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Can manual therapy help women who have fibromyalgia?

July 25, 20201255 views0

According to the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association, there are 10 million people in America who have fibromyalgia (1). It’s estimated that around 75-90% of those who have the condition are women. However, researchers continue to look for treatments that may help bring relief to those who suffer from it. In addition one new study points to the idea of using manual therapy massage to help bring about relief.

The new study is published in the June 2020 issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2). Researchers took a group of women who have fibromyalgia and separated them into two different groups, an experimental group and the placebo group. After that the women who participated in the study were randomly chosen to be in each group.

The experimental group received a series of manual therapy sessions based on 15-minute connective tissue massages on the posterior cervical muscles. The placebo group, on the other hand, received a “treatment” that involved ultrasound sessions without a conductive gel, and with the machine turned off.

An assessment of each patient was conducted before and after each treatment. The assessment was done to determine where people were with their level of fatigue, pain, sleep quality, and mood. The goal of the study was to determine the effectiveness that a manual therapy technique would have on each of these areas.

What the researchers found

The women who received the manual therapy massages experienced a decrease in the perception of pain and muscle fatigue. They also had an improvement in their mood, because it helped to reduce their tension and anxiety. In addition they also found a relationship between fatigue and sleep variables.

Those who have fibromyalgia, however is considered to be one of the most common chronic pain conditions, tend to have chronic widespread muscle pain. They also commonly experience:

Fatigue
Sleep disturbances
Cognitive disorders
Mood disturbances

Combine all of these conditions together, and it can create a difficult situation for people to overcome.

Manual therapy helps who have fibromyalgia?

Those who experience fibromyalgia may consider engaging in manual therapy massage to see if it helps bring some relief. However this is just one more option that provides hope to the millions of people who suffer from chronic pain related to fibromyalgia. In addition, the more options we have that may bring relief, the better off we will be in being able to find ways to help our patients, loved ones, and ourselves.

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