Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2002 Oct; 6(5): 370-4.

The use of complementary medical therapies in the management of myofascial pain disorders.

Harris RE, Clauw DJ.

Division of Rheumatology, Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center, Center for the Advancement of Clinical Research, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-0723, USA. dclauw@med.umich.edu

Complementary medical therapies are commonly used for the treatment and management of myofascial pain. No universally accepted therapy for this condition exists; consequently, patients often seek alternative and complementary therapies. Many complementary treatments are available.This article focuses on acupuncture, biofeedback, ultrasound, lasers, and massage. Although anecdotally claimed as effective, most of these modalities have not been rigorously investigated because of poor research quality. Appropriate controls, sample sizes, and blinding measures are often lacking. Despite these issues, the trend toward efficacy exists and further examination is warranted.