Electrotherapy, thermotherapy and phototherapy modalities in fibromyalgia: A critical review of the literature

Introduction Fibromyalgia is a common central sensitivity syndrome typically associated with chronic widespread pain, tenderness, fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive alterations and psychological distress. Electrotherapy, thermotherapy and phototherapy modalities are commonly used in physiotherapy programs for many painful conditions. The objective of this review is to identify, appraise and synthesise evidence regarding electrotherapy, thermotherapy and phototherapy modalities in the management of fibromyalgia. Materials and methods Studies were identified by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane CENTRAL. After removing duplicates, a screening of the records was performed by examining titles and abstracts. Full-text reports were retrieved and examined for compliance with eligibility criteria. Risk of bias in included studies was assessed with the PEDro scale. Narrative analysis of primary studies was performed. Results Through database searching, 1081 records were identified. After removing 290 duplicates, 791 records were screened and 751 were excluded. Fulltext articles for 38 records were retrieved and assessed for eligibility; Electrotherapy, thermotherapy and phototherapy modalities in fibromyalgia: a critical review of the literature