How Effective is Acupuncture for Fibromyalgia?

The effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for Fibromyalgia very much depends on the individual being treated. Factors such as how long the Fibromyalgia has been present, the state and responsiveness of the central nervous system, patient expectation and belief, levels of pain and physical activity, etc, can all have a bearing on how well someone may respond to medical acupuncture treatment.

The key to a successful course of treatment, from my own clinical experience, is getting the ‘dose’ of treatment correct. This usually means having to be careful not to over-stimulate and not cause too much sensation with the acupuncture needles. Given that individuals with Fibromyalgia are usually already very sensitive, much care is needed when needling to ensure that is is done comfortably. Sometimes this requires some trial and error in the first couple of sessions to discover the right dosage for the individual.

In addition to acupuncture, advice must be given on the correct levels of exercise, as well as to provide an understanding of the physiological processes which occur with Fibromyalgia.

This ‘explaining pain’ can be very effective in helping people understand and come to terms with the condition and remove some of the mystery which can confuse and confound. On occasion, it may be necessary to liaise with your GP or rheumatologist with regards medication. There are certain types of pain medication which may complement the use of medical acupuncture and vice versa. As such a combined approach is sometimes useful and can be discussed with your Chartered Physiotherapist.

Is my Fibromyalgia getting better?

If your are responding to treatment, the severity/ intensity of your pain and sensitivity should decrease. You may also feel periods during the day when the pain is less present, not present at all and when it is present, it may not bother you as much. A better ability to cope with pain is also a goal of treatment as it may not be possible to alleviate the pain entirely given the nature of the condition. We would also look at activity levels as a way of determining progress. The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire is a validated outcome measure which can be used to generate a score, it can be used for comparison purpose during the course and at the end of treatment.

Normally we would start with a trial of 3-4 sessions to determine your responsiveness to a medical acupuncture based approach. If after this trial period, the results are good you may benefit from completing a course of treatment which may be up to 8 sessions. Progress is likely to be slow but steady if you respond to this type of treatment, with the cumulative effects of medical acupuncture developing week by week.

By Simon.

Please read: Related Articles on Fibromyalgia