Neck pain in fibromyalgia: treatment with exercise and mesotherapy

Background and objectives: Fibromyalgia is a very common musculoskeletal disease. The purpose of this study is to assess, on a population of fibromyalgic patients, the clinical efficacy of antalgic mesotherapy with diclofenac and thiocolchicoside in the treatment of cervical pain reduction for improvement of the functional capacity and quality of life of these patients. Materials and methods: We conducted an observational study of 78 fibromyalgia patients recruited using our hospital database. Based on the different types of treatment received, the patients were divided into two groups: the treatment group (TG), who received antalgic mesotherapy with diclofenac, thiococolchicoside, and mepivacaina; and the placebo group (PG), who received mesotherapy with sodium chloride solution. Patients in both groups also received the same rehabilitation protocol of 20 sessions. The primary outcome evaluated was the extent of pain. The secondary outcomes were the functional capacity and quality of life. Results: Pain improved both in the treatment group (7.4 ± 1.2 vs. 5.1 ± 1.1; p < 0.05) and placebo group (7.5 ± 1.4 vs. 6.1 ± 1.6; p < 0.05). The treatment group, compared to the placebo group, also showed significant statistical improvements in functional capacity (NDI: 35.6 ± 5.23 vs. 19.3 ± 3.41; p < 0.05) and quality of life (SF-12: 18.3 ± 4.11 vs. 33.1 ± 2.41; p < 0.05). Conclusions: Mesotherapy treatment with diclofenac and thiocolchicoside is a safe and effective procedure in the management of neck pain in fibromyalgia patients in the short term in terms of pain reduction, functional recovery and quality of life.