Home Diseases and Conditions Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia

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Development Stage

Early Stage

Focused ultrasound research is in the laboratory phase and is not yet available for patients.

Clinical Trials

Focused ultrasound for this condition is being researched in clinical trials.

International Approval

Focused ultrasound is approved to treat this condition outside the US. Patients can seek commercial treatment at participating international sites.

FDA Approved

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved focus ultrasound for this condition. Patients can seek commercial treatment at participating sites.

Early Stage

Clinical Trials

International

FDA Approved

Focused ultrasound for this condition is being researched in clinical trials.

Focused Ultrasound Therapy 

Focused ultrasound is a rapidly evolving, therapeutic technology that could transform the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with fibromyalgia. This novel technology focuses beams of ultrasound energy precisely and accurately on targets deep in the body without damaging surrounding normal tissue. 

How it Works 

Where the beams converge, focused ultrasound produces neuromodulation effects that appear to be helpful in this complicated disease. The target is the cingulate cortex.  

The primary options for treatment of fibromyalgia are limited, and many patients are stuck trying to use symptomatic medications to try to outlast the disease.    

For certain patients, focused ultrasound could provide a valuable addition to the care for this difficult disease.  

Advantages 

  • Focused ultrasound is non-invasive, so it does not carry added concerns like surgical wound healing or infection.  
  • Focused ultrasound can reach the desired target without damaging surrounding tissue. 
  • It can be repeated, if necessary. 

Clinical Trials 

At the present time there are several clinical trials for complex regional pain syndromes, but only the ones that specifically target fibromyalgia are listed below.

There is a clinical trial in Utah using focused ultrasound neuromodulation targeting the cingulate cortex to treat fibromyalgia.

There is a clinical trial for fibromyalgia (and other painful conditions) that is underway at Virginia Tech.   

There is a clinical trial for fibromyalgia (and other painful conditions) that is underway in Beijing, China.   

The Foundation updates these pages regularly, but with the increasing number of clinical trials, we want to be sure that our audience has the latest information available. Therefore, we also added the website search information for the above trials. If you click here, it will take you to the latest information available from https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/.  

Regulatory Approval and Reimbursement  

Focused ultrasound treatment for fibromyalgia is not yet approved by regulatory bodies or covered by medical insurance companies. 

Notable Papers 

Zhang JH, Liang J, Yang ZW. Non-invasive brain stimulation for fibromyalgia: current trends and future perspectives Front Neurosci. 2023 Oct 19:17:1288765. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1288765. eCollection 2023. PMID: 37928733 PMCID: PMC10620708 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1288765 

Click here for additional references from PubMed.