Posted by TENA/DIAMOND on 9/6/2009, 10:43 pm, in reply to "Alternative Treatments for Fibromyalgia #1"
Alternative Treatments for Fibromyalgia#2
How well do they work?
(continued)
Acupuncture and Fibromyalgia Treatment continued...
Acupuncture involves inserting needles at points on the body to improve flow of chi/Qi -- the vital energy that travels through the body's energy pathways, the meridians.
Studies show that acupuncture can have dramatic effects on a person’s EEG, blood flow, and breathing rate. Acupuncture has also been linked to the production of endorphins (natural opiates) as well as brain chemicals, including serotonin and cortisol.
"In acupuncture, they're stimulating pressure points, just as we do with massage," Field says.
In one study, fibromyalgia patients got six acupuncture treatments over a two- to three-week period. Compared to patients who got fake treatments, the acupuncture patient had less fatigue and fewer anxiety symptoms one month after treatment compared to the "fake" acupuncture group.
Acupressure is another alternative treatment that can help ease fibromyalgia symptoms. Acupressure involves finger pressure rather than needles, but works on the same meridians and chi points as acupuncture. People who don’t like needles often choose acupressure over acupuncture.
Moist Heat, Cold Packs, and Fibromyalgia Treatment
Warm baths, ice packs, and pressure are the tried-and-true home remedies for many ailments. You burn yourself -- you immediately apply ice or hold it under cold water. Your joints hurt, you want moist heat. You hit your elbow, you're inclined to grab it.
There's a scientific reason why we instinctively do these things. "Temperature and pressure are very, very similar in pain control," Field says.
They reduce inflammation and pain by stopping the pain signal, she explains. "It's called the 'gate theory of neurons.' Temperature neurons and pressure neurons seem to be longer and more insulated than pain neurons. The more insulated the neuron is, the faster the message is going to travel."
Apply cold water, moist heat, or pressure -- and it closes the gate to the next signal, which is the pain signal. "Temperature and pressure neurons travel faster than pain neurons," says Field. "They're protective."
Field suggests this pain-relieving trick:
Rub painful trigger points with a hard object (like a tennis ball or dowel rod). It's called self-massage, and it is very effective, she says. "People rub their arms and face with the tennis ball. They use a dowel rod on their legs. They're stimulating the pressure receptors, which helps end the pain. It works -- and it's something people can do on their own."
SOURCES:
Tiffany Field, PhD, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine.
WebMD Feature: The Miracle of Massage Therapy.
WebMD Public Information for the U.S. National Institutes of Health: Understanding Alternative Medicine.
WebMD Feature: Diagnosing Fibromyalgia.
WebMD Medical Reference: Natural Therapies and Alternative Treatments for Fibromyalgia. WebMD Medical News: Acupuncture Good for Fibromyalgia?
National Fibromyalgia Association: The Yin and Yang of Fibromyalgia Syndrome."
Reviewed on April 29, 2008
© 2008 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
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