Talking therapy improves symptoms of chronic widespread pain
Articles - Medical Info and Drug Trials
Written by Des Quinn (A) Thursday, 19 January 2012 23:40
Arthritis Research UK has published a study on cognitive behavioural therapy over the phone to help with chronic pain. Below is an extract from the study and you can read the whole article by clicking on the link below.
Talking therapy provided over the phone can have a positive impact on people suffering from chronic widespread pain compared to usual care provided by their GP, new research has shown.
Patients who received a short course of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) over the telephone from trained therapists reported that they felt “better” or “very much better” at the end of a six-month treatment period, and also three months after it ended.
The Arthritis Research UK-funded trial led by the University of Aberdeen working with the University of Manchester was the first-ever trial of telephone-delivered CBT for people with chronic widespread pain.
Arthritis Reasearch article on talking therapies.
Pain Summit 2011
Articles - Medical Info and Drug Trials
Last Updated on Sunday, 11 December 2011 23:15 Written by Sue Brown Saturday, 10 December 2011 13:19
I am part of a group of patients who initially went on a patient learning journey, this process allows the patient to realise that we, as patients, are of value to the medical professionals in being the experts we can have a input on the best services that can be delivered to patients who use the Pain Clinic in Sheffield.
NHS Guidelines for FM
Articles - Medical Info and Drug Trials
Last Updated on Wednesday, 23 November 2011 09:21 Written by Kathy Longley Tuesday, 22 November 2011 15:45
The www.evidence.nhs.uk website provides detailed and evidence-based information on all aspects of fibromyalgia including prevalence, symptoms, diagnosis, possible underlying causes, and treatment, written specifically for medical professionals. It includes the recommendations made by the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) in 2007 regarding the management of fibromyalgia, which covers both pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment options. It offers an excellent overall summary with digestible bullet points that GPs and other medical professionals can access to find out about the latest evidence-based treatment strategies for fibromyalgia. You may find it helpful to tell your GP about this website.
The Pain Toolkit Website
Articles - Medical Info and Drug Trials
Last Updated on Thursday, 24 November 2011 10:45 Written by Kathy Longley Friday, 18 November 2011 15:28
This website offers a wealth of resources to help people with long-term health conditions to manage their pain on a daily basis, the most important of which is the Pain Toolkit. The author of the Pain Toolkit, Peter Moore, lives with persistent pain, asthma and osteoarthritis and put the Toolkit together in order to offer handy tips and skills to help and support you self manage your pain. They offer some great advice and can act as a launchpad to help you manage your pain more effectively.
Comparing Fibromyalgia Drugs
Articles - Medical Info and Drug Trials
Last Updated on Sunday, 11 December 2011 14:55 Written by Kathy Longley Friday, 11 November 2011 14:54
A group of researchers from the Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, USA have recently reviewed all the research that has been carried out looking at different drugs used to treat fibromyalgia. Analysing all the individual studies investigating the effectiveness and safety of drugs such as amitriptyline, milnacipran and pregabalin, they have summarised the current evidence to reveal which drugs are the most effective for treating the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Some drugs are better at treating individual symptoms, such as sleep or pain, than others for example, and the effectiveness of certain drugs is certainly supported by more evidence than others. Dr Laura Dean has written a summary of the findings which can be found at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0009841/ There are links throughout the summary to the original study where you can find out more detailed information.
Experts Review the Science of Fibromyalgia
Articles - Medical Info and Drug Trials
Last Updated on Monday, 07 November 2011 23:29 Written by Kathy Longley Monday, 07 November 2011 16:35
In September 2011, fibromyalgia experts Dr Daniel Clauw, Dr Lesley Arnold and Dr Bill McCarberg published a review of the science of fibromyalgia in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings journal on behalf of the FibroCollaborative (a diverse group of leading experts on FM). It is an excellent summary designed to bring the science of fibromyalgia to the attention of clinicians and explain that: "it is no longer accurate to state the FM is 'poorly understood'."
Here is a summary of the main points covered in the review.
Fibromyalgia is a common condition, estimated to affect 2-5% of the adult population. It is a persistent and debilitating disorder that can have a devastating effect on people's lives, affecting their ability to work and engage in everyday activities, and their relationships with family and friends.
Phase II Trial of Droxidopa
Articles - Medical Info and Drug Trials
Last Updated on Sunday, 13 November 2011 00:00 Written by Kathy Longley Monday, 07 November 2011 16:21
The drug company, Chelsea Therapeutics International, are currently conducting a phase II trial to investigate whether the drug droxidopa is effective and safe in treating the pain of fibromyalgia. Droxidopa is a man-made amino acid which is converted into the neurotransmitter norepinephrine in the body.
Norepinephrine is known to dampen down pain signals in the central nervous system (the spinal cord and brain) and many clinical studies have demonstrated that people with fibromyalgia have lower levels of norepinephrine than normal. Increasing levels of norepinephrine in the central nervous system should therefore decrease pain levels.
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