That's what researchers at the University of Alabama are trying to find out. They are recruiting subjects for a research study to see if stress affects pain perception differently in patients with fibromyalgia compared to healthy people.
Researchers believe stress can aggravate the symptoms of fibromyalgia.
The study will measure indicators of the body's response to pain to determine if patients with fibromyalgia experience different physiological changes than healthy people. Among the indicators researchers will measure are the release of certain chemicals from the brain into the bloodstream, blood flow in the brain, blood pressure, and heart rate. Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes muscle pain, stiffness and fatigue. It affects nearly 3 million Americans, mostly women. The study will also provide researchers with a better understanding of the factors that affect pain sensitivity and how these factors affect each other.