Fibromyalgia (FMS) |
| Author: Shelley Ensz. Scleroderma is highly variable. See Types of Scleroderma. Read Disclaimer |
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What is Fibromyalgia (FMS)? |
| Fibromyalgia (FMS) causes chronic pain, fatigue, disturbed sleep and a myriad of other symptoms. It can occur by itself or along with other forms of arthritis, including scleroderma. Although it is never fatal, it is usually difficult to manage and can cause significant disability and disruption of quality of life. (Also see: Autoimmune Diseases) |
| What is Fibromyalgia? "Fibromyalgia (formerly known as fibrositis) is a chronic condition causing pain, stiffness, and tenderness of the muscles, tendons, and joints. Fibromyalgia is also characterized by restless sleep, awakening feeling tired, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and disturbances in bowel function." MedicineNet. |
| The Longitudinal Outcome of Fibromyalgia: A Study of 1555 Patients. Although we found no average clinically meaningful improvement in symptom severity overall, 25% had at least moderate improvement of pain over time. Brian Walitt. Journal of Rheumatology. July 15, 2011. |
Causes of FMS |
| Obesity associated with increased risk of fibromyalgia (FMS). Researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology have found an association between the level of leisure time physical exercise and a future risk of developing FMS. The research team also identified BMI as an independent risk factor for FMS. E! Science News. April 29 2010. |
| Increased frequencies of hysterectomy and early menopause in fibromyalgia (FM) patients: a comparative study. The objective was to determine the relationship between symptoms of FM and early menopause and hysterectomy. Early menopause and hysterectomy may be one of the factors contributing to the development of FM. (PubMed) Pamuk ON. Clin Rheumatol. 2009 May;28(5):561-4. |
Diagnosis of FMS |
| Fibromyalgia (FM) Criteria and Severity Scales for Clinical and Epidemiological Studies: A Modification of the ACR Preliminary Diagnostic Criteria for Fibromyalgia. The FM Symptom scale may have wide utility beyond the bounds of FM, including substitution for widespread pain in epidemiological studies. Frederick Wolfe. The Journal of Rheumatology vol. 38 no. 6 1113-1122. |
| Do We Need Core Sets of Fibromyalgia (FM) Domains? The Assessment of Fibromyalgia (and Other Rheumatic Disorders) in Clinical Practice. The content and impact of FM, whether measured by discrete variables or a fibromyalgianess scale, seems to be independent of diagnosis. These data argue for a common set of variables rather than disease-specific variables. Frederick Wolfe. The Journal of Rheumatology vol. 38 no. 6 1104-1112. |
Treatments of FMS |
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Complications of FMS |
| Smoking habits influence pain and functional and psychiatric features in fibromyalgia. This study revealed that smoking habits may, in part, influence pain or functional and psychiatric features in FMS patients. Lee SS. (PubMed) Joint Bone Spine. 2010 Sep 16. |
| Fibromyalgia and nutrition, what do we know? Dietary advice is necessary to these patients to improve their diets and maintain normal weight. Laura-Isabel Arranz. (SpringerLink) Rheumatology International. April 01, 2010. |
| Neurologic Findings Are Common in Fibromyalgia Patients. Researchers found that people with fibromyalgia were more likely than those without the chronic pain condition to have poor balance, tingling and weakness in the arms and legs, and other neurologic signs and symptoms. Michelle Rizzo. Reuters. 09/18/09. |
Related Symptoms or Disorders |
| Autoimmune, Arthritis or Rheumatic |
| The Prevalence Of Secondary Fibromyalgia (FM) in An Early Inflammatory Arthritis Cohort Increases With Time But The Diagnosis May Not Be Permanent. The prevalence of FM in early inflammatory arthritis is comparable to previously published rates of FM in the general population. Y.C. Lee. EULAR 2011 OP0263. Ann Rheum Dis 2011;70(Suppl3):158. (Also see: Arthritis) |
| Autoimmun Diseases. Fibromyalgia may occur by itself or along with any other autoimmune, arthritis or rheumatic disorder, including scleroderma. ISN. |
| Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Fibromyalgia (FM): A Frequent Unrelated Association Complicating Disease Management. The association between RA and FM does not appear to be a marker of worse prognosis, but rather a fortuitous association between the 2 diseases and one that may afford these patients some protection against joint destruction. F. Choury. J Rheumatol. January 2009. (Also see: Rheumatoid Arthritis) |
| Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Fibromyalgia |
| Increased Frequency of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients with Fibromyalgia (FM) and Associated Factors: A Comparative Study. In patients with FM, the severity scores of dyspepsia symptoms, constipation, and dyspepsia-related QOL disturbance were higher than in patients with RA and controls. O.N. Pamuk. JRheum. June 30 2009. |
| Interstitial Cystitis (Bladder) and Fibromyalgia |
| Clinical evaluation of 30 patients with interstitial cystitis (IC) complicated by fibromyalgia (FM). Approximately 11% of patients with IC have a complication of FM. They feel isolated due to the lack of understanding of the disease and endure generalized intolerable pain. PubMed. Nippon Hinyokika Gakkai Zasshi. 2005 Jul;96(5):554-9. (Also see: Interstitial Cystitis) |
| Lupus and Fibromyalgia |
| Fibromyalgia (FM), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), and Evaluation of SLE Activity. The prevalence of FM in SLE is minimally increased compared with its prevalence in patients with arthritis. F. Wolfe. J Rheumatol. November 1, 2008. (Also see: Lupus) |
| Premenstrual Syndrome |
| The Premenstrual Syndrome and Fibromyalgia (FM): Similarities and Common Features. The aim of the study was to assess the clinical similarities and common features of FM and premenstrual dysphoric syndrome (PMDD). In this study, patients with PMDD were found to have higher levels of tenderness, higher psychiatric comorbidity, greater level of physical disabilities, and a lower quality of life. (SpringerLink) D. Amital. Clinical Reviews in Allergy and Immunology. June 25 2009. |
| Restless Leg Syndrome |
| Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Is Common among Female Patients with Fibromyalgia. This study shows that 64% of a group of female patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia also concurrently suffered from RLS. These patients experience more sleep disturbances and pronounced daytime sleepiness as compared to those suffering from only fibromyalgia. (Karger) R. Stehlik. European Neurology. Dec 9 2008. (Also see: Sleep Disorders) |
| Scleroderma and Fibromyalgia |
| Microcirculation abnormalities in patients with fibromyalgia - measured by capillary microscopy and laser fluxmetry. The peripheral blood flow in fibromyalgia (FM) patients was much less than in healthy controls but did not differ from that of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. PubMed. Arthritis Res Ther. 2005;7(2):R209-16. (Also see: What is Scleroderma?) |
| Temporomandibular Joint Disorder and Fibromyalgia |
| Temporomandibular Joint Disorder and Other Medically Unexplained Symptoms in Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, and Fibromyalgia. It would be helpful if clinicians would resume using and teaching tender point assessments in patients whose unexplained symptoms may be due to referred pain. J. Rheumatol. 2005 Dec;32:2288. Editorial: Hugh A Smythe, MD, FRCPC. (Also see: Dental Involvement) |
Relationship Between (CFS) and Fibromyalgia (FMS) |
| Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Information on the relationships between the rheumatological condition known as fibromyalgia, fibrositis, or FMS, chronic fatigue syndrome, CFS, myalgic encephalitis, ME, hypometabolism and thyroid disease, including hypothyroidism. About.com. |
Disability Information for Fibromyalgia |
| CFS/FMS Objective Medical Evidence Requirements for Disability Adjudication Regarding Social Security Disability in the U.S. Susan M. Daniels, Ph. D. |
Research about FMS |
| Vitamin D Status And Fibromyalgia: Is There An Association? The findings of the present study demonstrate that the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in FM patients is not greater than in the age-sex-BMI-ethnicity matched population. A. Abou-Raya. EULAR 2011 SAT0123. Ann Rheum Dis 2011;70(Suppl3):561. |
| FMS: Psychological and Sociological Research |
| A Systematic Review Assessing The Nocebo Effect In Fibromyalgia (FM) Patients. The nocebo effect is very high in FM similar to depression or anxiety and significantly higher than peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP). This fact suggests that the large nocebo effect in FM could be associated with the presence of anxiety and/or depression in this syndrome. C. Alegre. EULAR 2011 OP0265. Ann Rheum Dis 2011;70(Suppl3):159. |
| Habituation and sensitization to heat and cold pain in women with fibromyalgia (FM) and healthy controls (HC). There were large overall differences in pain thresholds, with the FM group showing greater sensitivity to heat and cold pain stimuli compared with the HC group. (PubMed) Smith BW. Pain. October 21, 2008). (Also see: Fibromyalgia) |
| Medical Research: Pain |
| Long Term Depression Induced Inhibition Of Fibromyalgia (FM) Pain. Despite diminished BRS in FM, the combination of electrical pain and non-painful stimuli applied immediately after the systolic and diastolic peak diminished pain sensitivity and reduced fibromyalgia. K. Thieme. EULAR 2011 OPO264. Ann Rheum Dis 2011;70(Suppl3):158. |
| Low Concentrations Of Vitamin D Could Increase Pain In Patients With Fibromyalgia Refractory To Conventional Treatment. We have found that these patients with fibromyalgia and low concentrations of vitamin D, have increased muscle pain and that it improves with vitamin D supplements. We conclude that there is a lack of support for a pathogenic role of vitamin D status in FM. M.C. Latorre. EULAR 2011 SAT0129. Ann Rheum Dis 2011;70(Suppl3):563. |
| Is Fibromyalgia a Neuropathic Pain Syndrome? The fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) seems an unlikely candidate for classification as a neuropathic pain. The disorder is diagnosed based on a compatible history and the presence of multiple areas of musculoskeletal tenderness. J Rheumatol. 2005 August;32 Suppl 75:38-40. |
Support for FMS |
| Arthritis Foundation. Support groups and information on arthritis illnesses. |
| The National Fibromyalgia Partnership, Inc. (NFP) is the largest non-profit, membership organization for fibromyalgia (FM) in the United States. It provides medically accurate information on FM to individuals with fibromyalgia and their families, health care professionals, and the general public—both nationwide and in many other countries. |
FMS Stories |
| Do you have Fibromyalgia or CFS? Submit your story to help raise awareness and share support with others. |
| FMS Stories in English and Español/Spanish |
