title: Clinical researches on the efficacy of spa therapy in fibromyalgia. A systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic widespread pain, tenderness at muscle and tendon insertions point when digital pressure is applied, sleep disorders, chronic fatigue, depressive episodes, anxiety, and other functional somatic syndromes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine whether balneotherapy with mineral waters and mineral-water containing mud is effective in the management of fibromyalgia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a systematic review of the literature regarding spa therapy in the treatment of the fibromyalgia. We searched many databases for articles published between 2000 and 2012 and we selected 7 studies among 65 articles retrieved. A total of 142 patients received balneotherapy and 129 were controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Study data confirms that spa therapy could improve the symptoms of fibromyalgia including pain, depression and minor symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, UOC Medicina Interna E, Terapia Medica e Medicina Termale, Sapienza Università di Roma, Azienda Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy. antonio.fraioli@uniroma1.it
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fraioli
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.forename: Gioacchino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mennuni
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Geraci
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petraccia
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Conte
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serio
mesh_terms: D001452:Balneology / Q000379:methods*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008900:Mineral Waters; D009094:Mud Therapy; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008900:Mineral Waters