A study of Humana members enrolled in commercial and Medicare Advantage plans showed that patients with fibromyalgia have higher health care utilization and costs than those without the disease.1 This is because of higher use of office visits, testing, and procedures as well as pain-related... More »
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is not a novel entity—there has been interest in unexplained pain syndromes since antiquity (Figure 1). The earliest research focused on the symptom of “muscle hardenings,” which may be the equivalent of musculoskeletal symptoms that patients with FMS describe today. More »
Throughout history, various forms of morphine have been the most effective medications in relieving pain. Opioid analgesics—the natural, semisynthetic, and synthetic derivatives of morphine—are used routinely in the management of acute musculoskeletal pain. However, myths and misunderstandings about... More »
Separate patterns of comorbidity are identified in patients who have fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and noninflammatory rheumatic disorders (NIRD). The patterns include the type of comorbid variables reported and their associations with... More »
ABSTRACT: A 36-year-old woman presented with Raynaud phenomenon, arthralgia, photosensitive rash, proteinuria, dry eyes and dry mouth, and alopecia. More »
Two new oral analgesics have recently been approved by the FDA: milnacipran (Savella) for fibromyalgia and tapentadol (Nucynta) for moderate to severe acute pain. More »
In patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), the global impression of improvement is correlated with changes in clinical rating scale items or subscales assessing multiple symptom domains. More »
The gait parameters of women affected by fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) are severely impaired compared with those of healthy women, according to researchers in the department of physical education and sports at the University of Granada in Spain. Different factors (eg, lack of physical activity,... More »
Bill H. McCarberg, MD, founding director of the chronic pain management program at Kaiser Permanente, Escondido, California, discusses the need for collaboration between psychiatrists and primary care providers to identify and treat patients with fibromyalgia. More »
