Understanding Fibromyalgia

By: Matthew Krajewski

 

 

 

When I saw this commercial from Lyrica I was a bit taken aback. I had heard about Fibromyalgia (FM), but was unaware of the enduring and widespread pain associated with the condition, nor was I aware that the FDA only recently approved prescription Lyrica to help manage fibromyalgia. So I did a bit of poking around on the Web to determine what exactly is Fibromyalgia, and why getting a prescription drug on the market took so long.

 

What is striking is that the woman in the commercial has to insist that fibromyalgia is a real condition, which hints at an existing debate over the reality of the disease. The NY Times article examining the use of Lyrica took such a tone, putting the validity of the very existence of fibromyalgia into question. What the NY Times pointed out somewhat ominously, was that even if fibromyalgia is not real, the potential side effects of the drug Lyrica, which include sleepiness, dizziness, and weight gain, are real.

 

We all have odd pains from time to time, but what sticks out in fibromyalgia sufferers is widespread musculoskeletal aches, stiffness of joints and limbs, generalized pain, skin tenderness, and fatigue. While not trying to belittle the seriousness of the disease, it sounds as though the pain is analogous to doing trying physical labor, then running a marathon, getting a bad sunburn, and not sleeping for days on end; all these things taken together may give an idea of the level of pain we are addressing when discussing fibromyalgia sufferers. It is no small wonder then, that fibromyalgia can seriously impede the quality of life of those diagnosed. However, diagnosis of the disease can take upwards of over five years since the origins of the disease are unknown, and the symptoms typically overlap with other diseases or conditions.

 

Fibromyalgia is not a life threatening illness, and there is no evidence supporting that the disease gets worse over time, although sufferers often experience a waxing and waning of symptoms, and at times even remission of the disease. FM afflicts more women than men, and the disease may afflict as many as 6% of the U.S. population.

Researchers now believe that genetics play a major role in an individual’s predisposition to fibromyalgia. Other research including brain analysis has determined that those with fibromyalgia have a nervous system that interprets pain abnormally, which can be a valuable piece in helping to unravel the mysteries of fibromyalgia.

With Lyrica introduced into the market, there is even more hope for fibromyalgia sufferers, although Lyrica is not necessarily a silver bullet for managing the disease. There is still a long way to go to understand fibromyalgia, and probably other paths on the horizon to managing the condition.