|
Fibromyalgia News
Silicone-gel Breast Implant Rupture and
Fibromyalgia - Is there a link?
A branch of the US Food
and Drug Administration (FDA) is
investigating a possible connection between
silicone breast implant rupture and an
increased reporting of fibromyalgia. An
initial study showed up the link and it is
being confirmed by a wider investigation. It
is not known how silicone released in the
body would activate fibromyalgia.
[Curr Rheumatol Rep –
2002 Aug; 4 (4): pages 293-8.]
Amish Fibromyalgia - It’s More Than a Modern
“Western” Disease
In a study to see if
fibromyalgia was an “invented” syndrome for
medical compensation claims and/or totally
linked to our western lifestyle, a group of
242 Amish (a subsistence farming community)
were investigated for incidence of
fibromyalgia. Not only was fibromyalgia
present, but it was observed at a high rate
of 7.3%, higher than most western
populations.
[J. Rheumatol – 2003 Aug;
30 (8): pages 1835-40.]
It’s Hard Work Behaving as a Credible
Patient: Encounters between Women with
Chronic Pain and their Doctors
In a study involving
women with chronic muscular pain, it became
evident that the women invested considerable
“work” in order to appear as a credible
patient, and not too smart, too stupid, too
well, too sick, etc. in the eyes of their
doctor. The women’s stories illustrated a
struggle for the maintenance of self esteem
and dignity in being both a woman and a
patient.
[Soc Sci Med. 2003 Oct;
57 (8): pages 1409-19.]
Fibromyalgia Muscles are Different
A study comparing muscle
from fibromyalgia sufferers with muscle of
non-sufferers showed a decrease in the
amount of collagen in the fibromyalgia
group. Collagen is the “connective glue”
that holds muscle bundles together. The
amino acids that make up collagen were also
found to be relatively lacking in the
fibromyalgia group.
[Rheumatology (Oxford)
2003 July 16 [Epub ahead of print].]
Fibromyalgics who stay at Work are Healthier
It might seem obvious,
but a study comparing fibromyalgia sufferers
who were employed versus those who were not,
reported that the employed group enjoyed
better health. A key feature of the study
was a link between psychological demands of
family work and poorer health. More research
needs to be done to clarify the issue, but
the message is: keep working if you can.
[J. Rheumatol. 2003 Sep;
30 (9): pages 2045-53.]
Severity of Fibromyalgia Linked to Lower
Bone Density
A study looking at fibromyalgia and bone
density showed slightly less dense bones in
pre menopausal fibromyalgia patients
compared to those without fibromyalgia,
although this difference wasn’t considered
significant. A significant finding, however,
was that severity of fibromyalgia
corresponded to lower bone density.
In other words, worse fibromyalgia might
mean weaker bones. More study needs to be
done to confirm this finding.
[Scand J. Rheumatol. 2003; 32 (3): pages
146-50.]
|