Seven Steps to Fibromyalgia

Abstract

Objectives: Fibromyalgia [FMS] is characterized by spontaneous, wide spread, persistent, unexplained pain associated with tenderness [lowering of mechanical pain threshold] or allodynia [pain induced by nonnociceptive stimuli], with more than 10 out of 18 tender points [TePs]. A third criterion has been used, including several minor symptoms [fatigue, sleep disorders, stiff ness …] and probable FMS has been defined by two criteria out of three. These different definitions suggest that FMS is more than one disorder and that other criteria are probably needed.

Conclusions: Our definition of probable or “in complete” FMS is based on the presence of spontaneous, wide spread, persistent pain, fatigue, and peripheral symptoms such as stiffness, of ten modulated by weather changes, stress, and exercise.

Our definition of mechanical allodynia is based on pressure induced tendino-muscular pain [tenderness] usually associated with central symptoms such as sleep disorders [TePs syndrome].

Fibromyalgia might then be defined by the association of two distinct conditions: incomplete FMS [spontaneous, diffuse pain, and fatigue], and tenderness [mechanical allodynia], both having been aggravated by physical deconditioning.

KEYWORDS:

• Fibromyalgia
• hyperalgesia
• allodynia
• diagnosis
• classification