Twenty years ago, the term was rarely identifiable, the disease unknown. Now, references to it are all too common. Fibromyalgia. Alternative medicine's practitioners believe that diet may be related to the syndrome in which an individual has long-term pains over the entire body, including tenderness in the soft tissues (joints, muscles, tendons). Other groups are examining a genetic relationship to auto immune diseases. Doctors find fibromyalgia treatment difficult though there are meds to counteract symptoms. 

Now, according to reports about a Norwegian study, published in  Arthritis & Rheumatism, the concept that fibromyalgia is linked to uneven sleep patterns is gaining credibility. It appears that women who experience difficulties sleeping are at three times the elevated risk for developing fibromyalgia, with their risk rising according to the severity of the sleep disturbance.

But research still needs to performed because the direct causal link is not apparent. "Sleep problems are just one factor that may contribute to the development of fibromyalgia," says Paul J. Mork, Ph.D., a study coauthor and a researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in Trondheim.


Mork and colleague TomI.L. Nilsen, Ph.D. said that compared with women who had no sleep problems, those who reported difficulties frequently or almost every night had an adjusted risk ratio for fibromyalgia of 3.43 (95% CI 2.26 to 5.19), and  even those who only occasionally had difficulties sleeping had double the risk (RR 1.98, 95% CI 1.58 to 2.49).


Fibromyalgia is most common among women aged 20 to 50. In addition to the symptoms listed above, these conditions may exacerbate fibromyalgia and mimic its symptoms: chronic neck or back pain, fatigue syndrome, depression, underactive thyroid, Lyme disease, sleep disorders.

However in regard to sleeping problems, the chicken/egg debate follows. Researchers do not know whether the poor sleep leads to fibromyalgia or whether the chronic pain results in disordered sleep.

Continued on the next page

A recent trial shows cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) reduces functional disability and depressive symptoms in adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia. The psychological intervention was found to be safe and effective, and proved to be superior to disease management education. Full findings from this multi-site clinical trial are published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

Medical evidence reports that juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome affects 2% to 7% of school age children. Similar to adult cases, the juvenile form of the disorder primarily strikes adolescent girls. Both adult and juvenile fibromyalgia patients experience widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, as well as sleep and mood disturbances. Previous studies show that juvenile fibromyalgia patients are burdened with substantial physical, school, social and emotional impairments. However, studies investing treatment for the juvenile form of the disorder are limited.

For the current trial, led by Dr. Susmita Kashikar-Zuck from the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio, investigators recruited 114 adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 years who were diagnosed with juvenile fibromyalgia. The trial was conducted at four pediatric rheumatology centers between December 2005 through 2009, with participants randomized to cognitive-behavioral therapy or fibromyalgia education, receiving eight weekly individual therapy sessions and two additional sessions in the six months following the end of active therapy.

Analyses showed that both patient groups displayed significant reduction in functional disability, pain, and depressive symptoms at the end of the trial. Pediatric participants in the cognitive-behavioral therapy group reported a significantly greater reduction in functional disability compared to those receiving fibromyalgia education. The therapy group had a 37% improvement in disability compared to 12% in the education cohort. Both groups had scores in the non-depressed range by the end of the study, but pain reduction was not clinically significant—a decrease in pain of less than 30% for either group.

The drop-out rate was low with over 85% of participants attending all therapy sessions and no study-related adverse events were reported by investigators. "Our trial confirms that cognitive-behavioral therapy is a safe and effective treatment for reducing functional disability and depression in patients with juvenile fibromyalgia," concludes Dr. Kashikar-Zuck. "When added to standard medical care, cognitive-behavioral therapy helps to improve daily functioning and overall wellbeing for adolescents with fibromyalgia."

More information: This study is published in Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Provided by Wiley (news : web)

It is done in enamel.One of the most famous American artists is Thomas Chambers. I have a friend who collects these and I found.....

Kashikar-Zuck.43 (95% CI 2.But research still needs to performed because the direct causal link is not apparent. Similar to adult cases, the juvenile form of the disorder are limited. However in I don't particularly care for his art. It's called Alligator Fisher and I'm thinking about getting because it reminds me of my cajun heritage, most of my family is from Louisiana. I saw a painting he did of a fishing scene but I chose not to buy it. I don't know whose smile is bigger, the one in the painting or the one on my face every time I look at it. She favors animal prints, and I found one that depicts leopards and gave it to her for her birthday.There is a subcategory of folk art paintings that depict the world of black Americans.There is a water scene that I really like painted in 1940. It was painted in 1988 by Reverend Howard Finster and is done in enamel. She looked so relaxed, that I could imagine what it felt like to lie there myself.One of my favorite paintings was done in 1962 by Bill Dodge. Still, they are a joy to behold.Another painting that I admire is called Howard in 1944. I personally don't have any of these in my collection, since I like to collect pieces that I can relate to. It's of a swamp house on a bayou and has a Louisiana feel to it.My sister also shares my love for folk art. It's called First Trolley to Van Nuys and shows the center of a town filled with people. It's a beautiful painting but it's just too depressing to hang anywhere. It's too bad my parents didn't let her play football with us.I have loved folk art paintings since I was a child. I'll find someone to give it to. I spent a lot of time playing in my tree house, that the trees in the picture appealed

ibromyalgia arthritis fbromyalgia arthritis firomyalgia arthritis fibomyalgia arthritis fibrmyalgia arthritis fibroyalgia arthritis fibromalgia arthritis fibromylgia arthritis fibromyagia arthritis fibromyalia arthritis fibromyalga arthritis fibromyalgi arthritis fibromyalgia rthritis fibromyalgia athritis fibromyalgia arhritis fibromyalgia artritis fibromyalgia arthitis fibromyalgia arthrtis fibromyalgia arthriis fibromyalgia arthrits fibromyalgia arthriti dibromyalgia arthritis gibromyalgia arthritis fubromyalgia arthritis fobromyalgia arthritis fivromyalgia arthritis finromyalgia arthritis fibeomyalgia arthritis fibtomyalgia arthritis fibrimyalgia arthritis fibrpmyalgia arthritis fibronyalgia arthritis fibromtalgia arthritis fibromualgia arthritis fibromyslgia arthritis fibromyakgia arthritis fibromyalfia arthritis fibromyalhia arthritis fibromyalgua arthritis fibromyalgoa arthritis fibromyalgis arthritis fibromyalgia srthritis fibromyalgia aethritis fibromyalgia atthritis fibromyalgia arrhritis fibromyalgia aryhritis fibromyalgia artgritis fibromyalgia artjritis fibromyalgia artheitis fibromyalgia arthtitis fibromyalgia arthrutis fibromyalgia arthrotis fibromyalgia arthriris fibromyalgia arthriyis fibromyalgia arthritus fibromyalgia arthritos ifbromyalgia arthritis fbiromyalgia arthritis firbomyalgia arthritis fibormyalgia arthritis fibrmoyalgia arthritis fibroymalgia arthritis fibromaylgia arthritis fibromylagia arthritis fibromyaglia arthritis fibromyaliga arthritis fibromyalgai arthritis fibromyalgi aarthritis fibromyalgia rathritis fibromyalgia atrhritis fibromyalgia arhtritis fibromyalgia artrhitis fibromyalgia arthirtis fibromyalgia arthrtiis fibromyalgia arthriits fibromyalgia arthritsi fibromyalgia arthriti ffibromyalgia arthritis fiibromyalgia arthritis fibbromyalgia arthritis fibrromyalgia arthritis fibroomyalgia arthritis fibrommyalgia arthritis fibromyyalgia arthritis fibromyaalgia arthritis fibromyallgia arthritis fibromyalggia arthritis fibromyalgiia arthritis fibromyalgiaa arthritis fibromyalgia aarthritis fibromyalgia arrthritis fibromyalgia artthritis fibromyalgia arthhritis fibromyalgia arthrritis fibromyalgia arthriitis fibromyalgia arthrittis fibromyalgia arthritiis fibromyalgia arthritiss

 

Twenty years ago, the term was rarely identifiable, the disease unknown. Now, references to it are all too common. Fibromyalgia. Alternative medicine's practitioners believe that diet may be related to the syndrome in which an individual has long-term pains over the entire body, including tenderness in the soft tissues (joints, muscles, tendons). Other groups are examining a genetic relationship to auto immune diseases. Doctors find fibromyalgia treatment difficult though there are meds to counteract symptoms. 

Now, according to reports about a Norwegian study, published in  Arthritis & Rheumatism, the concept that fibromyalgia is linked to uneven sleep patterns is gaining credibility. It appears that women who experience difficulties sleeping are at three times the elevated risk for developing fibromyalgia, with their risk rising according to the severity of the sleep disturbance.

But research still needs to performed because the direct causal link is not apparent. "Sleep problems are just one factor that may contribute to the development of fibromyalgia," says Paul J. Mork, Ph.D., a study coauthor and a researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, in Trondheim.


Mork and colleague TomI.L. Nilsen, Ph.D. said that compared with women who had no sleep problems, those who reported difficulties frequently or almost every night had an adjusted risk ratio for fibromyalgia of 3.43 (95% CI 2.26 to 5.19), and  even those who only occasionally had difficulties sleeping had double the risk (RR 1.98, 95% CI 1.58 to 2.49).


Fibromyalgia is most common among women aged 20 to 50. In addition to the symptoms listed above, these conditions may exacerbate fibromyalgia and mimic its symptoms: chronic neck or back pain, fatigue syndrome, depression, underactive thyroid, Lyme disease, sleep disorders.

However in regard to sleeping problems, the chicken/egg debate follows. Researchers do not know whether the poor sleep leads to fibromyalgia or whether the chronic pain results in disordered sleep.

Continued on the next page

A recent trial shows cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) reduces functional disability and depressive symptoms in adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia. The psychological intervention was found to be safe and effective, and proved to be superior to disease management education. Full findings from this multi-site clinical trial are published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

Medical evidence reports that juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome affects 2% to 7% of school age children. Similar to adult cases, the juvenile form of the disorder primarily strikes adolescent girls. Both adult and juvenile fibromyalgia patients experience widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, as well as sleep and mood disturbances. Previous studies show that juvenile fibromyalgia patients are burdened with substantial physical, school, social and emotional impairments. However, studies investing treatment for the juvenile form of the disorder are limited.

For the current trial, led by Dr. Susmita Kashikar-Zuck from the Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center in Ohio, investigators recruited 114 adolescents between the ages of 11 and 18 years who were diagnosed with juvenile fibromyalgia. The trial was conducted at four pediatric rheumatology centers between December 2005 through 2009, with participants randomized to cognitive-behavioral therapy or fibromyalgia education, receiving eight weekly individual therapy sessions and two additional sessions in the six months following the end of active therapy.

Analyses showed that both patient groups displayed significant reduction in functional disability, pain, and depressive symptoms at the end of the trial. Pediatric participants in the cognitive-behavioral therapy group reported a significantly greater reduction in functional disability compared to those receiving fibromyalgia education. The therapy group had a 37% improvement in disability compared to 12% in the education cohort. Both groups had scores in the non-depressed range by the end of the study, but pain reduction was not clinically significant—a decrease in pain of less than 30% for either group.

The drop-out rate was low with over 85% of participants attending all therapy sessions and no study-related adverse events were reported by investigators. "Our trial confirms that cognitive-behavioral therapy is a safe and effective treatment for reducing functional disability and depression in patients with juvenile fibromyalgia," concludes Dr. Kashikar-Zuck. "When added to standard medical care, cognitive-behavioral therapy helps to improve daily functioning and overall wellbeing for adolescents with fibromyalgia."

More information: This study is published in Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Provided by Wiley (news : web)