The diagnosis of fibromyalgia even comes with an average delay of twelve years.

- A widespread and permanent pain and a feeling of sadness and depression accompanied throughout his life to a million Spaniards.

- In extreme cases there are patients who have lived with the disease undiagnosed over half a century.

- Despite some doctors still deny the existence of this condition, there are 75 symptoms that make up.

- Yet it is recognized that disability from a disease that affects all spheres of life.

- A high percentage of people affected are young women between 30 and 50 years.

- A medicine without approval in Europe and even cognitive behavioral therapy improve symptoms of the disease, but half of those subject to a multidisciplinary treatment not responding to it.

It is known as one of the hidden disease of the twenty-first century, despite its influence on the quality of life. Not surprisingly, in Spain, suffering from fibromyalgia nearly 1,000,000 people, and although "there is no typical profile of the patient type," says Benigno as Casanueva, author of the first treatise on fibromyalgia that is published in Spain, rapporteur at the eleventh session of meetings with Health, "although a high percentage of people affected are young women between 30 and 50 years." Casanueva says that "75 percent of rheumatologists recognized not have specific training."



Fibromyalgia is considered the main cause of chronic widespread pain and affects approximately one to 2 percent of the population with a frequency of 4.2 per cent for women and 0.5 among men. Casanueva that 'fibromyalgia is the second most complex rheumatic disease, behind rheumatoid arthritis. Not surprisingly, are listed 75 different symptoms that make up the disease. " Its prevalence is such that Benigno Casanueva estimated that between four and six per cent of people attending primary care do so with pain caused by this disease, a percentage that rises to nearly twenty percent in the case of the rheumatology consultation. "



A permanent and widespread pain throughout the body, loss of strength and, in partnership, pictures of sadness and depression that accompany the patients suffer from a disease "on the cost of failure to achieve recognition, despite the reduction in dramatically the quality of life of patients. Chronic pain can affect facets personal, familial, social, occupational, emotional and physical of patients resulting in a substantial decline. The longer the duration of pain, the greater the likelihood of psychological disorders, behavioral or psychiatric become more important. "



The approach by some physicians maintained that fibromyalgia does not exist is one of the main reasons that this condition has become a focus of controversy. "It's unbelievable that there are still doctors who doubt the existence of this disease. However, "the specialist," there is a deep knowledge about the paradigm of chronic diffuse pain. Do not know the exact mechanisms of peripheral and central sensitization and lack of information leads to one of the main problems of this condition, the delay in diagnosis. "



It is not a trivial matter. Casanueva said that "the average delay in diagnosis is twelve years, although there are extreme cases like that of patients who have lived with the disease undiagnosed over half a century." At the time of diagnosis provide Casanueva suggests that "when a patient comes to a consultation with diffuse pain and not responding to treatment with the anti-primary care physician should suspect the existence of a box phlebology.



Rheumatology specialists have some other monitoring tools. "There are 18 points of the human body called myofascial, with greater sensitivity to pain and to diagnose the disease. To be considered a pattern of fibromyalgia must be answered in the form of pain, at least eleven of them.



What treatment responded more effectively to this problem? Benigno Casanueva presents some solutions, "all from the consideration that at least half of those affected do not respond to them. Thus, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pregabalin capsules CV for the management of Fibromyalgia, in July 2007 and, although the effectiveness of this medicine is contrasted in tables mild loses intensity as the disease worsens .



Casanueva recommends, however, a multidisciplinary treatment. Beyond providing pharmacological, cognitive behavioral therapies that help the patient to minimize the ravages of a disease that carries with it a stigma: the account of another that it's Chinese story. "