ACR Meeting Abstracts

ACR Meeting Abstracts

Abstract Number: 1983

The Types of Stress That Appear to Aggravate the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Robert S. Katz, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL

Meeting: 2017 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Date of first publication: September 18, 2017

Keywords:

Session Information

Date: Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Title: Fibromyalgia, Soft Tissue Disorders, Regional and Specific Clinical Pain Syndromes Poster II

Session Type: ACR Poster Session C

Session Time: 9:00AM-11:00AM

Background/Purpose: The types of stresses evaluated include financial stress (i.e., decreased income, unexpected expenses or out-goings); employment stress (i.e. job promotion, relocation, increased workload or travel, etc.); family/spouse stress (i.e. medical illness or addiction, unemployment); psychological/emotional stress (i.e. death of a loved one, divorce); physical stress (i.e. motor vehicle accident, pregnancy/childbirth, personal medical illness), and patients were asked if they had no obvious stress at the time of flare-ups or at the onset of their symptoms.

Methods: Patients with fibromyalgia and rheumatic disease controls filled out a questionnaire, including questions regarding the type of stress they experienced and its effect on their pain. Financial stress, employment stress, Family/spouse stress, psychological/emotional stress, physical stress was all listed as possible stresses that have an effect on the patient’s pain.
Results: Fibromyalgia patients meeting the 2011 ACR criteria for the diagnosis and non-FMS rheumatic disease controls filled out a questionnaire on the types of stresses affecting their pain. The questionnaire used a 1-10 visual analog scale (VAS- 0-10; 10= an extreme effect on pain).
Family Stress- 98 FMS patients, the mean VAS score was 5.1; In 161 controls, the mean VAS was 4.3 (P>.03)
Financial Stress- 100 FMS patients, the mean VAS score was 4.3; In 161 controls, the mean VAS was 3.7. (n/s)
Job Stress- 88 FMS patients, the mean VAS score 5.5; In 149 control patients the mean VAS was 4.2. (P>.002)
Health Stress- 97 FMS patients, the mean VAS score was 6.9; In 162 controls, the mean VAS score was 5.0. (P>.001)
Marital Stress- 88 FMS patients, the mean VAS score was 3.0; In 145 controls, the mean VAS score was 2.7. (n/s)

Conclusion: Reduction of stress should be an important goal especially for fibromyalgia patients. These patients appear to have a more significant effect on their illness due to stress. It seems that all types of stress – financial, job, emotional, health issues, physical, and family/marital stress – have a greater effect on the pain in fibromyalgia than in rheumatic disease controls.
Participation by psychologists and psychiatrists in the treatment of the patient’s stress may be important. And the rheumatologist, primary care physician, and office nurse may also help with stress reduction techniques and medications.
Interdisciplinary programs may be helpful for some patients and these may include cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback, individual therapy, massage, meditation and other relaxation therapies, and yoga.

Disclosure: R. S. Katz, None;

To cite this abstract in AMA style:

Katz RS. The Types of Stress That Appear to Aggravate the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia [abstract]. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2017; 69 (suppl 10). https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/the-types-of-stress-that-appear-to-aggravate-the-symptoms-of-fibromyalgia/. Accessed .

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