A total of 61 female fibromyalgia patients joined the Sheba study, which was led by Prof. Howard Amital from the Division of Internal Medicine and Research Center for Autoimmune Diseases at Sheba. They engaged in a 12-week floral design course; upon completion of the sessions, researchers extensively evaluated the effects of the course – paying close attention to any changes in symptoms linked to fibromyalgia.
The researchers, including Prof. Mark Weiser, Director of the Psychiatric Division at Sheba’s Rehabilitation Hospital, found that after finishing the therapeutic floristry classes and continuing their exposure to floral design at home, patients reported significant improvements in their symptoms.
“These results show that occupational therapy is a valid treatment option for people struggling with fibromyalgia,” stated Prof. Amital. “The improvements across such a wide variety of symptoms highlight the need for further study and exploration of alternative types of treatment such as floristry.”
