Described as a mix of generalized acheyness, tender muscles, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, Fibromyalgia (FM) seems to be an increasingly used buzz word in medicine. At some point in time, we have all been a little “under the weather,” and we could be classified as having this disorder, due to the vagueness of its symptoms. This is probably why many physicians are reluctant to make the diagnosis of FM, and why little is being done to treat this disorder.

A recent study in the Journal of Rheumatology makes the argument that FM is a “Neuropathic pain syndrome.” This is a fancy term to describe a condition where pain is caused by a problem in the nervous system, in short, something is wrong with the wiring of our body. Most pain perceived by our brain starts in nerve cells called nociceptors (noci = noxious). These cells fire and send signals to the middle of our brain which then interprets the signal and determines if it is truly a “painful” message, in turn letting our body know consciously that something painful is happening. In a neuropathic pain syndrome, something is wrong with the nerves going to the brain, and therefore false signals are perceived as pain in the brain.

If these scientists are right, and this nerve problem is the cause of fibromyalgia, then the next questions should be: what caused the problem with the nerves? How do we fix it? And how do we prevent it from happening again? Their answer is that something is wrong with our sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is our adrenaline system. This is what gives us the strength to run fast when we hear a gun shot, or to miraculously lift a car, to save a young child’s life. When something does not function properly in this system a hormonal imbalance occurs, making our nerves more sensitive to pain signals. Our adrenaline system is totally controlled by hormones released from special organs in the event of a scary or very exciting situation. This theory seems to make sense when you talk to patients with Fibromyalgia.

The best treatment to date for people with this chronic pain syndrome seems to be aerobic exercise. Interestingly enough, exercise utilizes our adrenaline system to help our body overcome the pain of running long distances, and it gives athletes that “second wind” that we hear about in competition. This is also the system that gets people addicted to athletic sports, because they enjoy that adrenaline rush.
Pharmaceutical companies are working to see if there may be some prescription to help alleviate this chronic condition, and scientist are trying to verify that this is imbalance is truly the problem. Some researchers and rheumatologist have other theories about the cause of Fibromyalgia. Many patients with FM have been found to have a chronic viral or parasite infection. In many cases people with recurring bouts of shingles end up with the symptoms of FM, and it is believed that the “chicken pox” virus could be causing this disorder.

One thing is for sure, no matter what causes Fibromyalgia, its symptoms are very real, and plenty of work is going into determining the causes of this disorder. In the mean time, the best treatment for these symptoms seems to be aerobic exercise and a balanced diet. It is also important to consult your physician to rule out any underlying disease or chronic infection that may be contributing the symptoms related to Fibromyalgia.

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