Dramatic Changes in Fibromyalgia Guidelines

Multispecialty panels of physicians in Canada, Israel, and Germany have simultaneously made changes in the diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia.  Previous focusing on specific tender points and pain medications has not been successful.  Instead they recommend a diagnosis based on a cluster of symptoms.  The 3 medications currently approved to treat FM (Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella) are only mildly successful and can cause significant side effects.  Instead, new emphasis is placed on alternative therapies such as exercise, tai chi, guided imagery, acupuncture, spa therapy, naltrexone and hyperbaric oxygen.  This is a big step in the right direction.

 

See Family Practice News, 12/2013, p. 19. Celebration of Health Association website