Fibromyalgia: the prototypical central sensitivity syndrome
Abstract
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FM), the most common central sensitivity syndrome (CSS) affecting over 5% of the population, is a disorder of chronic widespread pain accompanied by numerous other symptoms that causes significant functional impairment. The core FM symptom domains can be recalled using the FIBRO mnemonic and include Fatigue and Fog (cognitive dysfunction), Insomnia (difficulties with all aspects of sleep including initiation, maintenance and restorative), Blues (depression and anxiety), Rigidity (stiffness in muscles and joints) and Ow! (widespread pain and tenderness). While typically presenting in middle-aged women, FM can affect both sexes at any age. FM is a syndrome of abnormal central pain processing and increased central sensitivity caused by neurobiological changes that cause dysregulation of mechanisms that normally regulate pain sensation. There are currently three different methods for diagnosing FM; the 1990, 2010 and modified 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria. While disabling, FM symptoms can be managed with a regimen of pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments. Medication types with benefit in treating FM include anticonvulsants, antidepressants, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers, tramadol, and stimulants. Beneficial nonpharmacologic therapies include aerobic and resistance exercise, stretching, cognitive behavioral therapy, and education. Effective management requires formulation of an individualized regimen since patients differ widely in symptoms and treatments they find beneficial. Such an individualized regimen should be based on a systematic assessment of problematic symptoms conducted at baseline and each follow-up with treatments modified over time. While challenging, FM symptoms can be effectively managed and patients can lead full, productive lives.
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Fibromyalgia is a central disorder that involves dysregulation of central pain processing.
“First, there is a wide consensus on the idea that FM is a central disorder [9], and therefore, it must involve a dysregulation of some spinal and/or supraspinal network, including pain processing.”
From Fibromyalgia pathogenesis explained by a neuroendocrine multistable model (2024) · cites this paper as [9]
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Severity of symptoms persists for decades in fibromyalgia—a 26-year follow-up study
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Tomašević-Todorović, S. (2023) · Acta Clinica Croatica · doi:10.20471/acc.2023.62.s4.15 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
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“The distributed pathology would explain the observed multiple immune, metabolic, autonomic and central nervous system abnormalities of CFS (Boomershine, 2015; Malkova & Shoenfeld, 2023; Uhde et al ., 2023), and the non-identical overlap of these abnormalities with those of long-COVID (Ceban et al…”
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“Central sensitization is quite common and is sometimes considered the key mechanism behind FM. [22] It may result in hyperalgesia and allodynia in the patients, which ultimately manifested as tenderness at the affected sites.”
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“FM is a typical disorder of central sensitivity syndrome [1-3].”
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“Central Sensitivity Syndrome, which is a disease that predisposes the individual to other chronic diseases (4).”
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“6,7 Although fibromyalgia and CPP often present together, they are considered separate pain syndromes.”
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- Authors
- Boomershine, C.
- Corresponding author
- Boomershine, Chad
- Venue
- Current Rheumatology Reviews
- Publisher
- Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
- Published
- 2015-07-02
- Volume
- 11
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 131-145
- ISSN
- 1573-3971 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2408032920
- Cited by
- 96
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 6.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Rheumatology Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Myofascial pain diagnosis and treatment
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Pain Mechanisms and Treatments
- Keywords
- fibromyalgia, central sensitivity syndromes, chronic widespread pain, central pain processing, ACR diagnostic criteria, fatigue, cognitive impairment, insomnia, anxiety and depression, muscle stiffness, pharmacotherapy, non-pharmacological treatment, exercise therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, personalized treatment
- MeSH terms
- Diagnosis, Differential, Female, Fibromyalgia, Humans, Male, Risk Factors, Central Nervous System Sensitization
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