Disability and rehabilitation
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Fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic widespread pain (CWP) are common, but the etiology of these disorders remains poorly understood. A large body of data indicates a neurobiological basis for these disorders, but this information has not been effectively transmitted to many medical professionals. ⋯ An appreciation of the neurobiological basis for these disorders, and an understanding of some of the abnormalities of pain processing present in patients with FM, will hopefully provide greater understanding of these patients. It may also serve to decrease the level of frustration and improve the care experience of both chronic pain patients and physicians.
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To study the impact on health status as measured by SF-36 in groups of subjects having chronic musculoskeletal pain with different degree of generalization: No chronic pain (NCP), chronic regional pain (CRP), chronic widespread pain (CWP), CWP with a stricter 'Manchester' definition (CWP-M), and clinically defined fibromyalgia (FM). The study also examines the association between psychosocial and lifestyle background variables, and these pain-groups. ⋯ The spectrum of impact on health and association to background variables, with respect to a stricter definition of CWP, indicates that these factors are important to attend to in the understanding and management of CWP and FM.