Whole-Body Hyperthermia (WBH) for Fibromyalgia: Addressing Pain, Mental State, and Microcirculation

1. Efficacy of Mild WBH in Reducing Fibromyalgia Pain and Improving Mental Health

*Mild Whole-Body Hyperthermia (WBH)* with water-filtered Infrared-A is proven to be an effective *adjunct treatment* for *Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS), confirmed by *Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT)* [1, 2]. Serial WBH treatments significantly *reduce pain intensity* and provide measurable *improvements in the patient’s mental state* [6, 5]. Whole Body Hyperthermia’s mechanism is thought to address underlying pathologies such as *microcirculation abnormalities* and potential *small fiber pathology* [3, 7].

Clinical and Physiological Findings

• *Pain Reduction & Mental State:* Controlled studies show that integrating systemic WBH into multi-modal FMS therapy provides significant benefits, primarily reducing *pain intensity* and achieving a positive impact on the *mental state* [6, 5].
• *Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) Evidence:* RCTs confirm the effectiveness and tolerability of mild WBH as an adjunct to standard multimodal rehabilitation for FMS [1, 2].
• *Addressing Underlying Pathology:* Research indicates that FMS patients often exhibit *microcirculation abnormalities* (measured by capillary and laser fluxmetry) [3] and *small fiber pathology* [7], both of which are targeted by the physiological effects of WBH (improved blood flow).
• *Iterative Treatment:* Iterative mild WBH protocols have been shown to positively impact FMS pain over a treatment series [4].

References (E-E-A-T)

1. Brockow T., Wagner A., Franke A., Offenbächer M., Resch K.L.
   A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Effectiveness of Mild Water-filtered Near Infrared Whole-body Hyperthermia as a n Adjunct to a Standard Multimodal Rehabilitation in the treatment of Fibromyalgia.
   Clin J Pain 2007; 1:67-75
2. Eine randomisierte, kontrollierte Studie zur Wirksamkeit und Ver­träglichkeit einer milden wassergefi lterten Infrarot-A-Ganz­körperhyperthermie als Zusatzbehandlung zu einer multimo­dalen rehabiliitativen Standardtherapie bei der Behandlung der Fibromyalgie.
   Phys Med Rehab Kuror 2008; 18:171-80
3. Morf S., Vesti B.A., Forster A., Franzeck U.K., Koppensteiner R., Uebelhart D., Sprott H.
   Microcirculation abnormalities in patients with fibromyalgia – measured by capillary and laser fluxmetry.
   Arthritis Res Ther 2005; 7:R209-16, Volltext-Link
4. Schleenbecker H.G., Schmidt K.L.
   Zur Wirkung einer iterativen milden Ganzkörperhyperthermie auf den Fibromyalgieschmerz.
   Phys Rehab Kur Med 1998; 8:113-17
5. Walz J., Hinzmann J., Haase I., Witte T.
   Ganzkörperhyperthermie in der Schmerztherapie – eine kontrollierte Studie an Patienten mit Fibromyalgiesyndrom.
   Schmerz 2013; 27:38-45
6. Romeyke T., Stummer H.
   Multi-modal pain therapy of fibromyalgia syndrome with integration of systemic whole-body hyperthermia – effects on pain intensity and mental state: A non-randomised controlled study.
   J Musculoskel Pain 2014; 4:341-55
7. Üceyler N., Zeller D., Kahn A.K., Kewenig S., Kittel-Schneider S., Schmid A., Casanova-Molla J., Reiners K., Sommer C.
   Small fibre pathology in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome
   Brain 2013; 136:1857–67