There is moderate evidence that hydrotherapy has short-term beneficial effects on pain and HRQOL in FMS patients .
OBJECTIVE To systematic ally review the efficacy of hydrotherapy in FM syndrome ( FMS ) .
[Medicinal baths for treatment of generalized fibromyalgia].
OBJECTIVE We studied whether whirl baths with plain water or with water containing pine oil or valerian have a different influence on  pain , disturbed sleep or tender point count . METHODS A r and omized , comparative and investigator-blinded study was performed . Out- patients with generalized fibromyalgia were r and omized into three treatment groups . INTERVENTIONS Therapy consisted of either whirl bath with plain water or with the addition of pine oil or valerian . The baths were carried out 10 times , three times a week . MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES General pain , change of pain intensity during the day , general well-being and occurrence of disturbed sleep were recorded before and after the therapy . The number of tender points was assessed by digital palpation , the pain threshold on the shinbone and the middle part of the deltoid muscle was measured by the dolorimeter of A. Fischer . The same instrument was used for recording pain threshold and pain tolerance of both trapezius muscles . The tissue compliance of these muscles was measured as well . RESULTS 30 out of 39 patients included in the study were evaluated statistically . After treatment with valerian bath ( n = 12 ) well-being and sleep were significantly improved and also the tender point count decreased significantly . Pine oil added to the bath water ( n = 7 ) result ed in a significant improvement of well-being , but unfortunately also in a significant decrease of pain threshold of the shinbone and the right deltoid muscle .  Whirl bath in plain water ( n = 11 ) reduced general and maximum pain intensity significantly . CONCLUSIONS Our cautious conclusion of this study is - with respect to the small number of treated patients - that different effects of whirl baths with or without medicinal bath oils can be detected in fibromyalgia patients .  Plain water baths modify the pain intensity , medicinal baths improve well-being and sleep
There is moderate evidence that hydrotherapy has short-term beneficial effects on pain and HRQOL in FMS patients .
OBJECTIVE To systematic ally review the efficacy of hydrotherapy in FM syndrome ( FMS ) .