Eletrodiagnóstico bioenergético por condutância elétrica da pele em pessoas com fibromialgia

Abstract

Introduction: Integrative approaches have gained prominence in the management of symptoms of chronic non-communicable diseases, whether physical, emotional and/or metabolic, such as in the control and management of Fibromyalgia symptoms, seeking to go beyond traditional pharmacological therapies. These approaches include integrative and complementary practices, also known as Complementary Integrative Traditional Medicines. Integrative and complementary practices are increasingly offered in health systems, among the most offered integrative practices are those of Traditional Chinese Medicine such as acupuncture. Fibromyalgia is a complex multifactorial disease associated with other health conditions and has benefited from integrative practices such as acupuncture. Bioenergetic electrodediagnosis is a quantitative method used to measure the balance of Qi (vital energy) by electrical conductance of the skin (electropermeable points) in the systemic acupuncture meridians. Objectives: To identify and describe bioenergetic electrodiagnosis by skin electrical conductance according to pain intensity in people with fibromyalgia. Methods: Two methods were used: a systematic review of the literature without meta-analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and a descriptive observational study. The Strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology guideline was adopted for cross-sectional studies. Results: Two articles were conducted: a systematic review without meta-analysis and a cross-sectional study. It was possible to identify in the literature only 12 articles that used the Ryodoraku method as a tool for bioenergetic electrodiagnosis, studies that involved cohort, clinical trials and quasi-experimental studies. The original study sample consisted of women with fibromyalgia, moderate pain, poor sleep quality, non-physical activity, perception of average general health, with Qi deficiency in the direct triple heater meridians, heart, left small intestine and bilateral gallbladder, and possible threshold alteration regarding laterality. Conclusion: Bioenergetic electrodiagnosis is shown to be applicable to several health conditions, aligning with the concepts of Contemporary Western Medicine (Biomedical Model) and Traditional Chinese Medicine, by measuring bioenergy and Qi balance values by electrical conductance of the skin. Study participants presented Qi deficiency in both the right and left meridians, although electrodiagnosis has shown potential as a complementary tool for diagnosing and directing acupuncture treatments in people with fibromyalgia, it does not replace conventional assessments such as anamnesis and physical examination, thus being associated with them, it presents a more accurate and complete analysis. However, further studies are needed to deepen the understanding of this method, expanding the understanding and applicability of this tool in order to minimize the limitations of future studies and their reproducibility.