Psychological treatment reduces the sensation of pain in Fibromyalgia.

-such disease affects approximately 1,100,000 people in Spain (2.4% of the population) and 48.334 in the Basque country (2.26%)

– it is estimated that at least 20% of patients with fibromyalgia have a depressive disorder and 13% anxiety disorders

– there is that highlight the importance of the doctor-patient relationship, and the relationship contexto-paciente the additional suffering of disease

-AMSA establishes an action programme which aims to improve the consciousness somatosensory and emotional regulation

Bilbao, 2011-October Fibromyalgia is regarded as the most common cause of diffuse chronic muscle-skeletal pain, with a high co-morbidity between various psychiatric disorders. The Spanish Rheumatology society estimated that such pathology affects approximately 1,100,000 people in Spain (2.4% of the population) and 48.334 in the Basque country (2.26%). It is estimated that at least 20% of patients with fibromyalgia have a depressive disorder and 13% of anxiety disorders, as well as a higher rate of other disorders, such as specific phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and axis II disorders.

Chronic pain of progress medical SA (AMSA) program assists persons diagnosed Fibromyalgia and other pathologies that have chronic pain that often are associated with anxiety or depression. psychiatric symptoms

Dr. Paul Orgaz, Coordinator of the training course on fibromyalgia who has taught AMSA in the official school of doctors of Bizkaia, describes the Fibromyalgia as a alteration in the processing of the pain of unknown origin, studied with symptoms such as widespread pain, fatigue, or stiffness and carries a significant psychological distress associated ”.

Fibromyalgia has profound impact on the quality of life of which afflicted and in the whole of their significant relationships, generating a high level of suffering ”, say from AMSA. It has stressed the need to address the psychological functioning to ultimately improve the quality of life of patients.

Several reviews have shown that psychological interventions are effective in obtaining a favorable outcome in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Among the psychological interventions identified as beneficial, are therapy cognitive behavioural group therapy and relaxation techniques to improve awareness somatosensory.

Studies that value the psicofarmacológico treatment reaches the general conclusion that the best results are obtained from the combined treatment of psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy. Mental health of fibromyalgia treatment improves the quality of life, reduces health spending and sense subjective pain and improves the associated psychiatric clinic ”, conclude from AMSA.

Diversity of symptoms, a same disorder

The relationship between Fibromyalgia and metals disorders is controversial. According to some authors, the characteristic symptoms of fibromyalgia (pain, fatigue, paresthesias, anquilosamientos, dizziness, points hypersensitive miofasciales, etc.) are attributable to psychological desadaptaciones. For them the Fibromyalgia is a form of Somatization. others understand the aetiology of fibromyalgia, even unknown, is independent of psychological factors. The high co-morbidity of symptoms such as anxiety or depression, is the logical consequence of the suffering that means living with chronic pain. Both points of view are based on models based on a mind-body dualism, against which progressively becomes a model, biopsychosocial, widely accepted in other fields of medicine ”, says Dr. Orgaz.

The data available in the literature point to specific psychological factors influencing an adaptive or desadaptativa response to pain are the establishment of a pattern of hipervigilancia pain, catastrophic thoughts and Avoidant behaviors. Other authors have pointed out that the acceptance of the pain relates to a perception of less intensity, absence of associated disorders such as depression and anxiety and better implementation of tasks of daily life.

Another online research with qualitative methodology has pointed out the importance of the doctor-patient relationship, and the relationship contexto-paciente the additional suffering of disease. Chronic pain has pointed out the importance of both relations in the individual development of the meaning of disease. Aceves-Avila is of the view that discourse and the provision of sanitary space remain a place of chronicity of pain. Other authors point out the role of passivity and failure associated with chronic pain. In situations of diagnostic uncertainty, expectations of a physician focused on a causal model and the expectations of the patient with regard to this model favour in their interaction, the persistence of pain, frustration, and anxiety.

To control the symptoms

The treatment of pain is one of the areas of Psychiatry where most questioned the way in which the clinician understand the Organization of the human being. This program considers the body manifests as a unit Psychophysiological in structuring interaction with the environment, model which holds biologically based on the interrelationship between the tracks control pain and affection neurobiological ”, claim in AMSA.

Within the objectives of the programme is, first of all, encourage active coping of pain and other somatic symptoms, supporting its emotional impact, and attend the exacerbation of symptoms in stressful situations.

Secondly, it wants to help unravel the meanings of the symptoms in the patient’s life, according to the cognitive and emotional reactions that produce physical symptoms, and can thus train emotional detection before this becomes more pain or other somatic symptoms. This achieves an increase in awareness of patients somatosensory.

Finally, the program performs a treatment the psychiatric disorders, always with the support and coordination with other medical services.