Rheumatology International, 04/11/2011 Clinical Article

Özkurt S et al. – It was concluded that balneotherapy provides beneficial effects in patients with fibromyalgia.
Methods

50 women with fibromyalgia under pharmacological treatment randomly assigned to either balneotherapy (25) or control (25) group
4 patients from balneotherapy group and 1 patient from control group left study after randomization
Patients in balneotherapy group (21) had 2 thermomineral water baths daily for 2 weeks in Tuzla Spa Center
Patients in control group (24) continued to have medical treatment and routine daily life
Investigator blinded to study arms assessed patients
All patients assessed 4 times; at beginning, at end of 2nd week, 1st month, and 3rd month after balneotherapy
Outcome measures were pain intensity, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), patient’s global assessment, investigator’s global assessment, SF-36 scores, and tender point count

Results

Balneotherapy found to be superior at end of cure period in terms of pain intensity, FIQ, Beck Depression Inventory, patient’s global assessment, investigator’s global assessment scores, and tender point count as compared to control group
Superiority of balneotherapy lasted up to end of 3rd month, except for Beck Depression Inventory score and investigator’s global assessment score
Significant improvements observed in PF, GH, and MH subscales of SF-36 during study period in balneotherapy group
No improvement observed in control group
Balneotherapy superior only in VT subscale at end of therapy and at end of third month after therapy as compared to controls

Fibromyalgia and Neuropathic Pain Therapeutics