Fibromyalgia, commonly abbreviated at FM is a chronic health condition, which causes pain, tenderness, and stiffness of the joints, tendons, and muscles (Saba, 2017). Often, these symptoms are accompanied by depression, abnormal bowel function, anxiety, chronic fatigue, and restlessness. Although the exact cause and treatment for this condition remain unknown, medications and alternative treatments are used to alleviate symptoms. The following study focuses on fibromyalgia by offering a brief examination of its epidemiology, the financial costs involved, diagnosis, and the available treatment options.
Statistics/Epidemiology:
Statistical Prevalence
Fibromyalgia is one of the world’s most common chronic pain disorders. This condition affects people from different medical, monetary, and ethnic backgrounds across the globe. In the United States alone, FM affects approximately ten million individuals and an estimated 4% of the world population (Chinn et al. 2016). Although it affects women more (up to 80%), it is also present in men and children from all ethnic communities (Hamilton et al. 2012). The incidence rises with so individuals who are experiencing pain, no matter their age, should visit physicians and be treated appropriately (Deodhar & Marcus, 2011).
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Types of Distributions
FM appears in many different patterns with pain being the major factor. Usually, patients become increasingly sensitive to many different sensory stimuli and have a low pain threshold. Generally, the pain caused by FM seems to be widespread and spreads to all corners of the body. This pain normally affects the chest, buttocks, arms, upper back, shoulders, and neck. It can cause the entire body to ache, including deep muscle pain, painful tender points, unending back pain, chronic headaches, and neck pain. The pain can be exacerbated by weather change, emotional stress, and noise. It may further be aggravated by reduced blood flow to the brain parts, which usually help the body, cope with pain.
Types of Determinants
This long-term chronic health disorder causes pain across the body, particularly in muscles (Hamilton et al. 2012). Those suffering from this condition further report increased sensitivity to pain, fatigue, headaches, and difficulty sleeping. The precise cause of FM is yet to be established. However, emerging studies reveal that this condition results from certain chemical imbalances in the brain. FM may be triggered by changes in how the central nervous system transmits pain messages throughout the body. Moreover, it is a hereditary condition, transmitted from parents to their offspring. The condition is mostly triggered or facilitated either by stressful events, physical or emotionally such as childbirth, injury, infection or the death of a loved one. It is highly prevalent in women over men mostly affecting those between two and fifty years.
Financial Costs
The financial costs of FM to both the society and the individual are extensive. A survey conducted in 2007 reveals that approximately 34% of FM patients spend roughly from $100 to $1000 monthly above their medical cover on physician visits (Deodhar & Marcus, 2011). Prominent FM specialists and researchers estimate the FM financial costs in the US to be between $13M and $15M annually and it is responsible for a 2% loss of the country’s overall productivity (Clauw & Wallace, 2009). Recently, the Journal of Rheumatology published a study, which concluded that the total costs of FM claimants per year were double the costs for the typical insurance beneficiary. In addition, the study shows that failure to diagnose the exact cause of FM leads to excess costs in terms of investigations, practitioner visits, and prescriptions.
Anatomy & Physiology/Etiology
Cause(s) of the Disease
Although no exact cause has been established, there are various theories used to explain how the condition is caused. It caused by a combination of emotional and physical stressors and not a single event (Buskila et al. 2008). Others contend that FM is caused by elevated levels of chemical substances called nerve chemical or substance P that serve to amplify pain signals. Besides, the presence of serotonin in the brain may cause this condition (Buskila et al. 2008). Serotonin is a chemical substance found in the brain, which functions as a messenger, or neurotransmitter, associated with anxiety reducing or calming effect. FM patients often report lack of deep sleep and fatigue. The onset of FM is commonly associated with trauma, infection and psychological distress (Clauw & Wallace, 2009).
Diagnosis/Treatments/Prognosis:
Diagnosis
There is no single text for FM. The diagnosis process of FM involves various tests. They include X-rays, blood tests and many more, which are likely to lead to normal results. Normally, X-rays and blood tests are preferred because they can help determine the presence of other conditions and rule them out (Hakim et al. 2010). However, these tests cannot specifically ascertain the presence of FM conducted to exclude other possible diagnoses. After completing diagnostic tests, physicians may follow the below criteria to detect FM:
Widespread pain in all the four body quadrants
Persistent pain for at least three months
None of the other detected diseases is causing the pain (Ryan, 2011)
Treatment Options
In most FM cases, the treatment journey begins with a visit to the primary care physician. Usually, after a thorough work-up, the general practitioner sends the patient to physicians specializing in pain conditions. A Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the possible physician experts that an FM patient may encounter (Larkin, 2013). Many patients may be taken to the pain management physician who would treat the chronic pain condition. Then, he/she may work with the primary care doctor to coordinate other treatments.
Medication is the frontline treatment for FM by the pain management physicians. Often, antidepressants are prescribed for mood adjustment and relieving pain. For instance, Cymbalta is one of the common antidepressants reported to treat the pain associated with FM effectively. Additionally, anti-seizure drugs like Lyrica have proven to be effective in helping with the FM pain (Ryan, 2011). Moreover, muscle relaxants like baclofen and other anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen are prescribed to relieve pain. Most FM patients experiencing pain combine these drugs to relieve their pain.
Definitely, the treatment of FM is not all about medications. Physical therapy, pool therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and cognitive behavioral therapy are all viable adjuncts to drugs (Moore, 2009). The pain management physician can help patients navigate their treatment choices and select the most appropriate treatment.
Conclusion
FM is a chronic pain and fatigue disorder, which generally hinders a person from performing the daily activities. The precise cause of this condition remains largely established though it has some genetic roots. Usually, the pain is experienced is musculoskeletal in nature and centers on particular body parts known as tender points. Moreover, this condition affects a patient’s mood, memory, and sleep. In addition to the pain in the muscles, most patients report feeling incredibly tired. Although the disease has been in existence for many years, the treatment options available are generally supportive rather than curative.
References
Buskila, D., Atzeni, F., & Sarzi-Puttini, P. (2008). Etiology of fibromyalgia: The possible role of infection and vaccination. Autoimmunity Reviews, 8 (1): 41-43.
Chinn, S., Caldwell, W., & Gritsenko, K. (2016). Fibromyalgia Pathogenesis and Treatment Options Update. Current Pain and Headache Reports, 20, ( 4.) 25. DOI: 10.1007/s11916-016-0556-x.
Clauw, D. J., & Wallace, D. J. (2009). Fibromyalgia: The essential clinician's guide . Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Deodhar, A., & Marcus, D. A. (2011). Fibromyalgia [recurso electrónico]: A Practical Clinical Guide . Estados Unidos: Springer New York.
Hakim, A. J., Keer, R. J., & Grahame, R. (2010). Hypermobility, Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Pain E-Book . https://nls.ldls.org.uk/welcome.html?ark:/81055/vdc_100052493494.0x000001 .
Hamilton, N. A., Atchley, R. A., Karlson, C. W., Taylor, D., & McCurdy, D. (, 2012). The Role of Sleep and Attention in the Etiology and Maintenance of Fibromyalgia. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36 (1): 81-93.
Larkin, R. (2013). Current treatment options for fibromyalgia. Pharmaceutical Journal, 7750, 353.
Moore, R. J. (2009). Bio-behavioral approaches to pain . New York, NY: Springer.
Ryan, S. (2011). Fibromyalgia: an overview and comparison of treatment options. British Journal of Nursing, 20( 16): 991-995.
Saba, L. (2017). Neuroimaging of Pain . Cham: Springer.
