FIBROMYALGIA

Homeopathy as an Adjunctive Treatment for Fibromyalgia



Homeopathy as an Adjunctive Treatment for Fibromyalgia

Introduction

Fibromyalgia is a condition of unknown cause characterized by chronic, diffuse pain and tenderness to palpation at specific musculoskeletal sites.1 It is the second most common rheumatologic condition after osteoarthritis, afflicting 2-4% of the general population.2 Perhaps because most randomized, controlled trials of allopathic interventions have failed to demonstrate sustained benefit,3 a majority of patients with fibromyalgia report having tried at least one complementary and alternative medicine treatment.4-6 In one study,6 55% of patients with fibromyalgia noted using energy medicine modalities such as Homeopathy, therapeutic touch, qigong, and magnet therapy. Although evidence is scant regarding its efficacy, safety, and mechanisms, energy medicine has been promulgated as a low-risk adjunctive treatment for chronic pain.7,8

Homeopathy is a form of energy medicine developed in Japan in the late 1800s in which the healer channels "universal life energy" to the patient through light touch and positive healing intention, Advanced Homeopathy providers, or masters, report being able to heal with intention alone, without physically contacting the patient or even being in close vicinity, a technique called distant Homeopathy. According to the largely anecdotal literature, Homeopathy improves pain control and psychologic well-being with few, if any, adverse effects.

To our knowledge, no blinded, randomized controlled trials of Homeopathy for chronic pain have been published. We conducted a clinical trial with a factorial design to investigate whether Homeopathy is beneficial as an adjunctive treatment for fibromyalgia. Participants were randomized to true Homeopathy administered by Homeopathy masters or sham therapy administered by actors. In addition, participants received either directtouch Homeopathy or distant Homeopathy from their assigned providers.

We hypothesized a priori that true Homeopathy would result in the most clinical improvement, with direct touch outperforming distant therapy because the relative invasiveness of touch versus no-touch would be more likely to activate a therapeutic placebo response.

Randomization

Potential participants were told they had an equal chance of being assigned to 1 of 4 treatments, representing combinations of direct Reiki or distant Reiki and treatment by a Reiki master or a sham Reiki provider. After enrollment but before randomization, a research coordinator trained in the tender-point examination conducted a baseline examination and confirmed the fibromyalgia diagnosis using the 1990 American College of Rheumatology criteria.1 Next, another research coordinator not involved with data collection randomized participants using a computer-generated blocked random allocation sequence with a block size of 4. This research coordinator, who was blinded to whether providers were Reiki masters or actors, informed sites of the treatment assignment.

Intervention

Providers. Three experienced female Reiki masters trained in the popular Usui style with 5-18 years of experience in the United States treated study participants in private medical offices. Four (4) actors who were matched to the Reiki masters in age group, gender, race, and general appearance provided control interventions. Additional selection criteria for the actors were no experience with or knowledge of energy medicine, no self-reported natural ability as a healer, and low healing touch potential according to the subjective assessments of the Reiki masters ...