Alternative treatment for fibromyalgia

Moral of the story: an alternative to drugs for fibromyalgia

Source: AMA Morning Rounds 8/22/10

Tai chi may be effective therapy against fibromyalgia.

The New York Times (8/19, A16, Belluck) reports, "The ancient Chinese practice of tai chi may be effective as a therapy for fibromyalgia, according to a study published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine."

        For the study, "doctors randomly assigned 66 fibromyalgia patients to take either a 12-week tai chi class or attend a 'wellness education' class that included stretching exercises," USA Today (8/19, Szabo) reports. "After finishing the course, 79% of tai chi participants said their symptoms had improved, compared with 39% of those in the educational class, the study shows. It was financed by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a branch of the National Institutes of Health."

        The AP (8/19, Marchione) reports that an editorial accompanying the study "called the results 'provocative' and 'striking,' but said that it's unclear how much of the benefit is due to a placebo effect. The results need to be repeated in a larger study," the editorialists concluded.

        According to the Los Angeles Times (8/18, Roan) "Booster Shots" blog, "how tai chi works to reduce fibromyalgia symptoms is unknown, but it is likely a multi-factorial impact that includes improved muscle strength, psychosocial well-being, relaxation and rest that 'may raise pain thresholds and help break the 'pain cycle,' the authors wrote."

        CNN /Health.com (8/19, Storrs) reports, "Previous research has shown that tai chi can help relieve the symptoms of arthritis and other pain conditions, but this study is the first controlled trial to examine its effectiveness as a treatment for fibromyalgia, which affects an estimated 10 million Americans."

        The Boston Globe (8/18, Lee) "White Coat Notes" blog, WebMD (8/18, DeNoon), HealthDay (8/18, Goodwin), and MedPage Today (8/18, Neale) also covered the story.