Fibromyalgia
Widespread body pain with fatigue, poor sleep and difficulty concentrating.
About this condition
Fibromyalgia causes pain across the body along with profound fatigue, unrefreshing sleep and problems with memory and concentration that many people describe as fog. It is understood as a disorder of pain processing: the nervous system amplifies signals that would not normally be painful. It is a recognised diagnosis, and it is not imagined.
Because there is no blood test or scan for fibromyalgia, diagnosis is made clinically after other causes have been excluded, which often takes years. Standard care combines paced activity, sleep work, psychological support and medicines aimed at pain signalling rather than inflammation. Response varies widely, and many people find side effects hard to tolerate.
Treatments people usually try first
These are the treatments commonly offered in the UK for this condition. A specialist doctor will want to know which of them you have tried, and what happened.
- Amitriptyline or duloxetine for pain and sleep
- Pregabalin or gabapentin
- Graded exercise, pacing and hydrotherapy
- Cognitive behavioural therapy and pain management programmes
- Structured sleep support and sleep hygiene work
- Referral to a specialist pain or rheumatology service
Could medical cannabis be appropriate?
People with this condition sometimes ask whether medical cannabis could be appropriate for them. That is a question for a specialist doctor, who will look at your diagnosis, your history and everything you have already tried before saying anything either way.
Medical cannabis is an unlicensed prescription only medicine in the UK. It is considered only where a diagnosed condition has not responded adequately to conventional treatment, and it is never a first step. We cannot tell you in advance what might be prescribed, and UK law does not allow us to describe or advertise any medicine on this website.
What we can do is assess you properly and be honest with you. If a specialist doctor does not think this route is right for you, they will say so, and they will explain why.
All treatment is subject to clinical assessment and eligibility.
Questions about fibromyalgia
Chronic pain
Other conditions in this category
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