Long Term Outcomes in Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Fibromyalgia syndrome is a chronic (long-term) syndrome. Because it is a syndrome (the name to describe a group of symptoms), outcomes will vary from person to person, and severity of fibromyalgia syndrome can range from so mild that it is virtually unnoticeable to so severe it is virtually disabling.

Children With Fibromyalgia Syndrome

Fibromyalgia syndrome may affect 0.5 to 6% of the population worldwide, and through it usually affects people aged 20 to 60 years, around one in six individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome are under 18. Fibromyalgia syndrome is more common in girls than in boys.

According to some studies, more than half of children who are diagnosed with fibromyalgia syndrome recover within two to three years. In a study of 50 children with fibromyalgia syndrome, 60% improved over 18 months. In another study of 15 children, 11 (73%) no longer showed the criteria for fibromyalgia syndrome after 30 months. In a further study of 33 children with fibromyalgia syndrome over an average of 2.6 years, most children improved and all showed some response to treatment.

Effect on Work

Figures vary, but according to one report, 10 to 30% of people with fibromyalgia syndrome have problems with work, and according to another, around 30 to 40% of people with fibromyalgia syndrome have either to change jobs or give up working because of their illness.

However, leaving work and the resulting isolation and inactivity can lead to individuals focusing more on the pain, and cause issues with self-esteem and fear of the work environment, as well as creating financial and family problems.

Some experts suggest that rather than leaving work, a short leave of absence can help people come to terms with the illness and its limitations, and learn, perhaps through counselling, how to deal with it and still maintain as much of a normal life as possible.

In a study from 2003, people with fibromyalgia syndrome or the related disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, were more likely to lose their job or possessions, or have issues with support from family and friends, than people with other fatigue-related disorders.

Does it Get Better?

Fibromyalgia syndrome is not fatal, and does not cause damage to joints, muscles and internal organs. However, it is a long-term disorder. In some cases, stress-induced fibromyalgia can remit spontaneously if the stress is removed.

Some studies show that symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome remain about the same – however, other studies do suggest that the pain improves in 25 to 35% of people, and further studies report improvements in half to two-thirds of people with the syndrome. Fewer than one in ten people will completely lose their symptoms over five years, according to a UK study. However, other studies suggest that symptoms may go away in 24% of people, and improve in 47% of people.

How to Improve the Outcome

The best management of fibromyalgia syndrome is multi-faceted, incorporating self-management, psychological therapy, drug treatment, rest and exercise. In a study of exercise in people with fibromyalgia syndrome, those who exercised had a better outcome than those who did not.