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Turquoise Stone

FIBROMYALGIA

PAIN MEDICINE | VITUS CLINICAL SERVICES | BANGALORE

OUR EXPERTISE

Identifying the cause of your pain using a combination of clinical examination and imaging technologies. Once the cause of pain is identified, we target our therapies using precision-based and minimally invasive injections on a daycare basis. Attention to detail and having all aspects of pain covered is our motto in providing pain control and long-term favorable patient outcomes.

OUR SERVICES

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Overview
 

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues.

Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals.
 

Symptoms may begin after an event, such as physical trauma, surgery, infection or significant psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms gradually accumulate over time with no single triggering event.
 

Women are more likely to develop fibromyalgia than are men. Many people who have fibromyalgia also have tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome. These pain disorders are sometimes clubbed together under the broad term “Functional pain syndromes”. Concomitant anxiety and depression are ver common in this group of sufferers.
 

While there is no “cure” for fibromyalgia, a variety of medications can help control symptoms. Exercise, relaxation and stress-reduction measures also may help.

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Symptoms
 

The primary symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

  • Widespread pain. The pain associated with fibromyalgia often is described as a constant dull ache that has lasted for at least three months. To be considered widespread, the pain must occur on both sides of your body and above and below your waist.

SPINAL PAIN - BACK & NECK | MUSCULOSKELETAL PAINS – SHOULDER, HIP, KNEE | HEADACHES | FACIAL PAINS INCLUDING TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA | CANCER PAIN | CHRONIC ABDOMINAL PAIN | PELVIC PAIN | PHANTOM PAIN | PERIPHERAL VASCULAR PAIN | POST HERPETIC NEURALGIA | CHRONIC POST SURGICAL PAIN | FIBROMYALGIA | FUNCTIONAL PAIN SYNDROMES

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  • Fatigue. People with fibromyalgia often awaken tired, even though they report sleeping for long periods of time. Sleep is often disrupted by pain, and many patients with fibromyalgia have other sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea.
     

  • Cognitive difficulties. A symptom commonly referred to as "fibro fog" impairs the ability to focus, pay attention and concentrate on mental tasks.

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  • Fibromyalgia often co-exists with other conditions, such as:
    ●    Irritable bowel syndrome
    ●    Chronic fatigue syndrome

  • ●    Migraine and other types of headaches
    ●    Interstitial cystitis or painful bladder syndrome
    ●    Temporomandibular joint disorders
    ●    Postural tachycardia syndrome
     

    Causes
     
    Many researchers believe that repeated nerve stimulation causes the brain and spinal cord of people with fibromyalgia to change. This change involves an abnormal increase in levels of certain chemicals in the brain that signal pain.
     
    In addition, the brain's pain receptors seem to develop a sort of memory of the pain and become sensitized, meaning they can overreact to painful and non painful signals.
     

  • These changes in spinal cord and brain are collectively referred to as central sensitization. Central sensitization is considered as the main issue for the chronic pain to develop and sustain in these disorders. 

  • There are likely many factors that lead to these changes, including:
    ●    Genetics. Because fibromyalgia tends to run in families, there may be certain genetic mutations that may make you more susceptible to developing the disorder.
    ●    Infections. Some illnesses appear to trigger or aggravate fibromyalgia.
    ●    Physical or emotional events. Fibromyalgia can sometimes be triggered by a physical event, such as a car accident. Prolonged psychological stress may also trigger the condition.
     
    Risk factors
     
    Risk factors for fibromyalgia include:

    ●    Your sex. Fibromyalgia is diagnosed more often in women than in men.
    ●    Family history. You may be more likely to develop fibromyalgia if a parent or sibling also has the condition.
    ●    Other disorders. If you have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, you may be more likely to develop fibromyalgia.
     
    Management options in fibromyalgia

    The modalities of care for fibromyalgia and other central sensitization pin syndromes are based on,

    1.    Educating patient about the diagnosis, prognosis and natural history of the problem
    2.    Medication to control pain
    3.    Psychiatry based treatments
    4.    Cognitive behavioral Therapy, which is a psychology based management strategy
    5.    Flare up management

    Your pain physician will help you in diagnosis, education  and managing the pain appropriately. You may be referred to appropriate psychiatry and psychology services as needed to attain optimum outcomes
     

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