A Painful Reality

"Diagnosis & Treatment of Fibromyalgia & Comorbidities"

Presented by Temple University School of Medicine, the National Fibromyalgia Association and Medical Communications Media, Inc.

A free interactive CME program designed for primary care physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses interested in treatment of patients with fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread, generalized, muscular pain, affecting mostly women between the ages of 20 and 55. Although FM is highly prevalent, it remains poorly understood by primary care providers. FM symptoms can resemble those of many other diseases, and accurate diagnosis and effective treatment often elude affected patients for years. Diagnosing and managing this disorder is a complex process for both providers and patients because definitive, objective testing does not yet exist and treatment can involve an individualized multimodal mix of nonpharmacologic and pharmacotherapeutic regimens.

The comorbidities associated with FM further complicate the diagnosis and management of this condition, so primary care providers must know how to recognize these comorbidities in order to properly manage patients. Primary care clinicians play a critical role in educating and guiding patients through their illnesses. Becoming more familiar with fibromyalgia and its related conditions will help clinicians and their patients develop an integrative approach to symptom management.