Complementary Techniques

There are mixed reports regarding the effectiveness of most complementary/integrative techniques. Since fibromyalgia (FMS) can be frustrating and hard to treat, it is common for people to try some of them for FMS symptom relief. Some people are helped by complementary techniques while others are not. The quality and amount of research supporting these approaches varies from therapy to therapy. Always talk to your health care provider first before using a complementary/integrative therapy.

Use caution when going to alternative practitioners who use these techniques. There is no firm scientific evidence of their usefulness in treating FMS. It is easy to fall victim to unscrupulous or uneducated practitioners when you are desperate to find pain relief. Unfortunately, unregulated delivery of health care increases the risks of a bad treatment outcome. The “cure” can sometimes be worse than the illness. Ask the person doing these alternative techniques if they are licensed or certified in their practice.

• Acupuncture – Invented in China thousands of years ago, this practice involves putting long, thin needles into specific points along the body to relieve pain and discomfort. Acupuncturists believe that a healthy body contains channels through which energy flows. When these channels are blocked, energy cannot flow, and bad health can occur. Needles are inserted into the blocked areas to correct imbalances and open up the energy channels again. Little quality research has been done to accurately reflect the benefit of acupuncture for treating FMS.

• Ayurvedic – Ayurveda, which means the “science [or knowledge] of life,” began in India thousands of years ago. It consists of a combination of therapies including yoga, massage, metals and herbs. Ayurvedic medicine focuses on harmony of the mind, body and spirit. It is believed that if man, his health and the universe are out-of-balance, health problems occur. Ayurvedic therapies help to cleanse the body and restore balance so man can be healthy.

• Biofeedback – This involves a learning process using visual or sound-based feedback. Biofeedback allows you to train your mind and body to control or normalize the way you respond to pain. It makes you more aware of your body and helps you learn how to relax and relieve pain. Electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback may be helpful for patients with FMS. Patches are put on the skin. The EMG machine measures muscle activity and makes a sound to tell the patient how tense and stressed the muscles are. The patient can use these sounds to practice techniques for relieving muscle tension and discomfort caused by FMS.

• Herbal, nutritional and hormone supplements – The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate these medicines. Limited research is available about their effectiveness. Always ask your health care provider before taking your regular and prescription medicines and these supplements at the same time. Mixing medicines and supplements may result in harmful effects to your body. Some supplements that people with FMS have tried include:
  • 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP)
  • Botanical oils such as ginger and pine oils
  • Chlorella pyrenoidosa
  • Growth hormone
  • Serum Dehydroepiandosterone Sulphate (DHEAS)
  • S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM or SAM-E)
  • Magnesium
  • Melatonin
  • Nicotinamide Adenine Dehydrogenase (NADH)
  • Siberian Ginseng
  • St. John’s Wort
  • Valeria

• Hypnosis – This involves entering an altered state of consciousness whereby suggestions inserted while in that state can lead to changes in behavior. For example, using hypnosis to treat pain may help to alter your physical sensations. Self-hypnosis involves inducing an altered state of consciousness – and thus controlling pain sensation – by yourself.

• Homeopathic medicine – Homeopathy is an alternative, non-toxic approach used to treat illness and relieve discomfort in a wide range of health conditions. This practice is based on using the “law of similars” to cause a healing response. The law of similars states that a substance that will cause disease symptoms in a healthy person can, when given in homeopathic dilutions to an ill individual, prompt the same set of symptoms to begin a healing response. Homeopathic “remedies” must be prepared in a certain way. The dilution used will depend on the symptoms being treated.

• Manipulation – Chiropractors, osteopathic physicians and manual therapists most commonly do manipulations. Manipulation involves the movement of tissue by the laying on of hands. When done gently, it may be referred to as "mobilization." Doctors of Chiropractic and Osteopathy often do manipulations that are called "adjustments." Patients may feel short-term pain relief from this therapy. Many prefer these interventions because they avoid the possible side effects of medicines or problems related to surgery. Long-term and on-going dependence on these therapies for pain relief is discouraged.

• Massage – This technique can help decrease stress and soothe tense muscles. Other benefits include increasing blood flow to the tissues and helping the muscles get rid of toxic waste. The effect of massage alone for treating FMS has not been researched. It has been combined with other FMS treatments in a few studies. If massage is used, it should be combined with other FMS treatments. Some patients with FMS say that massage is relaxing and pleasant, but it must be done in a gentle, less rigorous manner.

• Relaxation Breathing – Breathing techniques help your body relax and take your mind off of everyday worries. Practice relaxation breathing by breathing in through your nose as you count to four, hold it as you count to seven, and breathe out through your mouth while you count to eight. It may seem silly or uncomfortable at first, but relaxation breathing will feel more natural with practice. Slow, steady relaxation breathing can help you relax tense muscles. Truly focusing on your breathing can help you break a cycle of negative thoughts.

• Visual imagery – This technique is the practice of using your imagination to create mental pictures that may help reduce stress and relieve your pain. Typically, this involves closing your eyes and picturing something in your mind. For example, you may picture a healing energy washing over your body, or the “wires” to the pain being cut.

• Yoga – Yoga is a great way to improve flexibility and muscle tone, develop good deep breathing and relaxation techniques and decrease stress. Developed 5,000 years ago, yoga is an exercise that focuses on physical postures called asanas and breathing exercises called pranayma. As with any exercise program, ask your health care provider before beginning yoga. Begin your yoga practice in a class where an instructor can help you learn to do the postures and breathing correctly.

More Information

Acupuncture and Massage
Meditation
Using Complementary Therapy to Relieve Pain
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine