Thomas J. Romano, M.D., Ph.D.

Fibromyalgia Pain Linked With Central Nervous System Disorder

Posted on June 3, 2008 7:42 PM

ScienceDaily (June 3, 2008) -- Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that causes widespread pain and tenderness throughout the body. A University of Michigan study, published in The Journal of Pain, shows that fibromyalgia is associated with central nervous system abnormalities evidenced by patients' elevated sensitivity to auditory and pressure sensations.

The Michigan researchers studied 31 subjects to determine if there is a global central nervous system problem underlying sensory processing in fibromyalgia patients. They noted that few studies have employed different stimuli in consistent ways and levels of intensity to measure pain sensitivities in this patient group. In this study, fibromyalgia patients and normal subjects were exposed to random auditory and pressure stimuli.

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Fibromyalgia: The Invisible Disease

Posted on May 14, 2008 7:39 PM

ScienceDaily (May 14, 2008) -- "Drug approved. Is disease real?"

"Does it really exist or is it all in women's heads?"

"The doctors are in. The jury is out. "

The New York Times headlines rankle Barbara Keddy. For more than 40 years, she has suffered from fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain and fatigue. But the condition is little understood and difficult to diagnose. As borne out by the headlines, some doctors are hesitant to acknowledge it even exists.

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Fibromyalgia Affects Women More Often Than Men

Posted on April 26, 2008 7:32 PM

ScienceDaily (Apr. 26, 2008) -- Are you exhausted? Do you have pain all over but can't figure out what's wrong? If so, you may be suffering from fibromyalgia, a chronic condition that causes exhaustion, sleep disturbances and diffuse pain in your muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Fibromyalgia patients experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that increase and decrease over time and often resemble other conditions. For years, because of their complex nature and a lack of research on the condition, many doctors misdiagnosed fibromyalgia symptoms or dismissed them as being in the patient's head. Even today, it is estimated to take an average of five years for a fibromyalgia patient to get an accurate diagnosis.

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FDA OKs Lyrica as 1st Fibromyalgia Drug

Posted on June 21, 2007 11:27 PM

Drug Relieves Fibromyalgia Pain for Some Patients
By Miranda Hitti
WebMD Health News

June 21, 2007 -- The FDA today approved Lyrica as the first drug treatment for fibromyalgia. Lyrica isn't a cure, but it may ease fibromyalgia pain for some patients, according to the FDA.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder of the muscles and related soft tissue, including ligaments and tendons. Its main symptoms are muscle pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and tender points at certain points of the body.

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Living with Fibromyalgia, Drugs Approved to Manage Pain

Posted on June 21, 2007 7:28 PM

After meeting on the Internet in 1997, Lynne Matallana and Karen Lee Richards discovered they had a lot in common. They both had seen numerous doctors before being diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a chronic condition characterized by fatigue and widespread pain in muscles and joints. They both had trouble finding medical information and support for coping with the illness. Seven months after meeting, they started gathering with five other people with fibromyalgia who also wanted to bring awareness to the issue.

"We called ourselves 'the pillow posse' because we would meet and have our pillows to support our aching bodies," Matallana says. Those gatherings grew into the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA), an organization that now provides support, research information, medical education, and messages of hope to millions.

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