the study that would validate his interest
Recognizing and expressing emotions would significantly reduce the symptoms of fibromyalgia, this is the conclusion of a recent study published in the Pain scientific journal.
The emotions behind the disease?
Would this discovery confirm the interest of the relaxation therapy for people with fibromyalgia? Yes, according to the results published by the Wayne State University (Detroit) team.
Their recent study establishes a correlation between the disease and difficulty managing emotions. Most importantly, the researchers found a way to reduce the symptoms of the disease using a method very similar to sophrology.
Certainly, the therapy used as part of this study has a different name but its purpose with the relaxation therapy remains the same: helping patients become aware of their feelings and learn to manage them better on a daily basis.
Alternative therapies in the service of science
Researchers conducted research with 230 adult patients with fibromyalgia. These patients were divided into 3 different groups to receive specific treatment.
The first group benefited from a new therapy called Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EÅective) which aims to help patients become aware of their pain and emotions. In particular, it allows you to learn to recognize your own feelings and to better manage your emotional experiences, such as anger where the sadness but also recognition, compassion and forgiveness.
Group 2 received education to manage symptoms of the disease, and group 3 received cognitive behavioral therapy.
The conclusions seem particularly convincing since the people who benefited from EAET therapy showed a clear improvement in their general condition.
- As a result, more of them experienced a reduction of 50% or more in their pain symptoms.
- Among the improvements raised, the researchers noted in addition to the pain reduction, a decrease in physical impairment, attention disorders and some concentration but also someanxiety and some depression.
- Patients say feel more positive emotions and greater satisfaction with life.
- Finally, 35% of patients in this group report feeling “much better” than before treatment compared to 15.4% for the “education” group.
Fibromyalgia: the interest of sophrology approved?
This major scientific advance could well improve the patient care and contribute to better recognition of complementary therapies like sophrology. Sophrology is also particularly recommended in the context of pain and emotion management in people with fibromyalgia. More and more health professionals are now offering this method to their patients in addition to their medical support.
As a reminder, fibromyalgia is a inflammatory disease characterized by disorders of the Chronic Pain. It is often accompanied by fatigue, sleep disturbances, memory or mood.
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Video – Sophrology at the service of fibromyalgia patients