Internal Medicine Physician Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation Newberg, Oregon
It's frustrating and difficult to treat an illness we don't understand, but fibromyalgia no longer has to be the F-word of medicine. Let a physician who is studying fibromyalgia "from the inside" give you a tour of the modern scientific understanding of this complex condition. The pathophysiology of fibromyalgia is much more than central sensitization, and includes sympathetic nervous system hyperactivity, immune system involvement and disrupted sleep. The longstanding controversy around peripheral muscle pathology is also becoming clearer. Buckle up for a wild, evidence-based ride through the future of fibromyalgia care, one in which understanding of the condition allows for truly effective treatments.
Learning Objectives:
Distinguish between central and peripheral mechanisms of fibromyalgia pain.
Identify potential roles of immune system and autoantibodies in fibromyalgia pathophysiology.
Describe sleep disturbances commonly seen in fibromyalgia.
Formulate a treatment plan for fibromyalgia that includes treatment of peripheral muscle pain and sleep disturbances.
