Alternative Treatment for Fibromyalgia

Alternative treatment for fibromyalgia can consist of things like massage, chiropractic treatments, or acupuncture. Some people also turn to herbs or dietary supplements to treat their condition. One important thing to keep in mind about using dietary supplements to treat fibromyalgia is that information about a supplement's side effects, proper dosages, and the quantity of the active ingredient it contains may not be well-known (since the FDA does not regulate the sale of dietary supplements).

 

An Overview of Fibromyalgia Alternative Treatments

Many people report varying degrees of success with complementary and alternative treatment for fibromyalgia. These alternative treatments for fibromyalgia can include:
 
Chiropractic Medicine
The word "chiropractic" refers to manual manipulation of the spine. Chiropractic medicine is a pain treatment option that continues to grow in popularity among many people with fibromyalgia. It has never been without controversy, however. This is because there have been very few studies looking at the effectiveness of this alternative treatment and the study results have been inconclusive.
 
Acupuncture
Acupuncture dates back 2,500 years and involves the application of needles to precise points on the body. It is part of a general category of healing called traditional Chinese or Oriental medicine. Acupuncture remains controversial, but is quite popular and may one day prove to be useful for a variety of conditions as it continues to be explored by practitioners, patients, and investigators. In fact, in a study published in 2006, acupuncture was shown to help fibromyalgia symptoms, including anxiety and fatigue.
(Alternative Treatment for Fibromyalgia Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD