1. Shockwave therapy and fibromyalgia and its effect on pain, blood markers, imaging, and participant experience - a multidisciplinary randomized controlled trial.
- Author
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Sanzo P, Agostino M, Fidler W, Lawrence-Dewar J, Pearson E, Zerpa C, Niccoli S, and Lees SJ
- Subjects
- Humans, Female, Adult, Middle Aged, Male, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Treatment Outcome, Catastrophization therapy, Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy methods, Interleukin-6 blood, Pain Management methods, Pain Threshold, Fibromyalgia therapy, Fibromyalgia physiopathology, Pain Measurement, Biomarkers blood
- Abstract
Background: Patients with fibromyalgia experience chronic, widespread pain. It remains a misunderstood disorder with multimodal treatments providing mixed results., Objectives: To examine the effects of radial shockwave therapy (RSWT) compared to placebo on pain, pain catastrophizing, psychological indices, blood markers, and neuroimaging. Study-related experiences were also explored qualitatively., Methods: Quantitative sensory testing (QST), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Beighton Scoring Screen (BSS), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), blood biomarker (Interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10), and brain fMRI were measured pre- and post-treatment along with a post-treatment survey. The RSWT group received five treatments (one week apart over five-week period) to the three most painful areas (500 shocks at 1.5 bar and 15 Hz, then 1000 shocks at 2 bar and 8 Hz, and finally 500 shocks at 1.5 bar and 15 Hz) versus sham treatment for the placebo group., Results: There were no statistically significant differences in the BSS for hypermobility ( p = .21; d = .74), PCS ( p = .70; d = .22), VAS ( p = .17-.61 ; d = .20-.83) scores, QST for skin temperature and stimuli ( p = .14-.65 ; d = .25-.88), and for the pressure pain threshold ( p = .71-.93 ; d = .05-.21). The VAS scores had clinically significant changes (MCID greater than 13.90) with improved pain scores in the RSWT group. Neuroimaging scans revealed no cortical thickness changes. Post-treatment surveys revealed pain and symptom improvements and offered hope to individuals., Conclusion: RSWT was implemented safely, without any negative treatment effects reported, and acted as a pain modulator to reduce sensitivity., Clinical Trials Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identification number NCT02760212.
- Published
- 2025
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