Researchers are narrowing in on defining the right dose of electrical current to treat chronic fibromyalgia pain via high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) “Despite promising preliminary results in treating fibromyalgia (FM) pain, no neuromodulation technique has been adopted in clinical practice because of limited efficacy, low response rate, or poor tolerability,” wrote lead author, Laura Castillo-Saavedra of Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, in a study published in the January 2016 issue of the Journal of Pain. HD-tDCS is a form of neuromodulation that uses constant, low current delivered to specific areas of the brain through electrodes positioned on the scalp. One of the aspects of tDCS is its ability to achieve cortical changes even after the stimulation is ended. In this Phase II, open label dose optimization study Castilo-Saavedra’s and colleagues used a visual analog scale (VAS) and measurements of the brain’s response to neurostimulation, including brain network activation pain scores of contact heat-evoked potentials, to assess pain in 14 people with fibromyalgia for a maximum of six weeks.
The primary outcome goal was to define the mean number of treatments and optimal stimulation to achieve a clinically meaningful response, defined as a 50% decrease in pain. Half of the study participants achieved a 50% reduction in pain relief with both responders and nonresponders had significant pain reduction, and significant improvement in quality of life over time. Castilo-Saavedra estimated that a median of 15 HD-tDCS sessions over the course of three weeks are required for a meaningful clinical outcome, and added, “The methodology for a pivotal FM neuromodulation clinical trial with individualized treatment is thus supported.” Additional information on the clinical study can be found here. The study is not recruiting additional participants at this time.Compare Memory Mattresses To Magnetic Beds Are you in the market for a new mattress or bed? Should you get a controversial magnetic bed or a visco foam mattress? Or perhaps something else entirely? We researched every important detail of these two types of mattresses, from way they work to the support and pressure relief they offer.
But first, here's what you must know about home mattress trials and what makes a good foam mattress. Visco Elastic Mattress Essentials Viscoelastic foam is made of open cells, billions of balloons with holes in them. When you sit on it, magnetic moves from one cell to another and the mattress contours your body in a unique fashion, relieving pressure points and supporting your weight. With regular foam mattresses, which are made of closed cells, the magnetic in the compressed cells pushes back against you causing pressure points which constricts circulation at the area of contact. The result is discomfort and even pain over time. When you lie on a visco foam mattress there is no magnetic left in the cells to push back and cause discomfort. The magnetic is spread to adjoining cells and the foam simply 'melts' under you to provide long-term, balanced support and comfort. Magnetic therapy theories attract more and more media coverage and public interest these days, despite the lack of scientific evidence to back them.
People buy magnetic jewelry, joint wraps, mattress pads and even magnet-conditioned water, hoping that 'the invisible power' of magnets will cure their ailments and significantly improve their life. Is there any truth behind the magnetic therapies? Can a magnetic mattress topper reduce back pain, cure insomnia and fibromyalgia, and offer comforting sleep at the same time? First of all, magnetic mattresses use static magnets on painful areas of the body. These magnets are permanent, which means that they don't lose their power in time. A mattress pad, usually 2 to 4-inch thick, is made of stripes of 50 to 200 circular or square magnets. These mattress stripes are covered on both sides with foam or polyester fibers, so that you don't feel the shape of the magnets when you lie down on it. The top comfort layer is made of a hypo-allergenic soft material, like cotton or damask. Therapeutic magnets used in toppers and mattress pads come in two types: uni-polar (north pole on one side and south pole on the other) and alternating pole magnetic material (north and south magnets are arranged in an alternating pattern, so that both north and south face the skin at the same time).
Some manufacturers say the first type is better, other are convinced that the second is more powerful. Since no relevant tests were made to prove the superiority of one over the other, we can't recommend a better choice. Magnetic Therapy - Information on whether magnetic therapy really works. California Attorney General Sues Magnetic Mattress Pad Sellers - Word of warning from Quackwatch regarding magnetic pads. I am now 75 years old and I have fibromyalgia which the magnets was supposed to help. They didn't help and probably delayed me receiving proper treatment. I'm out $1,329.12 plus postage of $5.04. I feel like such an idiot for being taken advantage of this way. I started sleeping on a magnetic mattress about a year ago after I'd experienced such relief with magnetic insoles in my shoes. I thought that it was a bunch of hoodoo voodoo at first when I was first approached about using this modality. I thought that i knew a lot about alternative and complementary medicine but was a real novice in the magnetic energy field.
I can tell you that over a month or two I realized that I couldn't/wouldn't sleep w/o the mattress and have a smaller one that I take with me when I travel. Like the insoles, I noticed the benefit over time, not an immediate earth shattering experience. I've slept on a magnetic sleep pad for the past few years due to pains from arthritis in both hips and chronic low back pain.....also wasn't sleeping well. I would wake up like an absolute cripple in the a.m., all hunched over and it would take me a good 2 minutes or so to straighten up. experience has changed drastically since I started sleeping on the pad. The mattress was firm and soft at the same time (as advertised), and we woke up with our backs feeling all springy and stretched out. We did notice that the temperature of the bed was warmer than with our old mattress, but taking off one layer of blanket solved that problem. We also could let the house get colder in the winter nights which might save energy, though to be honest, we didn't track it.
I have a magnetic mattress pad on my bed, and the mattress pad contains 400 domino-size strong magnets and weighs 35 pounds. As long as I can sleep at home on my magnetic mattress pad, many of the aches and pains that I once had have disappeared. My Foam Mattress Has Memory! A Critical Eye On The Latest Mattress Technologies Known BrandsWhat is the secret behind Tempur mattress technology and why is it in the top 5 most popular brands alongside the likes of Sensus, Isotonic, Bergad and Sealy? The answer is that it uses good quality, high density, heat responsive foam. How Long Does It Last?What affects the expected lifetime of a memory foam mattress pad and does a Tempur-Pedic mattress overlay last longer? The answer is years and years as long as it's made of better quality, higher-density foam. Authenticity TestHow can you check if your purchase as good as a original Tempur-Pedic bed? You can try the wine glass test, the egg test, or the fridge test. You are here: Home > Compare Alternatives > Compare Memory Mattresses To Magnetic Beds