Just read an article on the FM blog site called, "How is FM Population Determined?" I found it interesting that depending on where and when the sampling is done you can have such a large difference in numbers.
In a post I received today from the National FibroMyalgia and Chronic Pain Association(NFMCPA) I was amazed again at how low a percentage of people have FM world wide but we are one of the most discriminated group of people in the medical field of care. It all goes back to there not being a group of tests or lab that can support the symptoms and reasons for them. Here is a copy of the post.
What is Fibromyalgia?
Last Updated on Wednesday, 03 August 2011 02:30
Around the world, fibromyalgia (FM) affects approximately three (3) percent of the population. Characterized by widespread chronic pain, tender points, sleep abnormalities, morning stiffness, fatigue, diffuse tenderness, those with FM often have overlapping conditions such as TMJ, IBS, migraine headaches, and neck pain. Managed by the central nervous system, these signs and symptoms cause the "fight-flight-or freeze" of the autonomic nervous system to remain active. Amplification of sensory input occurs--a heightened sensitivity to sound, light, pain, and touch.
Does it hurt to stub a toe more to a person with FM than when a person without FM stubs his toe? The answer is unequivocally "yes." In research both positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) clearly show the increase of cerebral activation (painful experience) to a person with FM during the application of painful stimuli when compared to the same painful stimuli to a control subject. This generalized increase in pain sensitivity could be attributed to altered central pain processing.
