ORIGINAL ARTICLE Clinical Characteristics of Patients wi th Fibromyalgia Mustafa Guler, M.D., Mebmet Klroap, M.D., Gurcan Uremke, PT Trabzon, Turkey Ab stract Fibromyalgia jibrositis is a common noninflammatory, pain/ ul muskuloskeletal disorder. It is commonly seen between the ages of 40 and 60 and has a 5: J female to male ratio. Essential symptoms of fibrositis are disturbed sleep, morning stiffness, and local tender points. Subjective swelling, paresthesia, and numbness sometimes may be seen. Multiple host and environmental factors seem to contribute to the onset and course of fibromyalgia. Modest improvement follows treatment by ant/depressive agents, by physical measures and by reduction in stress. In this study, 60 patients with fibromyalgia were investigated and the clinical characteristics were delineated and compared with other studies. We found that mean age (37.4 years) was lower and the common sites were neck, low back, and shoulder. Stress, fatigue, and climate were the usual associated factors. Key word s: Fibromyalgia, clinical features, musculoskeletal system Fibromyalgia is a common noninflammatory, painful musculoskeletal disorder. This syndrome has been called by many names including neurasthenia and rheumatism. Many clinical and etiologic associa- tions have been described. •-•> We have evaluated pa- tients with this syndrome seen at the Black Sea Technical University and present the findings in this paper. Fibrositis is a syndrome of the musculoskeletal system which is usually seen in clinical practice. Although the term most used is fibrositis, other terms s uch as rheumatism, muscle rheumatism, neurasthenia, or neurosis have been used for From the Deparrment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Psychiatry Black Sea Technical University Reprint requests: Mustafa Guler, M.D. Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation KUT Tip Fakultesia, Farabi Hstanesia FTR Anabilim Dali, Trabzon, Turkey Page 68 - JIMA: Volume 23, 1991 fibrositis. The most typical symptoms of the disease are pain which arises by pressure in neck, shoulder, back, low back, and gluteal regions.•-> In this disease, which is usually seen in women between the ages of 40-60, complaints such as pain, stiffness, emotfonal upsets, and fatigue increase with cold and immobilization. •,s By contrast, complaints decrease with heat, massage, exercise, and rest. Clinically, this disease may be primary or secondary. In secondary fibrositis, the main pathology usually underlines another disease. But in primary fibrositis, pathology is in muscle and other symptoms are seen after the primary muscle pathology. Fattening and some degenerative variations in muscle fibers, cell infiltra- tion, and proliferation in connective tissue are seen in muscle biopsies which are taken from painful and tender regions. 10 • 12 The blood and urine analyses of patients with fibrositis are usually within normal limits. The most common factors associated with the disease are emotional upsets, postural disturbances, st ress , trauma, and climate. For diagnosis, the presence of local tender points and chronic fatigue are usually helpful. For therapy, good doctor/patient DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5915/23-2-15074