SELECT PAIN

Fibromyalgia Pain

Fibromyalgia Pain Summary

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a type of arthritis that roughly 5 million Americans suffer from. In spite of its prevalance, less is known about fibromyalgia than many less common diseases. Unfortunately, both the cause and treatment for fibro remains an enigma. Some treatments work for some people and some don't.

Treating Fibromyalgia With Laser

Few treatments work well for fibromyalgia, and high-power Class IV laser therapy is among those that work in fibro. No single treatment has, unfortunately, been shown to work well in every patient, or even in large groups of patients. Therapy must be individually determined.

What causes Fibromyalgia and What Does It Feel Like?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome, often classified as a type of arthritis characterised by central sensitisation resulting in hypersentivity of the skin and deeper tissues as well as fatigue.

Sympathetic Hyperactivity

Today's stressful environment may contribute to permanent sympathetic hyperactivity. Trauma or infection would induce sodium channels up-regulation and sympathetic sprouting in DRG through NGF over-expression. High levels of NGF have been reported in the cerebro-spinal fluid of FM patients. These post-traumatic (or post-infective) phenotypic changes would induce a sympathetically maintained neuropathic pain syndrome resulting in widespread pain, allodynia and paresthesias - precisely, the key clinical features of FM. It's precise causes, etiology, and treatment are far from well understood.

It has been suggested that Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Princess and the Pea' was the first reported case of fibro. When asked how she slept, the princess reported: "Oh, very badly!" said she. "I have scarcely closed my eyes all night. Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, so that I am black and blue all over my body. It's horrible!" These are classic fibromyalgia descriptions. The most common fibro symptoms are:
  • Pain all over
  • Fatigue
  • Sleep difficulties
  • Brain fog
  • Morning stiffness
  • Muscle knots, cramping, weakness
  • Digestive disorders
  • Headaches/migraines
  • Balance problems
  • Itchy/burning skin 80% of fibro patients are female.

    Read More About Fibromyalgia Pain

    1. Effects of Class IV Laser Therapy on Fibromyalgia Impact and Function in Women with Fibromyalgia 2013, double blind, N=38, Sham vs Class IV,
    2. Dorsal root ganglia, sodium channels, and fibromyalgia sympathetic pain
    3. Epidemiology of Fibromyalgia in EU countries
    4. Acupuncture for fibromyalgia?a systematic review of randomized clinical trials
    5. Acupuncture does not work for fibromyalgia, after reviewing multiple studies.
    6. Princess and the Pea, fibromyalgia?
    7. Fibromyalgia Network
    8. NIH Fact sheet on fibromyalgia
    9. Mayo Fibromyalgia
    10. The Princess and the Pea