Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, including details on myalgic encephalomyelitis (me), diagnosis, gradual and sudden onset.

Fibromyalgia: an update for oral health care providers.

Balasubramaniam R, Laudenbach JM, Stoopler ET

Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. rbalasub@dental.upenn.edu

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a syndrome characterized by chronic widespread pain, stiffness, nonrestorative sleep, fatigue, and comorbid conditions. Fibromyalgia has undergone a major paradigm shift in recent years. It is no longer considered a musculoskeletal disorder per se; rather, it represents one end of a spectrum of disorders characterized by chronic widespread pain. Hence, oral health care providers may be the first to recognize signs and symptoms of this complex disorder and are often consulted to participate in the management of FM patients. This medical management update will review the epidemiology, classification, etiology and pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and therapeutic advances in FM. This review will also highlight issues that are important to the oral health care provider, including orofacial manifestations and dental considerations for patients with FM.

Published 29 October 2007 in Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod, 104(5): 589-602.
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