Exercise, patient education, heat applications and balneotherapy are common non-pharmacological treatment methods.

Researchers at the Gaziantep University Faculty of Medicine in Turkey investigated the effects of balneotherapy on treatment of fibromyalgia compared to education alone and found that adding this therapy to patient education has both short- and long-term benefits on fibromyalgia patients. The research paper, “” was published in Agri (The Journal of the Turkish Society of Algology). Fibromyalgia is a debilitating and chronic condition associated with muscular or musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, mobility issues, with symptoms varying from patient to patient. According to the American Fibromyalgia Syndrome Association, 3 to 5 percent of the U.S. population is affected by this condition, with a higher prevalence in females. Specifically, people suffering from other rheumatoid diseases, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, are at an increased risk of developing the condition. Currently, there are a series of therapy approaches to reduce the effects of fibromyalgia, including pharmacology, such as antidepressants and anti-epileptic medicines, and non-pharmacological methods.