THE EFFECT OF CHIROPRACTIC THORACIC MANIPULATION ON PAIN, DEPRESSION, SLEEP AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH FIBROMYALGIA

THE EFFECT OF CHIROPRACTIC THORACIC MANIPULATION ON PAIN, DEPRESSION, SLEEP AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH FIBROMYALGIA

This study aimed to investigate the effects of thoracic chiropractic manipulations on pain intensity, depression levels, sleep, and quality of life in women diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The research included 50 female participants aged 25-45 who had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia between 2022 and 2023 at Şişli Hamidiye Etfal Education and Research Hospital. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: a chiropractic treatment group and a control group. Both groups completed pre-treatment assessments using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Short Form 36 (SF-36). The chiropractic treatment group received thoracic chiropractic manipulations (HVLA) twice a week for a total of six sessions over three weeks, while the control group received sham manipulations. A week after the final session, all participants completed the assessments again.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Having been diagnosed with fibromyalgia by a doctor.
• Having good cognitive status.
• Willingness to participate in the study voluntarily.
• Being a female aged between 25 and 45.
• The symptoms persisting without any degree of improvement or decrease recently.
• Having dysfunction (limited movement) in the thoracic region.
• Having no condition that would prevent high-velocity low-amplitude (HVLA) manipulation.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Receiving any non-pharmacological treatment.
• Having heart, kidney, or liver failure.
• Having inflammatory, psychiatric, neurological, and/or chronic progressive systemic diseases.
• Pregnancy.
• Having a history of acute or past fractures.
• Malignancy history.
• Having a history of thoracic surgery.
• Having thoracic hernias, radiculopathy, motor deficits spondylosis, spondylolisthesis, narrow canal, extruded hernia, disc herniation, discitis diagnoses.
• Metabolic bone diseases.
• Infection, fever, hypotension, respiratory disorders limiting treatment application.
• Having a rheumatic disease (except osteoarthritis).
• Osteoporosis.