Fibromyalgia

Recently, a group calling itself Physicians for the Responsible Opioid Prescribing proposed several radical changes to the way we treat patients with chronic noncancer pain, calling for limits on the dose and duration of opioid treatment that would in effect deny these medications to the majority of patients now receiving them for noncancer pain.

The variety of mechanisms that play a part in pathologic pain perception leads to a great deal of complexity and variation in the clinical presentation and severity of fibromyalgia symptoms, as well as a high degree of variability in patient response to treatment.

Myofascial pain syndrome and fibromyalgia are common forms of musculoskeletal pain that are often confused with each other, not only because of similar symptoms, but also because they frequently occur in the same patient, which can lead to difficulties in differential diagnosis and treatment.

Our evolving understanding of the potential causes of fibromyalgia, and its placement along a continuum of related conditions, informs an individualized treatment approach.

Insomnia, disordered sleep, and other sleep disturbances are frequently seen in patients with fibromyalgia, and are often associated with increased daytime fatigue and pain.

Should physicians prescribe opioids to patients suffering from pain associated with fibromyalgia. If they decide to do so, how can they tell which patients will benefit?

Norris describes the recent history and current activities of the Montana Pain Initiative, a "grassroots, interdisciplinary organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of Montanans with pain by removing barriers to effective pain assessment and management through research, education, and advocacy."

There was a wealth of important fibromyalgia treatment-related research presented at major pain conferences in 2011.

There are many herbs and supplements on the market that are thought to be effective by some patients and practitioners for managing pain. However, for many of these herbs and supplements, there is little in the way of reliable evidence supporting these claims. Nonetheless, millions of patients may be using these agents to supplement the pain care provided by their physicians and other clinicians, often without informing them of this fact.

Lonnie Zeltzer, MD, director of the Pediatric Pain Program at Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA, and Professor of Pediatrics, Anesthesiology, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, discusses barriers to effective pain care in children, explains why primary care physicians and family physicians need additional training in pediatric pain care, and talks about why applying the biopsychosocial model of care equips clinicians to deal with the complexities of pain.

In addition to offering sessions that covered more traditional topics in pain management, including presentations on the evaluation and treatment of back pain, assessing sleep disturbance in fibromyalgia, and identifying changes in the neuromuscular system in osteoarthritis, this year's ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting also offered several additional sessions that addressed more off-the-beaten-path topics.

Several recent studies have looked at whether opioid medications are an effective option for treating chronic pain associated with fibromyalgia. Although chronic opioid therapy (COT) can be effective for many forms of chronic noncancer pain, there is little evidence that supports its use in the treatment of fibromyalgia.

With more patients and practitioners expressing interest in non-Western modes of healing and other complementary and alternative forms of medicine, researchers are studying whether traditional Chinese methods like tai chi are effective in treating arthritis and other painful conditions.

With Michael Clark, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

New patent has been issued for doxidopa to treat fibromyalgia and its debilitating symptoms.

Clinical trial results show that vagus nerve stimulation may be a safe and effective treatment addition in patients with fibromylagia.

Fibromyalgia is one of the most common pain syndromes in the United States, affecting an estimated 10 million people.

In the real world, no two fibromyalgia patients are the same. So why did the old diagnostic criteria treat them as if they were?

Gaiam has announced its introduction of several new health action plans for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch for Fibromyalgia.

Participating in yoga raises the levels of cortisol in women suffering from fibromyalgia, reducing the physical and psychological symptoms of chronic pain.

The website provides fibromyalgia patients with a community of experts and up-to-date information on the disease.

Many women express intense frustration due to the doubt they encounter from people who do not understand their invisible source of pain.

Larry Culpepper, MD, goes in-depth about Fibromyalgia patients

John T. Kissel, MD, Discusses how to diagnosis someone with Fibromyalgia

Survey from National Fibromyalgia Association and American Pain Foundation released on reveals impact of fibromyalgia on patients' quality of life.

Therapies that target myofascial trigger points may be effective at reducing fibromyalgia-related pain.

By eliminating need for physical exam in diagnosis of fibromyalgia, new criteria enable co-morbidity studies in patients with IBS.

By using hand-held PDA devices, fibromyalgia patients and their doctors receive further insight into pain and the complex disease.

Read about some of the latest research studies on fibromyalgia.

There is a close association between obesity and disability in fibromyalgia patients.