18/04/2023
Did you know that NON-MEDICATION interventions are recommended as first-line treatment of FIBROMYALGIA?
The interventions with the most research backing include exercise/physical activity and psychological treatments.
A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis (cited below) has helped us to understand what interventions are effective for which symptoms of Fibromyalgia. We can then try to tailor treatment plans to the experience of the individual, based on which of their symptoms are troubling them most. For example, they found that:
• All forms of exercise (except for flexibility exercise) improved pain and depression
• Mind–body and strengthening exercises improved fatigue
• Aerobic (also called "cardio") and strengthening exercises improved sleep
• Psychological treatments (including cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness) improved pain, sleep, and depression - but not fatigue.
• Exercise, psychological treatments, multidisciplinary modality, balneotherapy, and massage reduced the overall functional impact of Fibromyalgia
These form part of WHAT you can do for managing Fibromyalgia but you could benefit from guidance from a pain-informed therapist on HOW to use them.
Reference: Kundakci, B., Kaur, J., Goh, S. L., Hall, M., Doherty, M., Zhang, W., & Abhishek, A. (2022). Efficacy of nonpharmacological interventions for individual features of fibromyalgia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Pain, 163(8), 1432-1445.
