The 3 Types of Fibromyalgia Pain and Its Treatment

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition. It remains one of the hardest illness to be diagnosed as it surfaces as different types of pain and symptoms in different individuals. Its symptoms aside, experts explain the three types of fibromyalgia pain: Hyperalgesia, Allodynia and Painful Paresthesia.

Hyperalgesia

This medical term refers to an excess of pain associated with fibromyalgia. Hyperalgesia is the most common type of fibromyalgia pain where the pain response reaches the brain and increases in volume, thereby making the pain signals more severe than normal.

Treatment: Most drugs given for managing fibromyalgia pain is aimed at reducing hyperalgesia. This condition is associated with nerve damage or irritation and requires medication such as Gabapentin, SSRI or tricyclic antidepressants, NSAIDS, glucocorticoids, pregabalin, NMDA antagonists or atypical opioids like Tramadol.

Precaution: After using a particular opioid for three to six months, another may be used as preventive treatment. The addition of NMDA receptor antagonist such as methadone, dextromethorphan or ketamine with opioids can also prevent occurence of hyperalgesia.

Allodynia

This condition refers to the abnormal experience of pain from a non-painful stimulation on the skin, such as a very light touch. It is a severe type of migraine, whose frequency, intensity, years of suffering with it have a direct relationship with its presence and severity.

Allodynia is characterized by sensitization at the heart of the pain center, and has over excitable pain nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain. It has three sub-types:

• Tactile: Here, pain is generated by gentle pressure or light touch.
• Mechanical: Pain is generated by something that brushes across your skin, such as wearing clothes, applying lotion, etc.
• Thermal: Pain is generated from heat or cold.

Treatment: Medications that help treat Allodynia include Tramadol, Morphine, Lidocaine or painkillers like Vicoden or Norco, Percocet and Oyxcontin.

Precaution: If Allodynia occurs often, use prevention methods such as avoiding touch, avoiding pain stimulating temperatures and avoid wearing clothes made of textured fabrics. For severe pain control, endogenous opioids can be given.

Paresthesia

This is a prickling kind of pain that is also characterized by tingling in the nerves and numbness and clumsiness. It is caused due to an abnormal central nervous system, or the root of fibromyalgia.

Treatment: Medications that cure Paresthesia include anti-depressants such as Seratonin Norepinephrine, Reuptake Inhibitors SNRIs, Vitamin B12 and acupuncture.

Precaution: If numbness is felt, regain your sensation by moving as much as possible. Avoid any unsafe activities, such as cooking if you are proned to loss of feeling in the hands and legs, clumsiness and dropping things. Keep your home free of rugs or things that will cause you to trip and fall.