Impact of Electroacupuncture Treatment on Quality of Life and Heart Rate Variability in Fibromyalgia Patients

Abstract

This study examines the effects of electroacupuncture treatment on health-related quality of life and heart rate variability in women with fibromyalgia. Twenty women with fibromyalgia received a 10-week treatment with electroacupuncture. Primary outcome measures were the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire, and heart rate variability. Compared with pretreatment, there was a significant improvement in health-related quality of life; electroacupuncture significantly increases low frequency, low frequency/high frequency, and decreases high frequency, all indicating rise in sympathetic tone. Fibromyalgia patients showed a significant ( P < .05) improvement in pain, fatigue, morning tiredness, stiffness, anxiety, and depression on the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire scores; and physical function, physical role, body pain, general health, and vitality scores on the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire. These changes mainly in mental status scores could be related to a new autonomic balance with sympathetic predominance at the horary of the study.

Effect of Systemic and Auricular Acupuncture with a 2/100 Hz Frequency and Nogier Frequency in Fibromyalgia: a Randomized Clinical Trial, Pilot Study

“…A systematic review by Deare et al [48] of the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating fibromyalgia concluded that EA is better than manual acupuncture for reducing pain and stiffness and improving general well-being, sleep, and fatigue. Lin et al [49] concluded that EA alleviates myofascial pain and improves fibromyalgia symptoms, and Díaz-Toral et al [16] showed that the sympathetic effect that EA caused in patients with fibromyalgia may be related to positive changes in quality of life. This is in accordance with Martin et al [50] findings, where he defended the theory that the improvement of pain is one of the factors that results in the improvement of the quality of life.…”

“…The 2 Hz frequency increases vagal activity while 50 Hz increases the sympathetic activity [15]. The change in HRV in patients with fibromyalgia is related to anxiety and pain, indicating sympathetic hyperactivity and vagal imbalance [16]. There is a growing number of studies that emphasize the attempt to understand the neurophysiological and neurochemical effects of acupuncture, but most studies are limited to researching systemic acupuncture and little research is done on auricular acupuncture and its effects [17].…”

Eficacia analgésica del tratamiento invasivo miofascial (punción seca) en fibromialgia

“…b) El análisis de los efectos del tratamiento con electroacupuntura sobre la calidad de vida y la VFC en mujeres con FM demostraron una disminución del tono simpático induciendo en las pacientes con FM una mejoría significativa en el dolor (335).…”