Effects of yoga and the addition of Tui Na in patients with fibromyalgia.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to verify whether techniques of yoga with and without the addition of Tui Na might improve pain and the negative impact of fibromyalgia (FMS) on patients' daily life.


METHODS
Forty (40) FMS women were randomized into two groups, Relaxing Yoga (RY) and Relaxing Yoga plus Touch (RYT), for eight weekly sessions of stretching, breathing, and relaxing yogic techniques. RYT patients were further submitted to manipulative techniques of Tui Na.


METHODS
Outcome measures comprised the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), pain threshold at the 18 FMS tender points, and a verbal graduation of pain assessed before treatment and on the followup. The visual analog scale (VAS) for pain was assessed before and after each session and on the follow-up.


RESULTS
Seventeen (17) RYT and 16 RY patients completed the study. Both RY and RYT groups showed improvement in the FIQ and VAS scores, which decreased on all sessions. The RYT group showed lower VAS and verbal scores for pain on the eighth session, but this difference was not maintained on the follow-up. Conversely, RY VAS and verbal scores were significantly lower just on the follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
These study results showed that yogic techniques are valid therapeutic methods for FMS. Touch addition yielded greater improvement during the treatment. Over time, however, RY patients reported less pain than RYT. These results suggest that a passive therapy may possibly decrease control over FMS symptoms.
da Silva
Gerson D
GD
Rheumatology Division and Pulmonary Division, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. ge.daddio@ig.com.br
Lorenzi-Filho
Geraldo
G
Lage
Lais V
LV
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D019124:Therapeutic Touch; D014110:Touch; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015013:Yoga