Hi Sage~
I haven't had the treatment but it's been kicked around for quite a while for fibro. It seems to have an effect on the number of tender points and also the pain threshold. It's a great topic for discussion! I look at the studies and wonder if, for me, it would be worth it. If it raises my threshold for pain is that better? How long does it last? Few tender points?..OK, that one I'll take.;-) Fibro is still such an unknown disorder that they barely know what system is causing it. Since this study was done the research community has come to a consensus that it is somewhere in the central nervous system, probably. Hard to aim at something when you don't know what it is. But anything reasonable that will reduce the pain is a welcome site.
Here is a statement from the NIH about
their double-blind study:
J Int Med Res. 2004 May-Jun;32(3):263-7.
A new treatment modality for fibromyalgia syndrome: hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Yildiz S, Kiralp MZ, Akin A, Keskin I, Ay H, Dursun H, Cimsit M.
GATA Haydarpaşa Military Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. [email protected]
Abstract
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is characterized by longstanding multifocal pain with generalized allodynia/hyperalgesia. There are several treatment methods but none has been specifically approved for this application. We conducted a randomized controlled study to evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy in FMS (HBO group: n = 26; control group: n = 24). Tender points and pain threshold were assessed before, and after the first and fifteenth sessions of therapy. Pain was also scored on a visual analogue scale (VAS). There was a significant reduction in tender points and VAS scores and a significant increase in pain threshold of the HBO group after the first and fifteenth therapy sessions. There was also a significant difference between the HBO and control groups for all parameters except the VAS scores after the first session. We conclude that HBO therapy has an important role in managing FMS.Notice the date is 2004 and yet we haven't heard doctors or fibro patients talk about
it much. You are the first one to mention it in a very long time. I have no ideas why but my guess would be the cost to insurance companies is high enough for them to continue paying for it. Maybe there just aren't enough units to actively treat fibro patients. But if anyone else has input I agree with Sage that it's a good something to at least consider. I'd volunteer if it would reduce my pain.
Chutz
