There's still no single medical test that can show if a person has fibromyalgia. Left untreated, it can cause blindness and stroke. Though there's no diagnostic test available for fibromyalgia, new research suggests that people with fibromyalgia are physiologically different. At the University of Alabama, Birmingham, a team of researchers led by Laurence Bradley, PhD, professor of medicine, division of clinical immunology and rheumatology, is pioneering this inquiry. In one study, the team found that the cerebral spinal fluid in those with fibromyalgia had more substance P, a neuropeptide that carries pain signals.
High levels mean that it's more likely that pain is perceived.
The exact initial trigger for this faulty filter is unknown, but the most prominent theory is severe stress. Therapy that works While there are still many questions about the causes of fibromyalgia, optimism is the order of the day for those who treat it. So far, there's little scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of treatments, but doctors have found remarkably simple therapies that seem to make people feel better and that make good therapeutic sense. The best therapy of all, top experts say, seems to be regular, moderate aerobic exercise. The more exercise they do, the better they can feel.