FMS Research at Uof M

[Guest guest]

A research program at the University of Michigan that I saw at RESact...

Most people who suffer from fybromyalgia have heard at

one time or another that it's all in their head. Well, a University

of Michigan researcher has proof it is in their head, but

you can see it, and it is very real.

"I've heard that many times, it's definitely not, or as we like

to laugh, it's in your heads, it's in your arms, in your leg, it's everywhere."

Sharon Waldrop tries to use humor to help her

get through the chronic pain associated with

fybromyalgia

"Aching, burning, stabbing pains even," she says.

She was diagnosed five years ago. The pain

forced her to quit her job and work from home.

There are days she hurts so badly that she has

to use a lift to get up and down stairs, and then

there's the little things.

Sharon had to wear tennis shoes on her wedding

day, she did decorate them with pearls and

sequins.

"I've had people tell me to look out in their

waiting room at the people in wheelchairs, at

least I'm not in a wheelchair. And I should just

learn to live with the pain, so there's definitely a

lot of misunderstanding going on."

But University of Michigan doctor Clauw

has done a study that may help clear things up.

Researchers used this device to squeeze the

thumbs of people with and without fybromyalgia

At the same time, they took brain MRIs of the

people involved.

"What's indicated here in red, when press on

patient with light pressure, you get changes in

blood flow in their brain, and these are all areas

we know are involved in pain processing," Dr.

Clauw explained.

For people without fybromyalgia, it took double

the pressure to see any changes in the brain,

and that was in different areas.

"This helps us confirm that there is some type of

neurological, biological amplification of pain in

people with fybromyalgia," said Dr. Clauw.

It's objective evidence that something's going

on, and it is hoped further research will help

determine what.

"Do you dream of a day when you can live

without pain?" Channel 7's JoAnne Purtan asked

Sharon.

"Oh definitely, it would be very nice to have my

life back, to be able to rollerblade and do

activities with my husband I can't always do."

If you'd like more information about fybromyalgia

studies at University of Michigan, call

1- and then hit 6501.

Video also available at:

http://www.detnow.com/healthyliving/0206071701h.html

The beautiful thing about learning is no one can take it away from you.---B.B.King

Fibromyalgia is not something we would ever choose to have, but if we have it, we must reach a point where we accept the condition as part of ourselves. -- Mark J. Pellegrino, M.D., Inside Fibromyalgia, p.213