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BiofeedbackCognitive-Behavioral TherapyFibromyalgiaHypnosisPainRelaxation

Are psychological treatments effective for fibromyalgia pain?

JR

fibromyalgiaSome are effective, some are promising, according to researchers from the University of North Carolina, in Chapel Hill.

First, the details.

  • There were 14 studies of cognitive-behavioral therapy and operant-behavioral therapy.
  • 5 studies of relaxation, biofeedback, and hypnotherapy
  • 2 of writing intervention

And, the results.

  • The strongest research support for fibromyalgia pain is with cognitive-behavioral therapy and operant-behavioral therapy.
  • Relaxation as a single treatment has not been useful.
  • Hypnotherapy and writing intervention have mild treatment effects.
  • Psychological treatment is effective in fibromyalgia pain.
  • No studies of psychoanalytic therapy to treat fibromyalgia pain have been published.

The bottom line?
The authors believe more research is need.

A more recent review came to the same conclusion due to the poor level of study design in available research

11/20/09 20:38 JR; updated 6/29/11 JR

Hi, I’m JR

John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

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