of acupuncture appear to make it a valid treatment for a wide range of complex systematic conditions such as fibromyalgia and other related auto-immune/inflammatory based conditions.  To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture for fibromyalgia, Iranian researchers from the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in Shiraz, Iran, conducted a study comparing acupuncture treatment with fluoxetine (prozac).   30 patients with fibromyalgia were recruited and evenly divided into an acupuncture treatment group and a drug treatment group (fluoxetine, prozac).   Treatment was offered...