New clinical trial in US of non-drug headband device for fibromyalgia

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) in US, are conducting a new clinical trial of a non-drug approach for treating fibromyalgia with the use of a proprietary electrode-emitting headband device called Cefaly, which is currently used for treating migraine headaches. The trial will assess the devices potential therapeutic effect on people with fibromyalgia.

The device is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for migraine headaches. The Cefaly is positioned on the forehead using an adhesive electrode and precise impulses are produced which act on the trigeminal nerve to prevent migraine attacks. UC is the first research centre in America to test the Cefaly device in a trail for patients with fibromyalgia.

Dr Lesley Arnold, a UC Health doctor and professor of psychiatry and behavioural neuroscience has conducted several studies investigating medication and non-drug treatments for fibromyalgia and says the current trial will use the Cefaly headband to assess whether the electrode therapy can have a similar effect on fibromyalgia symptoms as it does on migraines.

“People with fibromyalgia can experience widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep disturbances, as well as memory issues, anxiety, and depression,” she says. “Research has shown that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals. Symptoms sometimes begin after significant psychological stress or physical trauma, but can also gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event.”

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