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Mindfulness Meditation for Fibromyalgia: Mechanistic and Clinical Considerations.

Current rheumatology reports
September 1, 2017
Adrienne L Adler-Neal et al. (2 authors)
Journal ArticleReviewHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to review the effectiveness and hypothesized mechanisms of mindfulness meditation in treating fibromyalgia-related outcomes.

Results Summary

Mindfulness-based interventions may effectively reduce fibromyalgia-related pain and psychological symptoms through neural, psychological, and physiological processes. Combining mindfulness with other techniques like exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy could enhance treatment efficacy.

Population

Fibromyalgia patients

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (5)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
mindfulness meditation
decrease
pain
-
-
attenuates
#1
mindfulness meditation
increase
mental health outcomes
-
-
improves
#2
mindfulness-based interventions premised on cultivating acceptance, non-attachment, and social engagement
decrease
fibromyalgia-related pain and psychological symptoms
-
-
may be most effective in decreasing
#3
mindfulness-based therapies
decrease
fibromyalgia-related outcomes
-
-
may alleviate
#4
mindfulness meditation
neutral
-
fibromyalgia patients
-
may provide an effective complementary treatment approach
#5
Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread pain and a spectrum of psychological comorbidities, rendering treatment difficult and often a financial burden. Fibromyalgia is a complicated chronic pain condition that requires a multimodal therapeutic approach to optimize treatment efficacy. Thus, it has been postulated that mind-body techniques may prove fruitful in treating fibromyalgia. Mindfulness meditation, a behavioral technique premised on non-reactive sensory awareness, attenuates pain and improves mental health outcomes. However, the impact of mindfulness meditation on fibromyalgia-related outcomes has not been comprehensively characterized. The present review delineates the existing evidence supporting the effectiveness and hypothesized mechanisms of mindfulness meditation in treating fibromyalgia-related outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS: Mindfulness-based interventions premised on cultivating acceptance, non-attachment, and social engagement may be most effective in decreasing fibromyalgia-related pain and psychological symptoms. Mindfulness-based therapies may alleviate fibromyalgia-related outcomes through multiple neural, psychological, and physiological processes. Mindfulness meditation may provide an effective complementary treatment approach for fibromyalgia patients, especially when combined with other reliable techniques (exercise; cognitive behavioral therapy). However, characterizing the specific analgesic mechanisms supporting mindfulness meditation is a critical step to fostering the clinical validity of this technique. Identification of the specific analgesic mechanisms supporting mindfulness-based pain relief could be utilized to better design behavioral interventions to specifically target fibromyalgia-related outcomes.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
FibromyalgiaHumansInflammationMindfulnessNeuronsPain
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality80/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations28
Citations/Year3.5
Relative Citation Ratio1.79
NIH Percentile71.1%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score1.02
Normalized Score0.66
Related Supplements
Mindfulness Meditation for Fibromyalgia: Mechanistic and Cli... | Panacea Index