Study: CAM providers can help fibromyalgia

June 3, 2008 — The majority of senior Canadian chiropractic, naturopathic, and physical and occupational-therapy students believe they can help patients who have fibromyalgia.

According to a study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative (CAM) Medicine, chiropractic students were most skeptical in regards to fibromyalgia as a useful diagnostic entity, and most likely to endorse a psychological etiology.

The study, which included responses from 336 individuals, explored the attitudes of chiropractic, naturopathic, and physical and occupational-therapy students in their final years of studies about the diagnosis and management of fibromyalgia.

Respondents disagreed about the etiology of fibromyalgia and were also conflicted in whether treatment should first address symptom-relief or functional gains. The majority of respondents, however, wanted to do both.

The study showed that only training in naturopathic medicine and the belief that effective therapies existed were associated with greater confidence in managing patients with fibromyalgia.

 Source: BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2008, 8:24