Chronic pain affects a large portion of the population. Its causes are often unknown, leaving patients with debilitating pain and no answers. However, recent research into Fibromyalgia could shine a light on chronic pain research.
What is chronic pain?
Chronic pain is described as pain that lasts for three months or longer, affecting 30% of the world’s population with varying sensations and severity. It appears in common forms such as joint pain, migraines and back pain, as well as rarer conditions like fibromyalgia, which causes chronic pain all over the body.
Historically, it was believed that chronic pain was a more ‘stubborn’ version of acute pain, which passes in less than three months after the tissue damage is healed. However, with increasing research into the field, it has become apparent that chronic pain is a disease in its own right.
While chronic pain has multiple possible causes, it often occurs due to a dysregulated and dysfunctional central nervous system. When the brain receives prolonged signals from injured or infected tissue, the nervous system can physically rewire itself to continue to send pain signals long after the threat has passed. Over time, these changes increase sensitivity to stimuli, a process known as central sensitisation.
What do we now know about Fibromyalgia?
People with Fibromyalgia experience pain with stimuli that others do not, such as a slightly cold temperature or light touch. New research into the condition suggests that many factors could be involved in causing it, including central nervous system dysfunction, genetics and even the gut microbiome.
A recent study revealed multiple genetic variants that are associated with a higher risk of fibromyalgia, with all of them having roles in neuron function. Another study has found that genetic variations linked to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression are also implicated in fibromyalgia, suggesting that the key mechanisms of the disease occur in the nervous system.
However, research led by Professor David Anderson in the Neuroscience department at King’s College London has found evidence that fibromyalgia could be an autoimmune condition.
A study was conducted in which antibodies from people with fibromyalgia were injected into rats, which developed symptoms very similar to how fibromyalgia presents in humans.
Genetic variants have also been discovered in fibromyalgia that have been associated with autoimmune responses, challenging the view that fibromyalgia is purely a disorder of the nervous system.
What are the impacts?
Affecting so many aspects of life, chronic pain takes a toll on the body and the mind.
People with these conditions experience significant impacts on their mental health. Nearly 70% of sufferers have a comorbid mental health condition like depression or anxiety and 20% have experienced suicidal ideation. These statistics highlight just how challenging and isolating these conditions are.
Improving our understanding of conditions such as fibromyalgia is crucial for developing treatments and restoring quality of life for those living with chronic pain.
