Use of Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Pain in Fibromyalgia

Context:  Many patients with fibromyalgia (FM) are choosing complementary and alternative therapies (CAM) because conventional medicine and therapies have shown limited success for pain.  The efficacy of most CAM therapies for FM has not been adequately addressed.

Objectives.  (1) To explore the use and effectiveness of CAM for pain in FM in a broad sample of patients, and (2) to identify predictors of the use of specific CAM therapies.

Methods.  Participants were recruited from local FM support groups, local general medical and rheumatology clinics, and the Internet.  Participants (n=251) completed (1) a 16-item investigator-developed questionnaire to assess their use of CAM for control of FM pain, and (2) the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire to assess impact on daily function.

Outcome Measures:  The Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Fibromyalgia Questionnaire measured number of therapies tried, the frequency of use of each therapy, perceived effectiveness of 16 therapies, and demographic variables as predictors of CAM use.  The Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire measured severity.

Results:  The CAM therapies most often tried by FM patients were exercise, massage, prayer, relaxation, vitamins/supplements, and chiropractic manipulation.  Regression analysis of the six most used CAM therapies was employed to determine a correlation between (1) the perceived effectiveness and the frequency of use, and (2) the perceived effectiveness and severity score as measured by the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire.  Perceived effectiveness was correlated with the frequency of use for massage, relaxation, prayer, exercise, and vitamins/supplements.  Severity of FM as measured by Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire was correlated with massage, relaxation, prayer, exercise, and vitamins/supplements.  Predictors of CAM use were length of time since FM diagnosis, level of education, and severity of disease as measured by the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire.