Acupuncture & Fibro

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http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=53091

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Acupuncture significantly improves fibromyalgia symptoms, according to a study

by Mayo Clinic scientists.

The biggest improvements were seen in pain, anxiety, and fatigue. " However,

activity and physical function levels did not change, " write , MD,

PhD, and colleagues.

Their findings were presented in Sydney, Australia, at the International

Association for the Study of Pain's 11th World Congress on Pain.

About Acupuncture and Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome of chronic pain. It causes widespread pain and

tenderness in the muscles and soft tissue (including tender points) as well as

sleep problems, fatigue, and other symptoms.

Acupuncture has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. It

involves inserting needles in strategic parts of the body to improve the flow of

what practitioners call chi, or vital energy said to travel through the body on

energy pathways called meridians.

In recent decades, acupuncture has become more popular in the West, where it is

also getting research attention for a number of conditions, including pain

treatment.

Acupuncture Study

's study included 50 fibromyalgia patients whose symptoms hadn't improved

with other treatments.

Half of the patients got six acupuncture sessions over two or three weeks. The

other patients got the same schedule of fake acupuncture treatments.

Those who got true acupuncture had notably bigger improvements in fibromyalgia

symptoms than those who got fake acupuncture, write the researchers.

Results were based on questionnaires completed before the study, immediately

after treatment, and one and seven months later. The largest benefit was seen

one month after the treatments ended, the researchers note. They write that

acupuncture was well tolerated, with minimal side effects.