Manual lymph drainage therapy using light massage for fibromyalgia sufferers: a pilot study

Abstract 

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome characterised by chronic wide-spread pain, stiffness, disturbed sleep and sleepiness. Medication with analgesics and antidepressants and also physiotherapy, are often prescribed and give some relief. Patients’ experiences of symptom relief from manual lymph drainage therapy (MLDT) by the Vodder method were examined. Seventeen women aged 49.0±8.7 (mean±SD) years who had had fibromyalgia for 16.9±10.1 years were treated with light massage with the MLDT technique for 1 h on 12 occasions during a 4-week period. Symptoms were evaluated using visual analogue scales (VAS). Pain, stiffness, sleep, sleepiness and well-being all improved during the treatment period. Two months after treatment cessation, significant improvement remained in pain (P<0.001), stiffness (P<0.01), sleepiness (P<0.01) and well-being (P<0.001), but not in sleep, and after 5 months in pain (P<0.05) and sleepiness (P<0.01). Preliminary results indicate that MLDT can be a valuable alternative treatment for patients with fibromyalgia. Controlled studies are needed.

Keywords:  fibromyalgia, manual lymph drainage therapy, pain, stiffness, sleep, well-being