While no clinical trial to date has specifically targeted fatigue , r and omized controlled trials , systematic review s , and meta-analyses indicate that treatment modalities studied in the context of other fibromyalgia symptoms could also improve fatigue .
Fatigue is a disabling , multifaceted symptom that is highly prevalent and stubbornly persistent .
Although fatigue is a frequent complaint among patients with fibromyalgia , it has not received the same attention as pain .
Reasons for this include lack of st and ardized nomenclature to communicate about fatigue , lack of evidence -based guidelines for fatigue assessment , and a deficiency in effective treatment strategies .
Fatigue does not occur in isolation ; rather , it is present concurrently in varying severity with other fibromyalgia symptoms such as chronic widespread pain , unrefreshing sleep , anxiety , depression , cognitive difficulties , and so on .
Survey-based and preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that multiple symptoms feed into fatigue and it may be associated with a variety of physiological mechanisms .
Effectiveness of high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at tender points as adjuvant therapy for patients with fibromyalgia.
BACKGROUND Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome associated with sleep disorders , fatigue and psychological symptoms . Combinations therapies , such as electrotherapy and therapeutic exercises have been used in the clinical practice . AIM To assess the efficacy of high-frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation ( TENS ) as an adjuvant therapy to aerobic and stretching exercises , for the treatment of fibromyalgia . DESIGN Controlled clinical trial . SETTING Unit of rehabilitation of a public hospital . POPULATION Twenty-eight women aged 52.4±7.5 years , with fibromyalgia . METHODS A visual analogue scale measured pain intensity ; tender points pain threshold , by dolorimetry ; and quality of life , by the Fibromyalgia Impact Question naire . All subjects participated in an eight-week program consisting of aerobic exercises , followed by static stretching of muscle chains . In TENS group , high-frequency ( 150 Hz ) was applied on bilateral tender points of trapezium and supraspinatus . RESULTS TENS group had a greater pain reduction ( mean change score=-2.0±2.9 cm ) compared to Without TENS group ( -0.7±3.7 cm ) . There was a difference between mean change scores of each group for pain threshold ( right trapezium : 0.2±1 kg/cm² in TENS group and -0.2±1.2 kg/cm² in Without TENS group ) . In the evaluation of clinical ly important changes , patients receiving TENS had relevant improvement of pain , work performance , fatigue , stiffness , anxiety and depression compared to those not receiving TENS . CONCLUSION It has suggested that high-frequency TENS as an adjuvant therapy is effective in relieving pain , anxiety , fatigue , stiffness , and in improving ability to work of patients with fibromyalgia . CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT High-frequency TENS may be used as a short-term complementary treatment of fibromyalgia
While no clinical trial to date has specifically targeted fatigue , r and omized controlled trials , systematic review s , and meta-analyses indicate that treatment modalities studied in the context of other fibromyalgia symptoms could also improve fatigue .
Fatigue is a disabling , multifaceted symptom that is highly prevalent and stubbornly persistent .
Although fatigue is a frequent complaint among patients with fibromyalgia , it has not received the same attention as pain .
Reasons for this include lack of st and ardized nomenclature to communicate about fatigue , lack of evidence -based guidelines for fatigue assessment , and a deficiency in effective treatment strategies .
Fatigue does not occur in isolation ; rather , it is present concurrently in varying severity with other fibromyalgia symptoms such as chronic widespread pain , unrefreshing sleep , anxiety , depression , cognitive difficulties , and so on .
Survey-based and preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that multiple symptoms feed into fatigue and it may be associated with a variety of physiological mechanisms .