Fibromyalgia (FM) is a condition characterized by chronic, widespread pain in muscles and soft tissues accompanied by fatigue. It is an extremely common condition that is often underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed because it does not cause any structural damage in an organ and there are no specific laboratory tests that point towards its presence.
Fibromyalgia, affects approximately 2% of the US population. It is considered the prime example of a group of diseases that are called central sensitization syndrome (CSS).
These diseases are based on neurochemical abnormalities and include irritable bowel syndrome, irritable bladder syndrome, migraine headache, Persian Gulf Syndrome, and restless legs syndrome.
FM occurs when the central nervous system (spinal cord and brain) becomes sensitized in different areas of the body, so that even mild pressure or touch will cause much pain. Such hypersensitivity may also be associated with other symptoms such as poor sleep and fatigue.
Recent research has documented changes using both PET and MRI scanning in neurochemical reactions within the brains of patients suffering from FM.

It is important to approach the patient in a standard diagnostic fashion so that conditions that can mimic FM be excluded. These include rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory muscle disease, osteoarthritis, and hypothyroidism.
Once the […]

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