Pain Management
Chronic Pain Management
Opioid Use, Misuse, and Abuse in Patients Labeled as Fibromyalgia
Fitzcharles M-A, Ste-Marie PA, Gamsa A, et al (McGill Univ Health Ctr, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Université de Montréal, Quebec, Canada) Am J Med 124:955-960, 2011§
Evidence Ranking
• B
Expert Rating
• 2
Abstract
Background
As pain is the cardinal symptom of fibromyalgia, it is logical that treatments directed toward pain relief will be commonly used. Analgesic drug therapy remains the traditional treatment intervention for most chronic pain conditions, with a progressive increased use of opioids in the past 20 years. Concerns about efficacy, risk-benefit ratio, and possible long-term effects of chronic opioid therapy have been raised. There is limited information about opioid treatment in fibromyalgia, with all current guidelines discouraging opioid use.