Fibromyalgia: A ‘model’ chronic pain syndrome?

Abstract

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a poorly understood condition that results in longstanding pain, psychological distress and disability. FMS is a ‘chronic pain syndrome'. Therefore, its assessment and treatment should be approached from a multidimensional perspective. The aims of this paper are to expand upon some of the problems that therapists encounter when they treat patients with chronic pain and to argue that FMS is a good model through which the management of chronic pain can be better understood. The history, prevalence and the possible pathogenesis of FMS are addressed first, together with the difficulty of its diagnosis. Next, various management options are described, including medication, physical therapy, psychological interventions and patient education. Finally, challenges to the management of FMS and other chronic pain syndromes are briefly examined.