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| Summaries of Recent Medical Research for Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice Lawyers FIBROMYALGIA 1993 The American College of Rheumatology 1990 CRITERIA[1]:
Any accompanying abnormalities on xray or laboratory investigation are irrelevant. These criteria identified nearly 90% of patients with fibromyalgia and excluded all but 19% of those suffering from disorders which could be confused with fibromyalgia. MRI studies normal Magnetic Resonance Imaging has been added to the list of investigations - biochemical, histological, xray -which are unable to demonstrate an abnormality in the muscles of fibromyalgia sufferers[2]. Why are tender points tender? Electromyography (experimental recording the electrical activity in muscles) demonstrated that tender areas of muscle contained muscle fibres which were in a state of spontaneous contraction[3]. They proposed that this spontaneous contraction arose out of an overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system, which normally automatically controls the activity of muscles in the internal organs. Additional clinical features As well as lower pain threshold, sufferers have tenderness of skinfolds, increased skin redness in response to pressure, and greater resistance to compression of some muscles[4]. Disturbed sleep and muscle pain The deepest stage (four) of sleep is disturbed in fibromyalgia[5]. This is the stage in which most growth hormone is produced by the body. Growth hormone is necessary for the repair and maintenance of healthy muscles. Quality of life Women with fibromyalgia scored lower on various measurements of quality of life than women with rheumatoid arthritis, permanent ostomies, chronic obstructive lung disease and insulin dependent diabetes[6]. GLOSSARY: Click on the appropriate letter [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z] Related Guest Articles |
FIBROMYALGIA 1993
The American College of Rheumatology 1990
CRITERIA[1]:
Any accompanying abnormalities on xray or laboratory investigation are irrelevant. These criteria identified nearly 90% of patients with fibromyalgia and excluded all but 19% of those suffering from disorders which could be confused with fibromyalgia.
MRI studies normal
Magnetic Resonance Imaging has been added to the list of investigations - biochemical, histological, xray -which are unable to demonstrate an abnormality in the muscles of fibromyalgia sufferers[2].
Why are tender points tender?
Electromyography (experimental recording the electrical activity in muscles) demonstrated that tender areas of muscle contained muscle fibres which were in a state of spontaneous contraction[3]. They proposed that this spontaneous contraction arose out of an overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system, which normally automatically controls the activity of muscles in the internal organs.
Additional clinical features
As well as lower pain threshold, sufferers have tenderness of skinfolds, increased skin redness in response to pressure, and greater resistance to compression of some muscles[4].
Disturbed sleep and muscle pain
The deepest stage (four) of sleep is disturbed in fibromyalgia[5]. This is the stage in which most growth hormone is produced by the body. Growth hormone is necessary for the repair and maintenance of healthy muscles.
Quality of life
Women with fibromyalgia scored lower on various measurements of quality of life than women with rheumatoid arthritis, permanent ostomies, chronic obstructive lung disease and insulin dependent diabetes[6].
GLOSSARY: Click on the appropriate letter
[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [X] [Y] [Z]
Related Guest Articles
Fibromyalgia Medical Research Abstracts Fibromyalgia 1994 - More Pieces of the Jigsaw Volume 1, Issue 8 Related full text articles available to subscribing members.
Fibromyalgia 1995 -6 Volume 2, Issue 3 Fibromyalgia 1997 Volume 3, Issue 8 Fibromyalgia 1997 (Fibromyalgia News) Volume 1, Issue 4 Fibromyalgia 1998 (Personal Injury News) Volume 5, Issue 1 Other Links
Medicine Net
David A. Nye MD
Robert Bennett, M.D. Oregon Health Sciences University
National Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Association
Colorado Health Net
Frederick Matsen III MD Chairman, Department of Orthopaedics, University of Washington
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