Sobering news about fibromyalgia treatments
Gabrielle Lis
Common treatments for fibromyalgia lack a strong evidence base but exercise and antidepressants warrant further research.Key messages Most of the available treatments for fibromyalgia are not supported by high-quality evidence. A best-practice review of more than 200 studies shows that cognitive behavioural therapy, central nervous system depressants (i.e. sedatives) and antidepressants reduce pain and / or improve quality of life in the short and medium term for people with fibromyalgia, but that the gains are small and might not be noticed by the patient. More...