11)
TITLE:
Electroacupuncture in fibromyalgia: results of a controlled trial
AUTHORS:
Deluze C, Bosia L, Zirbs A, Chantraine A, Vischer TL
AFFILIATION:
Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
SOURCE:
Journal: BMJ 305 (6864): 1249-1252 (Nov 21 1992)
NLM ID:
93120934.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the efficacy of electroacupuncture in patients with fibromyalgia, a syndrome of unknown origin causing diffuse musculoskeletal pain. DESIGNThree weeks' randomised study with blinded patients and evaluating physician.
SETTING
University divisions of physical medicine and rehabilitation and rheumatology, Geneva.
PATIENTS
70 patients (54 women) referred to the division for fibromyalgia as defined by the American College of Rheumatology. INTERVENTIONS--Patients were randomised to electroacupuncture (n = 36) or a sham procedure (n = 34) by means of an electronic numbers generator. MAIN
OUTCOME MEASURES
Pain threshold, number of analgesic tablets used, regional pain score, pain recorded on visual analogue scale, sleep quality, morning stiffness, and patient's and evaluating physician's appreciation.
RESULTS
Seven of the eight outcome parameters showed a significant improvement in the active treatment group whereas none were improved in the sham treatment group. Differences between the groups were significant for five of the eight outcome measures after treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
Electroacupuncture is effective in relieving symptoms of fibromyalgia. Its potential in long term management should now be studied. Electroacupuncture*
12)
TITLE:
Coping with chronic pain: assessing narrative approaches.
AUTHORS:
Kelley P, Clifford P
AFFILIATION:
School of Social Work, University of Iowa, Iowa City, USA. [email protected]
SOURCE:
Soc Work 42 (3): 266-277 (May 1997)
NLM CIT ID
97297626
Individuals suffering from chronic pain are of concern to social workers because such pain disrupts job, family, and overall social functioning and can lead to depression, excessive health concerns, and withdrawal from activities. This article discusses a project developed to gain understanding of the experiences of people suffering from fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition with no visible symptoms, and to test the use of narrative approaches in group work with this population. The study used a qualitative ethnographic approach as the primary method and also used some quantitative measures to assess the usefulness of the approach. Both qualitative and quantitative findings suggest that narrative approaches helped participants find their own strengths and means of coping and helped them find identities other than as patients.
(13)
TITLE:
Psychiatric and psychologic aspects of fibromyalgia syndrome.
AUTHOR
Goldenberg DL
AFFILIATION:
Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
SOURCE:
Rheum Dis Clin North Am 15 (1): 105-114 (Feb 1989)
NLM CIT. ID:
89129518
Most previous psychologic and psychiatric studies of patients with fibromyalgia have utilized instruments that do not control for pain and therefore may be falsely interpreted as indicative of increased depression, hysteria, or hypochondriasis. Future studies must utilize psychiatric techniques that take into account a coexistent medical condition and such evaluation should include patients with varying levels of severity of fibromyalgia symptoms and utilization of health care.