A disorder characterized by widespread pain, fatigue and stress, fibromyalgia is a chronic health condition that is often addressed with a variety of treatments. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC), exercising in warm water can be a beneficial therapy. A number of clinical studies have also proven that soaking in bubbling warm water offers health benefits to sufferers of fibromyalgia.

Hot Tubs Proven Therapeutic for Women with Fibromyalgia
The Office on Women's Health (OWH), a subsidiary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), recommends water therapy as a treatment that may help women afflicted with fibromyalgia. A study published in the journal Rheumatology International showed that women who underwent spa therapy enjoyed a number of health benefits from the treatment, including a reduction in the number of tender points on their bodies, as well as improvements in sleep, mood and energy.

Comprehensive Fibromyalgia Study
In a 2013 study published in the Clinical Medicine: Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Disorders journal, Italian researchers sought to establish definitively whether the benefits of spa therapy for fibromyalgia were a myth or reality. Researchers reviewed a decade's worth of international clinical studies and found spa therapies were effective at reducing pain, improving function and enhancing the quality of life.

How Spa Therapies Help
The Italian study examined how soaking in hot tubs alleviated fibromyalgia symptoms and found that it's the unique combination of buoyancy, immersion, warm temperatures and resistance that spas provide that's largely responsible for making people feel better. Bubbling warm water acts like an analgesic on sensitive nerve endings and also increases levels of beta endorphin, which are naturally occurring opiate neurotransmitters that improve mood and reduce stress.

Studies have also found that the simple act of reserving a period of time to relax and unwind in a hot tub and slipping away from daily stressors contribute to the beneficial effects of spa therapy. The decision to purchase and install a spa at home may be a therapeutic act in itself. People with fibromyalgia should look for a spa that has jets directed towards the parts of the body most in need of soothing, and make sure that the spa comes with all of the hot tub supplies that they'll need to enjoy all of the long-term benefits that spas have to offer.