Patients with fibromyalgia may benefit from a new therapy that involves whole-body vibration exercise.
Whole-body vibration exercise is not new, and has been used for the treatment of symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome. However, research on the effectiveness of this therapy in treating this painful condition has been sporadic. Now, however, scientists from Indiana University have announced the results of a pilot study which they say indicates that the therapy is very promising in treating symptoms of fibromyalgia.
As part of the study, patients who suffered from fibromyalgia were asked to sit, stand, and lay on a machine that came with a vibrating platform. When the machine was turned on, the vibrations caused the patient’s muscles to contract and relax. Subjects reported a significant alleviation of muscular pain.
According to researchers, what is really beneficial about this therapy is that it encourages patients to exercise who otherwise would avoid it because of the accompanying pain. When patients who have fibromyalgia avoid exercise, it only leads to weight gain, and also leads to other conditions that can only worsen symptoms. Those conditions include type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension.
More studies are needed to further confirm the benefits of this whole-body vibration exercise. However, the study seems to indicate that patients did report and experience better strength, increased muscular spasticity, and reduced pain.
Symptoms of fibromyalgia appear because of a disconnect between the nerves and the brain. About 5 million American adults currently suffer from symptoms of fibromyalgia that include severe pain, stiffness in the morning, and sleep disorders.