Self-Assessed Physical Function Levels Of Women With Fibromyalgia A National Survey.
Womens Health Issues. 2008 Aug 22. [Epub ahead of print]
Jones J, Rutledge DN, Jones KD, Matallana L, Rooks DS.
Health Sciences, California State University, Fullerton, California.
PMID: 18723374
OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the self-reported physical function
level of women with fibromyalgia (FM).
METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis using data from an
Internet-based survey posted on the National Fibromyalgia Association
website. Data used for this study included women (n = 1,735) aged
31-78 years who reported being diagnosed with FM.
Internet-based survey posted on the National Fibromyalgia Association
website. Data used for this study included women (n = 1,735) aged
31-78 years who reported being diagnosed with FM.
RESULTS: More than 25% of women reported having difficulty taking care of personal needs and bathing, and >60% reported difficulty
doing light household tasks, going up/down 1 flight of stairs,
walking (1/2) mile, and lifting or carrying 10 lbs. More than 90% of
women reported having difficulty doing heavy household tasks, lifting or carrying 25 lbs, and doing strenuous activities. Women with lower functional ability reported higher levels of fatigue, pain,
spasticity, depression, restless legs, balance problems, dizziness,
fear of falling, and bladder problems.
doing light household tasks, going up/down 1 flight of stairs,
walking (1/2) mile, and lifting or carrying 10 lbs. More than 90% of
women reported having difficulty doing heavy household tasks, lifting or carrying 25 lbs, and doing strenuous activities. Women with lower functional ability reported higher levels of fatigue, pain,
spasticity, depression, restless legs, balance problems, dizziness,
fear of falling, and bladder problems.
CONCLUSIONS: The average woman in this sample reported having less functional ability related to activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living than the average community-dwelling woman in her 80s. Several symptoms/conditions were
found to be associated with functional limitation in women with FM.
Targeting these-singly or in clusters-may potentially be important in
terms of future interventions.
found to be associated with functional limitation in women with FM.
Targeting these-singly or in clusters-may potentially be important in
terms of future interventions.
Efficacy of Waon therapy for fibromyalgia.
Intern Med. 2008;47(16):1473-6. Epub 2008 Aug 15.
Matsushita K, Masuda A, Tei C.
The First Department of Internal Medicine, Kagoshima University Hospital.
PMID: 18703857
OBJECTIVE: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic syndrome
characterized by widespread pain with tenderness in specific areas.
We examined the applicability of Waon therapy (soothing warmth
therapy) as a new method of pain treatment in patients with FMS.
METHODS: Thirteen female FMS patients (mean age, 45.2+/-15.5 years
old; range, 25-75) who fulfilled the criteria of the American College
of Rheumatology participated in this study. Patients received Waon
therapy once per day for 2 or 5 days/week. The patients were placed
in the supine or sitting position in a far infrared-ray dry sauna
maintained at an even temperature of 60 degrees C for 15 minutes, and
then transferred to a room maintained at 26-27 degrees C where they
were covered with a blanket from the neck down to keep them warm for
30 minutes. Reductions in subjective pain and symptoms were
determined using the pain visual analog scale (VAS) and fibromyalgia
impact questionnaire (FIQ).
old; range, 25-75) who fulfilled the criteria of the American College
of Rheumatology participated in this study. Patients received Waon
therapy once per day for 2 or 5 days/week. The patients were placed
in the supine or sitting position in a far infrared-ray dry sauna
maintained at an even temperature of 60 degrees C for 15 minutes, and
then transferred to a room maintained at 26-27 degrees C where they
were covered with a blanket from the neck down to keep them warm for
30 minutes. Reductions in subjective pain and symptoms were
determined using the pain visual analog scale (VAS) and fibromyalgia
impact questionnaire (FIQ).
RESULTS: All patients experienced a significant reduction in pain by
about half after the first session of Waon therapy (11-70%), and the
effect of Waon therapy became stable (20-78%) after 10 treatments.
Pain VAS and FIQ symptom scores were significantly (p<0.01) decreased
after Waon therapy and remained low throughout the observation period.
about half after the first session of Waon therapy (11-70%), and the
effect of Waon therapy became stable (20-78%) after 10 treatments.
Pain VAS and FIQ symptom scores were significantly (p<0.01) decreased
after Waon therapy and remained low throughout the observation period.
CONCLUSION: Waon therapy is effective for the treatment of
fibromyalgia syndrome.
fibromyalgia syndrome.
* * *
I can vouch for it that my 80-year-old mother is more functional than I am. She can do more housework without collapsing, and she's steadier on her feet when going up and down the stairs.
Despite the perception that fibromyalgia is just a bunch of wimps whining about pain, it does have serious impact on patients' lives. Unfortunately, although Social Services has told me that it's obvious that I require assistance, there's no program that they can place me in, because I'm not 65 and no judge has as yet determined me to be officially disabled. If I want the help I need, I have to pay for it myself; my earnings are less than a minimum wage job, so obviously $200 a week for the only cleaning agency that actually cleans is more than I can afford.
What can you do to help? Write your congressperson, senators, and the president, pointing out that In-Home Support Services are only available after someone is approved for disability benefits, which can be months or years after they apply (and the backlog of applications is getting longer). Disabled people need help immediately on becoming disabled, not years later. The law governing IHSS has to be changed to have applicants evaluated by Social Services as soon as the application is filed, and to allow services to be provided to those who need them immediately on filing the application. It only costs a few hundred dollars a month to provide IHSS to keep someone like me in their own home, rather than $3000+ each month for a nursing home. (And the nursing homes have told me that they don't want someone like me tying up a bed: I don't need "nursing", I just need help with the cleaning.)
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