Fibromyalgia Less Painful for Older Patients: Study

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Fibromyalgia Less Painful for Older Patients: Study

Thu Sep 19,10:35 AM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Older people with fibromyalgia report

less pain and discomfort than their younger counterparts, according to a

new report.

While it is possible that the severity of the chronic condition

declines with age, the explanation may be more psychological than

physical, the researchers suggest.

Previous studies have indicated that older people tend to perceive

their overall health status more positively than younger adults, even

though the former may have multiple illnesses, said study author Dr.

Terry Cronan of San Diego State University and colleagues. In addition,

they said, because seniors often expect their health to decline, they

may assume that fibromyalgia symptoms such as pain and stiffness are

just a normal consequence of aging and thus not attribute them to the

condition.

" Younger people, on the other hand, expect to be healthy and

participate in an active life; when faced with a chronic health problem

they see it as negative and more disruptive, " Cronan and colleagues

write in a recent issue of the Journal of Aging and Health.

" Hence, they may evaluate their health more negatively and are

more apt to report their symptoms or complain, " they said. " Thus, the

actual health of the person may not improve with age, but differing

perceptions produce decreases in the overt expression of discomfort. "

Fibromyalgia affects about 2% the population, primarily women,

according to the paper. Patients commonly report feeling tenderness,

stiffness and sometimes unbearable pain in various areas of the body.

They also may suffer from fatigue, headaches, gastrointestinal problems

and other symptoms.

The new study involved 600 fibromyalgia patients, mostly female,

who were members of a large health maintenance organization. They were

grouped by age: young (20-39); middle-aged (40-59); and older (60-85).

All participants completed a series of questionnaires assessing pain,

sleep quality, depression and other factors relating to their health.

Results showed that while the older patients had suffered with the

disease for years longer than the other age groups, they reported better

sleep quality and less pain, depression and illness impact than the rest

of the study participants.

SOURCE: Journal of Aging and Health 2002;14:370-384.