Hypnosis helps with fibromyalgia

Does hypnosis relieve the symptoms of fibromyalgia? The question was investigated by scientists using a meta-analysis. Thus, fibromyalgia patients benefit significantly from hypnosis in terms of pain relief and stress reduction. Even the night sleep could be improved.

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For their meta-analysis, the German scientists evaluated the results of 9 studies in which 457 subjects with a fibromyalgia diagnosis according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology had participated. 90% of the subjects were female. The average age was between 40-50 years. In all studies, the intervention was compared to a control group, either standard therapy, physiotherapy, autogenic training, attention control or "waiting list".

The researchers were able to consider seven studies with 387 participants for a comparative analysis between intervention and control groups. It was found that the patients with hypnosis treatment had significantly less pain and were less stressed than the participants in the control groups (RD = 0.24, SMD = -0.40, p0.008 each). The sleep disturbances could also be read.

However, the authors of the study note that the studies had a considerable heterogeneity in the total number and frequency of hypnosis sessions. (Pm)