Effectiveness of Biofield Therapy for Patients Diagnosed With Fibromyalgia

Context • Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disorder with an unknown etiology; symptoms include physical and psychological stress, widespread chronic pain, insomnia, and depression. Mind-body medicine and aerobic exercise have shown positive effects for symptom control. Several studies have reported positive effects for biofield therapy for FM, but when other studies have compared the treatment with a sham control, they have not found those beneficial effects. Objective • The study intended to examine the effects of a biofield therapy called Okada purifying therapy on patients' FM symptoms. Design • An open-label, self-controlled study was conducted with 2 groups of FM patients. Setting • The study was conducted at an integrative medicine clinic in Portugal. Participants • Twelve patients, aged 25 to 59 y, with symptoms of FM for the 3 mo before the study, participated. Participants agreed not to receive any new treatment other than the intervention throughout the study as a condition for participation. Intervention • Participants received 50 min of biofield therapy 2 ×/wk for 3 mo, either during the first half of the 6-mo study for group A or the second half for group B. The second half of the study was designated as a sham control for group A, and the first half of the study was designated as a sham control for group B. Outcome Measures • Measures included the Beck depression inventory (BDI), the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ), the tender point index (TPI), and changes in the dosage of prescribed medication. Results • A significant change was observed for scores in the FIQ (P = .027), BDI (P = .027), and TPI (P = .027) in the second group of patients who received the intervention in the second half of the 6-mo study. Seven of 11 participants taking prescribed medications reduced their dosage. Conclusion • Biofield therapy may help reduce symptoms of depression, chronic widespread pain, and tenderness among patients suffering from FM. Larger studies with rigorous designs are required for further accurate evaluation.