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Fibromyalgia
Research
Diet
& Lifestyle
Medicinal
baths & Fibromyalgia
OBJECTIVE:
We studied whether whirl baths with plain water or with water
containing pine oil or valerian have a different influence on pain,
disturbed sleep or tender point count.
METHODS:
A randomized, comparative and investigator-blinded study
was performed. Out-patients with generalized fibromyalgia were
randomized into three treatment groups.
INTERVENTIONS:
Therapy consisted of either whirl bath with plain
water or with the addition of pine oil or valerian. The baths were
carried out 10 times, three times a week.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:
General pain, change of pain intensity during the
day, general well-being and occurrence of disturbed sleep were
recorded before and after the therapy. The number of tender points
was assessed by digital palpation, the pain threshold on the
shinbone and the middle part of the deltoid muscle was measured by
the dolorimeter of A. Fischer. The same instrument was used for
recording pain threshold and pain tolerance of both trapezius
muscles. The tissue compliance of these muscles was measured as
well.
RESULTS:
30 out of 39 patients included in the study were evaluated
statistically. After treatment with valerian bath (n = 12)
well-being and sleep were significantly improved and also the tender
point count decreased significantly. Pine oil added to the bath
water (n = 7) resulted in a significant improvement of well-being,
but unfortunately also in a significant decrease of pain threshold
of the shinbone and the right deltoid muscle. Whirl bath in plain
water (n = 11) reduced general and maximum pain intensity
significantly.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our cautious conclusion of this study is – with
respect to the small number of treated patients - that different
effects of whirl baths with or without medicinal bath oils can be
detected in fibromyalgia patients. Plain water baths modify the pain
intensity, medicinal baths improve well-being and sleep.
Ammer K, Melnizky P,
Ludwig Boltzmann Forschungsstelle fur Physikalische Diagnostik, Wien,
Osterreich, Forsch Komplementarmed 1999 Apr;6(2):80-5
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