title: Treatment of fibromyalgia at the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre in Norway II--a 24-month follow-up pilot study.
abstract: Treatments offered at the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre in Norway are based on Maharishi Vedic Medicine (MVM). MVM is a consciousness-based revival by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program of the ancient Ayurvedic medicine tradition in India. To extend from 6 to 24 months, a pilot study of the effects of the treatment program at the Health Centre on fibromyalgia. Retesting 2 years after a clinical trial. In this intention to treat study, 31 women with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia received an individually tailored program of (1) physiological purification therapy (Maharishi Panchakarma) and (2) Ayurvedic recommendations regarding daily routine and diet including a novel approach to food intolerance. Five subjects chose to learn TM for stress reduction, pain management and personal development. All were recommended Ayurvedic herbal products for follow-up treatment. A modified Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) that included seven dimensions. Scores at 24 months follow-up were compared with pre-treatment scores. At 24-months follow-up, there were significant reductions (26% to 44%) in six of the seven fibromyalgia dimensions: impairment of working ability, pain, tiredness, morning tiredness, stiffness and anxiety. The 7th, depression, decreased 32% (borderline significant). At 24 months, the four subjects who continued practising TM, had almost no symptoms and significantly lower FIQ change scores (-92% to 97%) than the non-meditators on all outcomes. This pilot study suggests that the treatments and health promotion programs offered at the Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre in Norway lead to long-term reductions in symptoms of fibromyalgia, which is considered a treatment-resistant condition, and further studies are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Maharishi Ayurveda Health Centre, Sjusjøvegen 1332, 2610 Mesnali, Norway. lars.rasmussen@ayurveda.no
authors.forename: Lars Bjørn
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mikkelsen
authors.forename: Margaretha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haugen
authors.forename: Are H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Pripp
authors.forename: Jeremy Z
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Fields
authors.forename: Øystein T
authors.initials: ØT
authors.lastname: Førre
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005221:Fatigue / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D019122:Meditation / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D059408:Pain Management; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome