New Fibromyalgia Pain Management Recommendations

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is considered one of the more difficult chronic pain syndromes to treat because no laboratory tests confirm diagnosis and patient complaints are the primary presentation. Psychosocial comorbidities, such as personality disorders and mood disturbances, are common, and cure is not possible. FMS can be a debilitating condition, yet despite the inability to cure, symptom improvement is possible for many patients. Because FMS consists of a cluster of symptoms, patients may be mistakenly diagnosed with a variety of musculoskeletal complaints. This article describes the new American Pain Society Guidelines for the Pain Management of Fibromyalgia and how they provide a stepwise guide to managing the pain in these patients.