Cognitive behavioural therapies do help people with fibromyalgia, experts confirm

Cognitive behavioural therapies can reduce some key symptoms and disability of fibromyalgia, says a review by the European Pain Federation.

Experts trawled through the evidence looking for well-designed research and included data from 29 studies involving 2,509 people. They found that cognitive behavioural therapy worked better than staying on the waiting list, receiving treatment as usual or using other non-drug based therapies. Cognitive behavioural therapy reduced pain by 50% or more, improved health related quality of life by 20% or more, reduced negative mood, disability and fatigue.

“Cognitive behavioural therapies provided a clinically relevant benefit over control interventions in reducing some key symptoms of fibromyalgia and disability at the end of treatment,” the team concludes.

Click here to read the original research.

For more in-depth features, interviews and information, subscribe to Arthritis Digest magazine, a popular title that’s published six times a year. Click here for the digital version or tel 0845 643 8470 to order your had copy. You’ll know what your doctor is talking about, what new drugs are in the pipeline and be up to date on helpful products.