Papers of the Week

Fibromyalgia is a frequent pain condition. The main symptom is chronic widespread pain during at least 3 months. Many other comorbidities and symptoms are also present. Diagnosis has been revised at multiple occasions during the past 2 decades. The concept is still discussed considering fibromyalgia as a unique diagnosis or a condition including multiple ilnesses. The recent revision in 2016 provides an update of the criteria in order to avoid misclassification (depression). Indeed, applying the previous criteria to regional pain syndromes led to over diagnosis. However, the criteria are not sufficient to diagnose fibromyalgia; complete medical history and physical examination are necessary. There are also diagnostic confounders which should be identified. Morover, some of these confounders may also be associated in some cases with fibromyalgia. Treatments recommended combines multidisciplinary approaches including education, exercises, stress adjustment and if necessary cognitive behavioral therapies. If insufficient, medications such as antidepressents and/or antiepileptics, may be recommended.