ABSTRACT
Objectives. A sophisticated device that is an activator of macro and micro blood circulation is proposed for the treatment of fibromyalgia and the trigger points of myofascial pain syndromes. The chief aim of the present study was to find whether a path of research exists for the use of intensive water-air pressure therapy. This retrospective study, more technical than clinical, was done on three groups of patients: 12 with fibromyalgia who met all the ACR criteria, 10 with fibromyalgia who met only some ACR criteria, and 22 patients with myofascial syndromes.
Findings. In the three groups equally, 50%-to-60% of patients had significant clinical improvement. The greatest improvement occurred in patients who had asthenia, with 58%-to-75% favourable results. Patients with predominant cervical pain were less responsive to the treatment. Failure was greatest with neurotic patients, whereas, depressive patients improved.
Conclusions. (1) Considering these results, further experiments are needed, conducted in a pure clinical direction, with all wishful conditions fulfilled. Such clinical experiments will define the best medical protocol for this type of apparatus. (2) The therapeutic effects stand in a narrow margin between an inefficiency threshold and a noxiousness threshold which are strictly related to the physical parameters defining the fluids: air and water. (3) A specific technical adaptation of that apparatus to the treatment of fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndromes would certainly give more significant results.