Myofascial pain, fibromyalgia or fibrositis?

نویسنده

  • J M S Pearce
چکیده

The terms myofascial pain, fibromyalgia and fibrositis are critically examined. They constitute diagnostic labels for non-specific musculoskeletal aches and pains. Analysis of the evidence shows that none of these labels is substantiated by hard physical signs or by laboratory evidence of consistent pathological or biochemical abnormality. What is the objective evidence for disorder(s) of muscle, fascia or fibrous tissues, so clearly indicated by these diagnostic names? Alternative terms such as 'regional pain syndrome' or 'chronic pain syndrome' merely redefine the clinical problem without providing a mechanism or basis for diagnosis. Despite different diagnostic criteria, these conditions, along with chronic fatigue syndrome, have many demographic and clinical similarities, most notably tender trigger points. Indeed, the terms are often used interchangeably. There are few differences in the symptoms, physical findings, laboratory tests, functional status, psychosocial features and psychiatric disorders. This paper seeks not to deny the existence of aches and pains, but to critically examine the utility of these terms. The only claimed physical sign is the presence of tender trigger points over muscles or muscle attachments. Research suggests that tender points are a measure of general distress related to pain complaints but separately associated with fatigue and depression. They are present in some normal subjects and are variable in occurrence in time in the same individual. They reflect no demonstrable pathology. It is therefore argued that none of these commonly used diagnoses represent distinct disease entities. A possible but unproven alternative hypothesis is that such symptoms relate to neural pain with both peripheral and central components, and in some instances psychological or wilful embellishment.

برای دانلود رایگان متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

[Historical evolution of the concept of fibromyalgia: the main stages].

The concept of fibromyalgia is fairly recent, by evolving from previous notions such as muscular rheumatism and fibrositis. In this concise report the main stages leading to the development of the concept of fibromyalgia are sketched out, beginning from the notions of fibrositis nodules, trigger points and myofascial pain, up to the most recent knowledge including this clinical condition in the...

متن کامل

Long-term follow-up on patients with fibrositis treated with acupuncture.

 gera 2001 1gera: 17571/di/re LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP ON PATIENTS WITH FIBROSITIS TREATED WITH ACUPUNCTURE. WAYLONIS GW. ohio state medical journal. 1977,73(5),299-302 (eng). A long-term, follow-up study of 39 pafients with chtonic fibrositis treated wifh electroacupuncture was carried out. The length of follow-up after threatment was 3 to 34 months (average 19.6 months). Forty-six precent of the ...

متن کامل

Benefits of Massage-Myofascial Release Therapy on Pain, Anxiety, Quality of Sleep, Depression, and Quality of Life in Patients with Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome characterized by generalized pain, joint rigidity, intense fatigue, sleep alterations, headache, spastic colon, craniomandibular dysfunction, anxiety, and depression. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether massage-myofascial release therapy can improve pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression, and quality of life in patients with fibromya...

متن کامل

Treatment of torture victims--a longitudinal clinical study.

AIM To look at the effect of physiotherapy as part of the multidisciplinary treatment of torture victims. METHODS Monitoring of an extended, personally designed, multidisciplinary treatment of 21 torture victims, earlier exposed to both physical and psychological torture, over nine months with assessment of outcome. The physiotherapy comprised elements such as massage, exercise on land, balan...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • European neurology

دوره 52 2  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2004