Fibromyalgia Pain: It's for Real

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Fibromyalgia Pain: It's for Real

Researchers Say Chronic Pain Patients Don't Process Body's Natural

Pain Relievers

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Medical News

Reviewed By Louise Chang, MD

on Thursday, November 30, 2006

Nov. 30, 2006 -- There is now " overwhelming " scientific evidence

showing that fibromyalgia and related chronic pain conditions are

real, but their clinical management leaves much to be desired.

That is the conclusion of two researchers from the University of

Michigan who have studied fibromyalgia for several years.

Because there has been no obvious physiological cause for the pain

disorder, doctors still routinely dismiss fibromyalgia as being " in a

patient's head. "

But after reviewing the research, E. , PhD, and

J. Clauw, MD, write that it is increasingly clear that fibromyalgia is

a central nervous system disorder and that patients experience

hypersensitivity to pain. There also appears to be a fairly strong

genetic component to fibromyalgia and related conditions.

" It is time for us to move past the rhetoric about whether these

conditions are real, and take these patients seriously as we endeavor

to learn more about the causes and most effective treatments for these

disorders, " and Clauw write in the December issue of the

journal Current Pain and Headache Reports.

Brain Imaging Studies

As many as 10 million Americans may have fibromyalgia, according to

The National Fibromyalgia Association.

The disorder is characterized by chronic pain throughout the body, but

symptoms may also include fatigue, headaches, and problems with memory

and concentration.

Brain imaging studies conducted at the University of Michigan and

other research centers in recent years show clear differences in

responses to pain stimulation among people with and without fibromyalgia.

Compared to people without the disorder, fibromyalgia patients showed

increased brain activity in response to pain.

" These studies indicate that fibromyalgia patients have abnormalities

within their central brain structures, " Clauw says.

Research by , Clauw, and colleagues also suggests that

fibromyalgia patients don't process the body's natural pain relievers

as efficiently as people without the disorder.

" We think that these may have both a heightened sensitivity to pain

and this dysfunction in their analgesic [painkilling] mechanism, "

tells WebMD. " It is not yet clear how this all fits together. "

National Fibromyalgia Association president and founder Lynne

Matallana tells WebMD that the doctors who treat fibromyalgia patients

face a unique challenge.

" This is a new paradigm for medical professionals to understand, " she

says. " It isn't a virus, or bacteria or inflammation. It isn't a tumor

or something else that you can see. It is a problem within the

pain-processing center of the central nervous system. "

Treatment Options Still Few

While the recent research has done much to improve the understanding

of fibromyalgia and related chronic pain conditions, few advances have

been made in the treatment of these disorders, says.

The use of medications such as antidepressants can help some patients

with fibromyalgia. And regular exercise seems to help many patients.

Acupuncture has been shown to reduce pain in some studies, but not

others, he adds.

Matallana says several drug companies are in the later stages of

testing several new drugs designed specifically for the treatment of

fibromyalgia, which target the central nervous system.

" We are really excited about this research, " she says.

Sue B.