FIBROMYALGIA

Fibromyalgia is an illness that involves chronic pain in specific areas or all over the body with no identifiable organic cause. Relatively little is known about the causes of fibromyalgia. Current research suggests that it may be a disorder of central processing with pain being experienced due to abnormal sensory processing in the central nervous system.

There are other studies that have shown increased levels of substance P (an excitatory neurotransmitter) in the spinal cord of fibromyalgia patients, limited blood flow to the thalamus region of the brain, hypo-function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, low levels of serotonin and tryptophan, and abnormal cytokine function.

Studies also show that there may be a genetic predisposition for this condition.

The conventional medicine approach to fibromyalgia generally involves first-line treatment by over-the-counter pain medication, such as ibuprofen. The next step may be the prescription of non-narcotic pain relievers such as tramadol. Anti-depressants are also commonly prescribed to fibromyalgia sufferers, either SSRIs or tricylic antidepressants. Lidocaine injections at tender parts of the body are also used.

Mainstream complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, are now also being increasingly employed in the treatment of fibromyalgia.

This is a very distressing condition, which is often very long-term, and it is important that patients get adequate support. For further information about this condition, you can check here:

http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/conditions/fibromyalgia.aspx