Do-It-Yourself Pain Relief
Continued
Giving Acupuncture a Shot
Acupuncture can help relieve the symptoms of fibromyalgia, according to researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. In one study, 50 people with fibromyalgia received either true acupuncture or simulated acupuncture every two to four days throughout a period of three weeks, for a total of six sessions.
People who received acupuncture showed the greatest improvements in anxiety and fatigue, the study showed. They did not report an increased level of activity or physical functioning; however, the study authors noted they were not looking for that in the study, and they did not encourage participants to change behaviors.
Acupuncture may be worth a shot, Dr. Crofford notes. “The studies have been mixed, but I still would consider it,” she says. “If you feel better on a treatment such as acupuncture and worse off it, that means it’s working for you, and that’s OK.”
Rubbing Away Pain
Some research suggests that massage can help relieve some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia – namely, pain, stiffness, fatigue and depression. Researchers from the Touch Research Institute in Miami suggest that massage may enable people with fibromyalgia to sleep longer and more soundly.
Deep sleep helps reduce levels of the chemical messengers for pain, and also may improve brain function. A lack of deep sleep is thought to contribute to the concentration and short-term memory problems experienced by people with fibromyalgia.
“I definitely recommend massage to a patient if I can’t get control of their symptoms in other ways,” says Dr. Clauw.
Read When Fibromyalgia Pain Will Not Let Up.
