Fibromyalgia
fibro - means fibrous tissue
myo - means muscle
algia - means pain
Fibromyalgia typically includes ongoing muscle pains throughout the body. As well as this, there can be issues with fatigue, mood, sleep and digestion. In Chinese medicine, we have our own 'pattern differentiation' for Fibromyalgia.
Arthritis New Zealand recommends a number of therapies to increase relaxation, in turn reducing fatigue and pain. Acupuncture, massage, infra red heat and Qigong are included in these recommendations.
A 2019 The Journal of Pain Research published a paper called 'Acupuncture therapy for fibromyalgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials'
Conclusion
Both Electro Acupuncture and Manual Acupuncture were better than sham acupuncture in relieving pain in the short term. Furthermore, acupuncture was more effective in relieving pain in both the short and long term compared with conventional medication. No serious adverse events were found during acupuncture. In brief, acupuncture therapy is an effective and safe treatment for patients with FM, and it can be recommended for the management of FM. However, more large-sample RCTs are needed to investigate the therapeutic effect of EA for FM in the long term.
Further Reading and Research
Acupuncture therapy for fibromyalgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6365227/
Fibromyalgia - Arthritis New Zealand
https://www.arthritis.org.nz/forms-of-arthritis/fibromyalgia/
Health Navigator
https://www.healthnavigator.org.nz/health-a-z/f/fibromyalgia/