Mindfulness as a Symptom Management Strategy for Fibromyalgia: An Integrative Review

Area of Science:

• Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
• Pain Management
• Psychology

Background:

• Mindfulness Meditation is a growing complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modality.
• Its efficacy for symptom management in chronic pain conditions, including fibromyalgia, is under-studied.
• Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition affecting numerous individuals worldwide.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an integrative review of the literature on mindfulness as a symptom management strategy for fibromyalgia.
• To examine the effectiveness of mindfulness interventions in individuals diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

Main Methods:

• A systematic search of six scientific databases was performed.
• Inclusion criteria included studies on fibromyalgia, English language, experimental designs, adults (≥18 years), and mindfulness interventions.
• Seven studies met the inclusion criteria for review.

Main Results:

• Mindfulness interventions often involved multi-month group sessions.
• Commonly improved variables included anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, coping mechanisms, and perceived stress.
• Potential mediating mechanisms included increased self-compassion and psychological flexibility.

Conclusions:

• Current evidence is insufficient to recommend mindfulness for all fibromyalgia symptoms.
• Mindfulness shows potential for improving mood-related and sleep-related symptoms in fibromyalgia.
• Further rigorous research is warranted to establish definitive efficacy.