Researching Fibromyalgia

Scientist are working very hard to better understandunderstand why patients suffering from fibromyalgia
what causes fibromyalgia, or what problemshave an increased pain sensitivity.
accompany this disease. This way they are improvingActual research has started to reveal interesting
the odes of a correct diagnose, better treatmentfacts about the human brain. It seams that people
and also prevention of the illness.with this disorders have reduced blood flow to the
Universities and special medical institutions, like NIAMS,parts of the brain that usually deal with the
are covering a wide spectrum when it comes toperception of the pain. Scientists now have the help
research. They are doing detailed laboratory work inof modern technology to better conduct their tests.
studying new medications for the drugs and theWith special machines, they will use an unique method
good and bad effects that they have on the patient.called positron emission therapy tomography to see
Special treatments are also being researched so thatthe difference of blood flow between women that
people with this disorder don’t have to suffer assuffer from the diseases and women that are not
much from the pain. A particular part of their studiessuffering from the disease. Same kind of tests are
investigates the use of special interventions tobeing done in men so that all spectrums of the illness
encourage certain behaviors that help in reducing theare best understood. After a certain amount of time
level of pain; through this they are also trying toresults of these two tests will be compared and
eliminate behaviors that actually worsen or help inthoroughly analyzed.
perpetuating the pain.To best understand the action of many diseases.
A significant part of the studies done by researchersScientists are actually using different test with lab
is actually done to better understand the pain. Somemice. Symptoms in lab mice and rats are very similar
scientist suggest that the problem with patients isto those felt by humans; the same thing applies to
that they actually have difficulty in proper processingthe action of the disease. First studying the long term
the amount of pain that they feel. In other words iteffects on lab mice actually provides the very bases
seams that people with this illness have afor future research done to understand and treat
hypersensitivity to stimuli that normally are not thatfibromyalgia in humans.
painful. By understanding pain they also hope to