Today, the Healthcare Medicine Institute (HealthCMi) is launching a new acupuncture continuing education course for online CEUs featuring the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome. This acupuncture CEU course features the history of fibromyalgia syndrome, a biomedical overview and an in-depth look at the Chinese medicine diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia. Three case studies are included to highlight common clinical scenarios.
Acupuncture for FMSThe project was in development for over year. In that time, new research has confirmed the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of fibromyalgia. A new study concludes that, “Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine modality that can be used in pediatric patients with fibromyalgia.” The study followed patients with a history of juvenile fibromyalgia for eight consecutive years. Evaluations measured musculoskeletal pain, VAS (pain visual analog scale), myalgic index and algometry. The result showed that acupuncture is effective for reducing the number of pain sensitive areas, improves the myalgic index and acupuncture demonstrated improvements in the pain visual analog scale.
New research published in Clinical Rheumatology concludes that acupuncture is effective for the treatment of fibromyalgia (FMS). The researchers note that acupuncture provides “beneficial effects” for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Additional research supports the same conclusions. A study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, concludes that “real acupuncture is more effective than sham acupuncture for improving symptoms of patients with FMS.” In another study published by the Department of Anesthesiology at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minnesota, researchers conclude, “We found that acupuncture significantly improved symptoms of fibromyalgia. Symptomatic improvement was not restricted to pain relief and was most significant for fatigue and anxiety.”
Today’s launch of the fibromyalgia online course is an effort by the Healthcare Medicine Institute team to provide clear and concise guidelines for licensed acupuncturists for the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome. The course builds on modern research, classical acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine principles.
About HealthCMi: The Healthcare Medicine Institute provides acupuncture CEU continuing education credit for licensed acupuncturists. The HealthCMi news division provides up-to-date research and acupuncture continuing education news.
References:
Acupuncture in adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia. Marialda Hofling P. Dias, Elisabete Amaral, Hong Jin Pai, Daniela Terumi Y. Tsai, Ana Paola N. Lotito, Claudio Leone, Clovis Artur Silva. Ambulatório de Acupuntura da Unidade de Dor e Cuidados Paliativos e Unidade de Reumatologia Pediátrica do Instituto da Criança do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Brasil.
An overview of systematic reviews of complementary and alternative medicine for fibromyalgia. Rohini Terry, Rachel Perry and Edzard Ernst. Clinical Rheumatology
Volume 31, Number 1 (2012), 55-66, DOI: 10.1007/s10067-011-1783-5.
Berman BM, Ezzo J, Hadhazy V, Swyers JP. Complementary Medicine Program, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21207, USA. The Journal of Family Practice [1999, 48(3):213-218].
Mayo Clin Proc. 2006 Jun;81(6):749-57. Improvement in fibromyalgia symptoms with acupuncture: results of a randomized controlled trial. Martin DP, Sletten CD, Williams BA, Berger IH. Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota.
