Swedish Researchers Urge Early Treatment of Fibromyalgia

Chronic pain is a reality of my life. Over the years, I tried medication after medication to relieve the pain. None worked. You don't want to know how many times the medical community suggested it was all in my head. Today, I am able to giggle when I think of those comments as researchers from around the world find evidence to suggest that Fibromyalgia is linked to defects in the brain.

If you are among the people seeking a diagnosis, I urge you to find the best doctor in your area with a good reputation for treating Fibromyalgia. Don't be afraid to grill the physician about his beliefs. The quicker you locate caring medical professionals who take this disease seriously, the more you improve your chances of rising above the disease.

Recently I came across an article that addressed a new thesis by a graduate student at Sweden's Karolinska Institute that the earlier Fibromyalgia patients are treated with the new medications that affect the central nervous system (CNS), the more effective they will be.

"The patients who had had their pain symptoms for the shortest amount of time were those that responded best to the drug treatments tested," says Karin B Jensen, postgraduate at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience. "This shows how important it is that fibromyalgia is detected and taken seriously as early in its development as possible."

"It's a common misconception that fibromyalgia is a manifestation of mental problems," she continues. "But in the studies that comprise my thesis, we've made careful measurements and have found no correlation at all between pain sensitivity in fibromyalgia patients and the degree of anxiety or depression they show."

Her thesis also confirms the existence of a relationship between genetics and pain regulation. Studies of healthy people revealed a relationship between a specific genetic variant and the effect of a morphine-like drug on repeated pain stimulation. The results suggest that the gene under study only affects the body's pain regulating system in the presence of greater psychological stress. This knowledge, say the researchers, could one day make possible the development of customized medical treatments and thus better and more effective pain relief.

In the meantime, people with Fibromylagia must find their own delicate balance of self care, nutrition, exercise and emotional well-being to create the most fulfilling lives possible. It's a challenge, but not impossible.

And remember this: the earlier you begin treatment with one of the new Fibromyalgia medications and the earlier you begin carefully watchguarding your health by practicing good stretching and nutrition habits the better you will feel. If you don't have a caring physician who fully understands Fibromyalgia, find one -- they exist.