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 ) .
Effects of balneotherapy on serum IL-1, PGE2 and LTB4 levels in fibromyalgia patients
The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of balneotherapy in the treatment of Fibromyalgia Syndrome ( FMS ) and to determine if balneotherapy influences serum levels of inflammation markers , IL-1 , PGE2 and LTB4 . 24 primary fibromyalgia female patients diagnosed according to American College of Rheumatology criteria were included to the study . Their ages ranged between 33 and 55 years . FMS patients were r and omly assigned in two groups as , group 1 ( n = 12 ) and group 2 ( n = 12 ) . Group 1 received 20-min bathing , once in a day for five days per week . Patients participated in the study for 3 weeks ( total of 15 sessions ) in Denizli . Group 2 did not receive balneotherapy . FMS patients were evaluated by tenderness measurements ( tender point count and algometry ) , Visual Analogue Scale , Beck ’s Depression Index , Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire .  Ten healthy women recruited group three as the controls .  Serum PGE2 , LTB4 and IL1-α levels were measured in all three groups . The biochemical measurements and clinical assessment s were performed before and at the end of general period of therapy . Statistically significant alterations in algometric score , Visual Analogue score , Beck ’s Depression Index and PGE2 levels ( P < 0.001 ) , numbers of tender points ( P < 0.01 ) and Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire score ( P < 0.05 ) were found after the balneotherapy between group 1 and 2 . Mean PGE2 level of FMS patients were higher compared to healthy control group ( P < 0.0001 ) and decreased after the treatment period , only in group 1 ( P < 0.05 ) . As in the group 2 and 3 , detectable IL-1 and LTB4 measurements were insufficient , statistical analysis was performed , only in group 1 . After balneotherapy  IL-1 and LTB4 significantly decreased in group 1 ( P < 0.05 ) . In conclusion , balneotherapy is an effective choice of treatment in patients with FMS relieving the clinical symptoms , and possibly influencing the inflammatory mediators
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 ) .