Summary:About half of a small group of patients with fibromyalgia — a common syndrome that causes chronic pain and other symptoms — was found to have damage to nerve fibers in their skin and other evidence of a disease called small-fiber polyneuropathy (SFPN). Unlike fibromyalgia, SFPN has a clear pathology and is known to be caused by specific medical conditions, some of which can be treated and sometimes cured.
About half of a small group of patients with fibromyalgia — a common syndrome that causes chronic pain and other symptoms — was found to have damage to nerve fibers in their skin and other evidence of a disease called small-fiber polyneuropathy (SFPN). Unlike fibromyalgia, which has had no known causes and few effective treatments, SFPN has a clear pathology and is known to be caused by specific medical conditions, some of which can be treated and sometimes cured. The study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers will appear in the journal PAIN and has been released online.
“This provides some of the first objective evidence of a mechanism behind some cases of fibromyalgia, and identifying an underlying cause is the first step towards finding better treatments,” says Anne Louise Oaklander, MD, PhD, director of the Nerve Injury Unit in the MGH Department of Neurology and corresponding author of the Pain paper.
The term fibromyalgia describes a set of symptoms — including chronic widespread pain, increased sensitivity to pressure, and fatigue — that is believed to affect 1 to 5 percent of individuals in Western countries, more frequently women. While a diagnosis of fibromyalgia has been recognized by the National Institutes of Health and the American College of Rheumatology, its biologic basis has remained unknown. Fibromyalgia shares many symptoms with SFPN, a recognized cause of chronic widespread pain for which there are accepted, objective tests.
Designed to investigate possible connections between the two conditions, the current study enrolled 27 adult patients with fibromyalgia diagnoses and 30 healthy volunteers. Participants went through a battery of tests used to diagnose SFPN, including assessments of neuropathy based on a physical examination and responses to a questionnaire, skin biopsies to evaluate the number of nerve fibers in their lower legs, and tests of autonomic functions such as heart rate, blood pressure and sweating.
The questionnaires, exam assessments, and skin biopsies all found significant levels of neuropathy in the fibromyalgia patients but not in the control group. Of the 27 fibromyalgia patients, 13 had a marked reduction in nerve fiber density, abnormal autonomic function tests or both, indicating the presence of SFPN. Participants who met criteria for SFPN also underwent blood tests for known causes of the disorder, and while none of them had results suggestive of diabetes, a common cause of SFPN, two were found to have hepatitis C virus infection, which can be successfully treated, and more than half had evidence of some type of immune system dysfunction.
“Until now, there has been no good idea about what causes fibromyalgia, but now we have evidence for some but not all patients. Fibromyalgia is too complex for a ‘one size fits all’ explanation,” says Oaklander, an associate professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. “The next step of independent confirmation of our findings from other laboratories is already happening, and we also need to follow those patients who didn’t meet SFPN criteria to see if we can find other causes. Helping any of these people receive definitive diagnoses and better treatment would be a great accomplishment.”
Story Source:
Materials
provided by Massachusetts General Hospital. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Hey there, You’ve done a great job. I will certainly digg it and personally
recommend to my friends. I am sure they will be benefited from this web site.
Hi! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering which blog platform are you using
for this site? I’m getting tired of WordPress because I’ve had issues with hackers and I’m looking
at alternatives for another platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of
a good platform.
Unquestionably believe that which you said. Your
favorite reason appeared to be on the internet the easiest thing to be aware of.
I say to you, I definitely get irked while people think about worries that they
just do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole thing without having side
effect , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more.
Thanks
Everyone loves it whenever people come together and share views.
Great site, continue the good work!
Useful info. Lucky me I discovered your web site by chance,
and I’m stunned why this accident did not took place in advance!
I bookmarked it.
Excellent post. I’m facing a few of these issues as
well..
Also visit my web site; CBD oils
I am curious to find out what blog system you’re utilizing?
I’m experiencing some small security issues with my latest site and I’d
like to find something more safe. Do you have any solutions?
Also visit my web blog CBD oil for anxiety
Your way of telling the whole thing in this article is actually fastidious, all be able to easily be aware of it, Thanks a lot.
Take a look at my blog post: CBD oils
Wow, fantastic blog structure! How long have you been running a blog for?
you made blogging glance easy. The overall glance of your web site is wonderful,
let alone the content!
Also visit my page … buy CBD oil
Fastidious respond in return of this matter with firm arguments and telling all about
that.
Here is my web page :: best CBD oil
If some one needs to be updated with most up-to-date
technologies after that he must be visit this
web site and be up to date daily.
Feel free to visit my blog post :: free instagram followers
buy domains
The acceptance Reiki carts the proportion parti and cialis no prescription and youаё°аё’re serenely on your pathway to filiform merino to
Hurrah, that’s what I was seeking for, what a data!
existing here at this web site, thanks admin of this website. https://nelsonnelson07.webs.com/apps/blog/show/48987603-you-can-nevertheless-be-a-social-gambler-online
syncope palpitations the dilly-dally in the longitudinal of some patients. cialis coupon walmart Xxrpgw efraez price for cialis cialis generic
This is especially essential in people who
It’s the best writing for me.
I thought you were a writer.
Thx so much !! Appreciate the helpful information. I love sucking dick btw hmu
you are good.
Seriously. Genius. You’re some sort of wizard. Give thanks you.
Thank a person so much intended for permitting us know what I didn’t know. I count on working with you.
At this specific rate, you can premiere as a article author. Now i am so touched. I’m delighted to meet you. Say thanks to you.
Your website is great as in the event that it were being written by way of a writer. I am going to check out your blog generally. Appreciate it always.
I love your website. I’m faced. Thank you.
Precisely what a man of capability! You have the ability to publish wonderful points that you can’t find anywhere. to envy
Incredible. If you’re so good of which you’re so good currently. Your help woke me personally up. Thank you incredibly much.
Wow, the articles are so sexy. How may My partner and i write like you? My partner and i are looking for the identical writing skills since you.
Your site is great as in case it had been written by way of a writer. I will visit your blog frequently. Appreciate it always.
I was so satisfied from your blog. Thank an individual so much.
After looking at a handful of the articles on your site, I really appreciate your way of blogging. I book marked it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back in the near future. Please check out my website too and tell me what you think.
You’re so cool! I don’t think I’ve read through anything like that before. So great to discover another person with a few unique thoughts on this subject matter. Really.. thank you for starting this up. This website is something that is needed on the web, someone with a little originality!
I’d like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this website. I’m hoping to see the same high-grade blog posts by you in the future as well. In truth, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own site now 😉
An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a coworker who had been conducting a little homework on this. And he actually ordered me lunch simply because I found it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending the time to discuss this subject here on your web page.