TREATMENT OF FIBROMYALGIA SYNDROME

Basis of any treatment is the education of patients about the various physical and personal factors that contribute to the manifestation of fibromyalgia syndrome. Patients should be informed about the benigne nature and the chronical course of the disease and about the possibilities of therapy. Physical therapy especially fitness training, stretching and improvement of posture is an important part of treatment. The intensity of these measures has to be increased very carefully and slowly. By the application of mild heat, soft massage, and perhaps by wholebody cryotherapy patients get some relief and relaxation of their muscles. Injections with local-anesthetics of very painful tenderpoints can provide promt relief. Antiinflammatory agents, analgesics, and corticosteroids give small or no benefit. Low-dose tricyclic antidepressant drugs have shown significant improvement of poor sleep and other complaints in a part of the patients. Serotonin antagonists may be promising agents for future treatment. In pain groups progress can be made by learning relaxation and pain control technics. Furthermore participants of those groups are able to exchange experiences and to talk about their problems in a group of patients suffering from the same or a similar disease. The most important aim of therapy should be to teach patients to take the main responsibility for their rehabilitation. Although a lot of different therapies may have an influence on pain and other complaints, treatment of fibromyalgia in many cases remains unsatisfying.