Apport de l'hypnose et du soutien psychologique dans le traitement médical de la fibromyalgie

It is extremely difficult to treat fibromyalgia with classical drugs. Therefore, hypnosis may be proposed as a complementary treatment. However, there have been few studies assessing the impact of hypnosis on the treatment of fibromyalgia. Five patients consulting a pain center agreed to participate in research on the topic. These patients had six to eight therapeutic sessions (hypnosis and psychological support), and a regular assessment using standard scales and a questionnaire. The diagnosis of fibromyalgia was established by the pain center physician in three patients using the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology. Two other patients suffered from headaches and osteoarthritis of the knee joint. All participants were very satisfied with their medical and psychological treatment. They were less satisfied with hypnosis. The psychological presentation of the patients with fibromyalgia was not different in terms of anxiety, depression, and self-esteem, but their initial locus of health control was clearly external. At least six sessions were necessary to establish a tangible therapeutic evolution. These interesting findings suggest that further work with a larger sample would be warranted.