Sufferers of the syndrome known as fibromyalgia have struggled to convince people that their condition is real, but now researchers from the University of Michigan Health System say that fibromyalgia is indeed the real-deal. The doubt surrounding fibromyalgia stems from the fact that scientists know very little about the condition. Subsequently, fibromyalgia is often misdiagnosed as anything from arthritis to psychological problems. But now the authors of a new study, published in the journal Current Pain and Headache Reports, say that there is "overwhelming data" proving that fibromyalgia is a genetic disorder that lowers the pain threshold of those afflicted.
"It is time for us to move past the rhetoric about whether these conditions are real, and take these patients seriously as we endeavor to learn more about the causes and most effective treatments for these disorders," say the study's authors.
Using neuroimaging techniques, the researchers noted differences in brain structure between fibromyalgia patients and those without the condition. "In people without pain, these structures encode pain sensations normally. In people with fibromyalgia, the neural activity increased," say the researchers. "These studies indicate that fibromyalgia patients have abnormalities within their central brain structures." Based on their findings, they conclude that there should no longer be any doubt regarding the existence of fibromyalgia.
Source: University of Michigan
