Ailments and Situations - Fibromyalgia Syndrome - Pain

 

Pain

The main cause of fibromyalgia pain is low levels of serotonin (a neurotransmitter). A decrease in serotonin levels can amplify pain sensations. Serotonin is also important in the regulation of sleep.

Serotonin is referred to as a monoamine and low levels of this class of neurotransmitters have been associated with clinical depression. Mood states have also been shown to have an affect on pain sensation. The better you emotionally feel, the better equipped you are to deal with pain.

The sensation of pain is associated with quality of sleep. That is, if you sleep well, you will feel less pain than if you have poor sleep. Also, increasing levels of pain leads to poorer and poorer sleep. This positive feedback creates a vicious cycle of ever greater pain sensitivity. People suffering from fibromyalgia often have poor sleep. In fact, studies show that people with fibromyalgia, while sleeping, spend less time in the deeper stages of sleep than healthy individuals. This lack of deep sleep results in waking up feeling tired even though you may have slept for an adequate number of hours.

The presence of substance P (a type of neurotransmitter that relays sensory information to the brain) is also associated with pain. People suffering from FM have an increased level of substance P in their bodies.

 

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