Our Senior Practitioner, Elliot Nation, M.Ost, was the lead author of this clinical study exploring the impact of rTMS on fibromyalgia in a clinical setting. The results aligned with previous research, such as the study by Tanwar et.al. (2020), which also demonstrated the positive effects of low-frequency rTMS on fibromyalgia symptoms.
Frontiers in Pain Research, 25 June 2025.
Elliot Nation, M.Ost et al.
Objective: To assess the clinical effectiveness of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treating fibromyalgia (FM) in a real- world setting.
Methods: Eighteen adults diagnosed with FM received 20 sessions of low- frequency rTMS over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Pain and symptom burden were assessed using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Outcomes were compared using paired t-tests.
Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in NRS, FIQ, BDI, and BAI. A non-significant trend towards reduced disability (SDS) was observed. No serious adverse effects were reported.
Conclusion: Low-frequency rTMS over the DLPFC shows promise as a safe and effective treatment for FM, improving pain, mood, and impact of FM symptoms, with a trend towards improving disability. Further research with larger cohorts is needed.
Keywords: rTMS, fibromyalgia, neuromodulation, hypermobility, rheumatology