Lady Gaga Cancelling Tour Due to Fibromyalgia Pain

• Acupuncture is a technique in which practitioners stimulate specific points on the body, known as acupuncture points. This is most often done using needles that penetrate the skin (manual acupuncture), but other techniques, such as using electrical current (electroacupuncture), may also be used.
• Limited evidence indicates that people with fibromyalgia who receive acupuncture have improvements in symptoms such as pain and stiffness when compared to those who don’t receive it (for example, people on a waiting list). However, acupuncture hasn’t been shown to be more effective than simulated acupuncture in relieving fibromyalgia symptoms. Electroacupuncture may produce better results than manual acupuncture.
• Acupuncture is generally considered safe when performed by an experienced practitioner using sterile needles. Improperly performed acupuncture can cause potentially serious side effects.

• Guided imagery is a technique in which people are taught to focus on pleasant images to replace negative or stressful feelings. It may be self-directed or led by a practitioner or a recording.
• Studies of guided imagery for fibromyalgia symptoms have had inconsistent results. In some studies, patients who were taught guided imagery had decreases in symptoms such as pain and fatigue, but in other studies it had no effect.
• Guided imagery is one of a group of approaches called relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques are generally considered safe for healthy people. Occasionally, however, people report unpleasant experiences such as increased anxiety.

• Massage therapy includes a variety of techniques in which practitioners manipulate the soft tissues of the body.
• Several studies have evaluated various types of massage therapy for fibromyalgia. Most indicated that massage could provide short-term relief of some fibromyalgia symptoms. However, the current evidence is too limited to be considered conclusive. Experts recommend that massage therapy for fibromyalgia should not cause pain. It may be necessary to start with very gentle massage and increase the intensity gradually over time.
• Massage therapy appears to have few risks when performed by a trained practitioner.

• Tai chi and qi gong, which originated in China, and yoga, which is of Indian origin, all involve a combination of physical postures or movements, a focus on breathing, and meditation or relaxation. Because these three practices have so many features in common, they are sometimes grouped together as meditative movement practices.
• Exercise is beneficial for people with fibromyalgia, so meditative movement practices may be helpful because of the physical activity they involve. It’s also possible that the meditative component of these practices might help too. Some individual studies of tai chi, qi gong, or yoga for fibromyalgia symptoms have had promising results. However, there isn’t enough high-quality evidence on these approaches to allow definite conclusions to be reached about their effects.
• Meditative movement practices generally have good safety records when practiced under the guidance of a qualified instructor. Few side effects have been reported in studies of yoga, tai chi, or qi gong. However, these practices may need to be modified to make them suitable for people with fibromyalgia.

• Mindfulness meditation is a type of meditation that involves completely focusing on experiences on a moment-to-moment basis.
• In several studies, mindfulness meditation training has led to short-term improvements in pain and quality of life in people with fibromyalgia. However, the number of studies is small, and the quality of the evidence is relatively low, so no definite conclusions can be reached. Frequent practice of mindfulness techniques may be important for good results. In a 2014 study of mindfulness for fibromyalgia, those participants who practiced mindfulness more frequently had a greater reduction in symptoms.
• Mindfulness and other forms of meditation are generally considered to be safe for healthy people. However, they may need to be modified to make them safe and comfortable for people with some health conditions.

So little research has been done on chiropractic care and hypnosis for fibromyalgia that no conclusions can be reached about these practices.

An approach called amygdala retraining, which includes various mind and body practices, has been proposed as a treatment for fibromyalgia. Because almost no research has been done on this approach, its effectiveness and safety cannot be evaluated.

• Homeopathy is a medical system based on the unconventional idea that a disease can be cured by highly diluted solutions of a substance that causes similar symptoms in healthy people. Studies of homeopathy have not demonstrated that it is beneficial for fibromyalgia.
• Highly diluted homeopathic remedies are generally safe. However, not all products labeled as homeopathic are highly dilute; some may contain substantial amounts of ingredients and therefore could cause side effects.

• Static (permanent) magnets are found in magnetic mattress pads, shoe inserts, bracelets, and other products. There’s not enough evidence on static magnets to allow any conclusions to be reached.
• Electromagnets are used in a type of treatment called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), which influences brain activity. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved certain TMS devices for treating migraine and treatment-resistant depression. A small number of preliminary studies have evaluated TMS for fibromyalgia symptoms, and some have had promising results.
• Magnets and magnetic devices may not be safe for people who have metal implants or medical devices such as pacemakers in their bodies. Headaches have been reported as a side effect in several studies of TMS for fibromyalgia.

• Reiki is a complementary health approach in which practitioners place their hands lightly on or just above a person, with the goal of facilitating the person’s own healing response. An NCCIH-funded study examined the use of Reiki for fibromyalgia-related pain. The study showed no effect of Reiki on pain or any of the other outcomes measured in the study (physical and mental functioning, medication use, and visits to health care providers).
• Reiki appears to be generally safe.

From the National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health