I wrote previously about a study on fibromyalgia in a post titled Fibromyalgia May Be All in Your Head. In that study, researchers found that fibromyalgia patients had issues with blood flow, or perfusion, in their brains.
In a new study conducted at the University of Washington Medicine Sleep Institute at Harborview, Seattle, researchers found that fibromyalgia patients were more likely to have tingling and weakness in their legs and arms, poor balance and other neurological symptoms.
The research team, led by Dr. Nathaniel F. Watson of the University of Washington, studied 166 fibromyalgia patients and 66 without. All of the participants were examined by a neurologist and they completed a survey on their neurological symptoms.
There were 29 neurological categories that were tested. The fibromyalgia group had significantly more neurologic symptoms in 27 of the categories than the control group.
In addition, the fibromyalgia patients had greater dysfunction in certain nerves in the brain. They also had more “sensory” problems, motor abnormalities and gait problems.
The biggest differences were:
- sensitivity to light, or “photophobia,” which was observed in 70 percent of fibromyalgia patients but in only 6 percent of the controls
- poor balance, which was seen in 63 percent of fibromyalgia patients but only 4 percent of controls
- weakness and tingling in the arms or legs, seen in more than 50% of fibromyalgia patients but in only around 4 percent of controls
These findings support several prior studies which appear to confirm that fibromyalgia is a “real” condition, and that there may be a “neuroanatomical” cause to the disease.
The findings of the study were published in the latest issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism.
loading...
Ther are currently no related posts.
This is an interesting set of findings on the condition and with so many neurological symptoms associated with the disease, its very surprising that anyone would still think that it was not real. It is one thing to state that there is insufficient information to understand a condition and another to dismiss its existence enitrely.
loading...
[...] on Wellsphere and author of the Current Arthritis News and Research Blog explains in his recent article about Neurologic Signs and [...]
[...] read more about this study, check out Timothy Spaulding’s full article here and other interesting topics on his Current Arthritis News and Research [...]
Actually, fibromyalgia is recognized as a type of arthritis and has been accepted by the Social Security Administration as a reason for getting disability payments. I have had fibromyalgia for over 12 years and I have been on SSD for the same amount of time. There are more doctors who realize that this is real and that it is not a figment of our imaginations. As far as fibromyalgia effecting our balance, it is true. My balance is not bad, I have very little weakness in my limbs because when I had total knee replacement in 2007, I was instructed to do exercises that improved my balance. I use several yoga poses for balance and I walk on a regular basis to improve my strength in my legs. For my arms I do yard work which strengthens all my muscles. The biggest thing for me and others I know that have fibromyalgia, is the fatigue and muscle pain which there is to date nothing to combat the fatigue but there is Savella for the pain. Savella is a fibromyalgia pain medicine that came out on the market in Jan. 2009. What’s nice about it is that the only side effect is nausea and that goes away after you eat something. The thing about fibromyalgia is that you can not stop moving or living, if you do stop, you will become weak and it will become harder to pick yourself up.
loading...
[...] read more about this study, check out Timothy Spaulding’s full article here and other interesting topics on his Current Arthritis News and Research [...]
I was told I have fibromyalgia over a year ago. Besides chronic pain, I started to develope numbness & tingling in different areas of my body this summer. I also have debilitating fatigue and weakness at times, especially if it’s very hot out or I try to do too much. I definitely have to pace my activities. I also have a tremor which developed about 3 years ago along with demyelinating poly-neuropathy in my feet. My PCP decided to send me to University of Michigan, Neurology, since she was concerned about MS or some other neuro related disease. The Dr. I saw asked if I had ever been seen for behavioral health issues and when I said no he asked me again, like he didn’t believe me. He looked over my labs, MRI’s etc. and gave me a quick neuro exam and told me he did not know what my problem was but it was not neurological. He said there was no need for further tests. When I asked if all my symptoms could be related to the Fibromyalgia, he said he did not know, but it definitely was not neurological in nature. He said no one knows what causes Fibromyalgia and some believe it is caused from depression. He suggested I go back to the Rheumatologist who diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia. After reading this article, I’m confused. It sounds like Fibro is a neuro based syndrome? I also wonder why Dr.’s are yet so reluctant to discuss it? I’m desperate for some answers and help. Most of all, I want to be treated with respect.
loading...