Watsu therapy in the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome

Abstract

Fibromyalgia is a rheumatic syndrome characterized by diffuse and chronic pain at specific points, called tender points. Among the hydrotherapy techniques is Watsu which combines passive stretching with the centralization of breathing, promoting deep relaxation for the patient, causing physical and emotional relief. Objective: This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of Watsu method in symptoms of pain, anxiety and sleep quality in patients with fibromyalgia. The sample consisted of 12 participants with confirmed medical diagnosis of fibromyalgia, aged 30–60 years. The assessment instruments were: Visual Analogue Pain Scale (VAS) ranging from zero (little pain) to 10 (maximum pain), Beck Anxiety Inventory ranging from 0 (no anxiety) to 63 (severe anxiety) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ranging from zero to X being the worse the sleep the higher the score. The patients underwent 15 sessions, 3 times per week, and evaluated pre and post-treatment. We observed by the VAS that the pain symptom decreases from 6.04 before treatment to 1.12 post-treatment ( p = 0.00001), the anxiety reduced from 32.5 before treatment to 13.6 after treatment ( p = 0.0024), and sleep quality improved from 12.67 in the pre- treatment to 5.58 post-treatment ( p = 0.00004). It was concluded that Watsu method was effective in improving symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia related to pain, anxiety and sleep quality. Thanks to the support and encouragement Unilavras research.