New research indicates that a disruption of brain signals for reward and punishment contributes to increased pain sensitivity, known as hyperalgesia, in fibromyalgia patients. Results published in Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology, suggest that this altered brain processing might contribute to widespread pain and lack of response to opioid therapy in patients with fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic, musculoskeletal syndrome characterized by widespread joint and muscle pain along with other symptoms such as fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulty. Previous research estimates that fibromyalgia affects 3.4% of women and 0.5% of men in the U.S. Prevalence of this pain disorder increases with age, affecting more than 7% of women between 60 and 79 years of age.

“In patients with fibromyalgia there is an alteration in the central nervous system pain processing and a poor response to topical pain treatments, trigger point injections and opioids,” said lead author Dr. Marco Loggia from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston. “Our study examines the disruption of brain function involved in the individual experience of pain anticipation and pain relief.”

For the present study, the research team enrolled 31 patients with fibromyalgia and 14 healthy controls. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cuff pressure pain stimuli on the leg were performed on all subjects. During the MRI, participants received visual cues alerting them of impending pain onset (pain anticipation) and pain offset (relief anticipation).

Results show that during pain anticipation and relief, fibromyalgia patients displayed less robust response within brain regions involved in sensory, affective, cognitive and pain regulating processes. The ventral tegmental area (VTA)–a group of neurons in the center of the brain involved in the processing of reward and punishment–displayed activation during pain anticipation and stimulation, but deactivation during anticipation of relief in healthy controls. In contrast, VTA responses during periods of pain, and anticipation of pain and relief, in fibromyalgia patients were significantly reduced or inhibited.

Dr. Loggia concludes, “Our findings suggest that fibromyalgia patients exhibit altered brain responses to punishing and rewarding events, such as expectancy of pain and relief of pain. These observations may contribute to explain the heightened sensitivity to pain, as well as the lack of effectiveness of pain medications such as opioids, observed in these patients. Future studies should further investigate the neurochemical basis underlying these dysfunctions.”

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Kratom is currently a legal in many states. In this video I explain what Kratom is, the dangers are surrounding using it and how people with chronic pain can use it to help them live a better life. This video is intended to educate people who live with Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome how kratom can help them live a life where they THRIVE not just SURVIVE. Kratom is not intended to cure Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. This video has been created for education and harm reduction. I made this video to help people be safe and to educate them on proper usage and possible dangers. Kratom has its harms and benefits. It is up to you to decide if it is something you want to incorporate into your Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue regimen.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that is poorly understood, but more common than many realize. But what is Fibromyalgia and how do you know if you have it?

Beth Dost, RN, the first nurse to stand for the “Humanitarian use of Marijuana” in Massachusetts, has heard it all. While she humbly acknowledges it’s nice to hear; privately, she often breaks down under the weight of chronic pain. Beth grimaces when she takes a step or tries to stand up, or worse, get up in the morning.

#Looks are deceiving and looking good when feeling so poorly is a devastating reminder that nothing is as it seems and the face of pain can be hidden behind decent genes, lipstick and a good concealer.

In this Podcast John Malanca, a trusted source of wellness and cannabis information, encourages Beth to step up and reveal what it’s like to have a disease described as “devastating” or “life changing”. She complies and discusses how, when, and what happened, recalls when her life changed forever, how pain is stigmatized, and coming to terms with the reality of suffering as a lifestyle.

Few know Beth and 17 million Americans, suffer high impact chronic pain, and are now fighting for their lives against a government who doesn’t care and peers who will never understand. This attack on a vulnerable population makes it difficult to get prescriptions filled, doctors to believe her, and every day pretending she’s fine; because we live in a society which values health, wellness and youth. Yes…Pain is viewed as weakness. It’s no wonder that Beth has kept silent—until now.

Despite heightened awareness from celebs like Lady Gaga and Lena Dunham, the chronic pain condition fibromyalgia is still widely misunderstood, even by doctors, a new study reported. Published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research, the study suggested that a large number of people diagnosed with fibromyalgia might actually have something else. In fact, some people diagnosed with the condition do not meet diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition that causes sleep disturbances, tender points, and widespread body pain. Others who do have the illness are told they don’t. This is a big barrier to getting appropriate treatment in both cases.