Under-treatment of chronic pain associated with Fibromyalgia

The difficulty in diagnosing fibromyalgia and other chronic pain conditions is widespread among those who have the disorders. People go for years suffering from unexplained pain and fatigues, unable to determine the cause. New research indicates, however, that even when a person is diagnosed correctly, they are often undertreated. Reports show that at least thirty percent of individuals living with moderate pain and more than fifty percent living with severe chronic pain are not getting adequate relief. These findings were recently published in the Journal of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy and in The RX Consultant.

EmaxHealth, who highlighted the reports, found that the failure to adequately treat chronic pain associated with various medical conditions resulted from an array of circumstances. Some of the reasons include physician bias, inadequate pain management training, and risks associated with prescription drug abuse. One of the experts of the study, pharmacist Kathryn Hahn, stated that these situations must change before the undertreatment becomes a critical problem.

Many chronic pain sufferers have been on some type of medication, and despite some relief, most individuals found that taking certain drugs diminished their quality of life, did not help the condition, and caused depression and insomnia. These patients continued to be prescribed variations of medications by their doctors, who are often biased toward a specific drug or pharmaceutical company. Further complicating this matter is the fact that pain management is not a focal point in medical school training. Therefore, doctors often do not know all of the options available to their patients and how various drugs may interact. Some are also unwilling to engage in or recommend alternative, unorthodox treatment methods.

The studies further found that those most impacted by undertreatment were the elderly and those on Medicare. Hahn notes that educating healthcare providers and patients about pain management and the reality of prescription drug abuse was paramount in solving the problem of inadequate treatment. She also suggests that patients cooperate with their healthcare providers when it comes to pain management, including exercise, prescription drugs, massage, physical therapy, and meditation, among other types. On the other hand, however, patients dealing with chronic pain should be dogged in their pursuit of a solution to their pain. If a therapy is not working for you, it is necessary to become educated about the options available to you and discuss them with your doctor. When it comes to adequate pain management, you are your own best advocate.