Differences Between Men and Women with Fibromyalgia

Úbeda-D’Ocasar, Edurne; Gallego-Sendarrubias, Gracia María; Guodemar-Pérez, Jesús; Pérez, Juan Pablo Hervás

doi:10.1055/a-1089-8152

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…This much larger proportion of affected women is well reflected in this review in which all study participants were women. In effect, it is difficult to find studies including both sexes and those that have done so have examined a smaller proportion of men [ 45 , 46 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pain and Cortisol in Patients with Fibromyalgia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

et al. 2020

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This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to gain further insight into the relationship between cortisol reactivity and chronic widespread pain in patients with fibromyalgia. The studies selected were those conducted in adults with fibromyalgia that were random controlled, non-controlled or observational. Studies were excluded if they examined diseases other than fibromyalgia or if they did not report on pain or cortisol. Twelve studies met inclusion criteria. Data were extracted into tabular format using predefined data fields by two reviewers and assessed for accuracy by a third reviewer. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the PEDro scale. Data Synthesis: Of 263 studies identified, 12 were selected for our review and 10 were finally included as their methodological quality was good. In the meta-analysis, we calculated effect sizes of interventions on pain indicators and cortisol levels in patients with fibromyalgia. A small overall effect of all the interventions was observed on pain tolerance and pressure pain thresholds, yet this effect lacked significance (ES = 0.150; 95%CI 0.932–1.550; p > 0.05). Conclusions: While some effects of individual nonpharmacological therapeutic interventions were observed on both cortisol levels and measures of pain, our results suggest much further work is needed to elucidate the true relationship between chronic widespread pain and cortisol levels in patients with fibromyalgia.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pain and Cortisol in Patients with Fibromyalgia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

et al. 2020

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“…It is often considered atypical if a man complains about pain, compared to a woman. Hopefully, these attitudes are changing (9). Gender differences have been difficult to study because of relatively fewer men being diagnosed with FMS (10)(11)(12)(13).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emotional experiences and gender roles of men with fibromyalgia syndrome: a cross-cultural qualitative study

Montesó-Curto,

Toussaint,

Kueny

et al. 2024

Front. Med.

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IntroductionGender roles may impact men with fibromyalgia, causing a high number of negative emotional states and affective disorders. There are few studies that detect men’s high emotional suffering. This study examined the emotional experience of men with fibromyalgia.MethodsA qualitative cross-cultural study utilized inductive thematic analysis was performed at the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Unit Santa Maria University Hospital in Spain, the Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Clinic at Mayo Clinic in the US, and volunteers from the Winneshiek County in the US A total of 17 participants, 10 men from Spain and 7 men from the US were included.ResultsThree themes related to feelings/emotions emerged: (1) psychological level; (2) social level; and (3) physical level. Men with fibromyalgia from Spain and the US experienced many negative emotions. Men often experience negative emotions that are worsened by common misunderstandings and social biases/stigma about their condition.Conclusion/implications:A proper assessment of emotions when evaluating the global health of men with fibromyalgia as well as the provision of emotional support would improve their mental health and therefore their overall physical health. Emotional management should be incorporated into all treatment protocols for fibromyalgia, especially for men given the gender stigma. Health policies designed by legislators, policymakers, and support agencies must be accompanied by education in gender role concepts to improve the emotions of men with FMS. The mass media will be essential for the disclosure of the emotional suffering of male patients so that society might better understand them.

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“…Previous studies assessed the altered pain prosecution, reporting a chronic and increased pain response to a painful stimulus (hyperalgesia) and pain caused by a stimulus that normally should not cause pain (allodynia) [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. Gender differences were found in the intensity, frequency, duration, and locations, with females more affected than male patients [ 11 ]. Although pain perception is conditioned by subjective and personal experiences, these differences between genders could be explained by biologic features related to endogenous pain-relief mechanisms or the influence of gonadal hormones [ 12 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pain Intensity and Sensory Perception of Tender Points in Female Patients with Fibromyalgia: A Pilot Study

Úbeda-D’Ocasar

Valera‐Calero

Pérez

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a condition that courses with chronic pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, impaired quality of life and daily function. Due to the lack of blood, imaging or histological confirmatory tests, the diagnosis of FMS is based on the presence of widespread pain and presence of tender points (TPs). Our aim was to assess the pain pressure thresholds (PPTs) and subjective pain perception (SPP) of all 18 TPs while applying a normalized pressure in female patients with fibromyalgia. An exploratory descriptive pilot study was conducted in 30 female patients with FMS. Sociodemographic data (e.g., age, height, weight, and body mass index), clinical characteristics (e.g., years with diagnosis and severity of FMS), PPTs (assessed with an algometer), and SPP (assessed with a visual analogue scale) of all 18 TPs were collected. A comparative analysis side-to-side (same TP, left and right sides) and between TPs was conducted. No side-to-side differences were found (p < 0.05). Significant differences between all 18 TPs were found for PPTs (p < 0.0001), and SPP (p < 0.005) scores were found. The most mechanosensitive points were located in the second costochondral junction, the occiput, the trochanteric prominence; the most painful while applying a normalized pressure considering the TP and side were those located in the gluteus, trochanteric prominence, and supraspinatus. The current study describes PPTs and SPP, as assessed with algometry and visual analogue scale, respectively, of all 18 TPs in female patients with FMS. TPs exhibited significant PPTs and SPP differences between TP locations with no side-to-side differences.

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Differences Between Men and Women with Fibromyalgia

Cited by 3 publications

References 19 publications

Pain and Cortisol in Patients with Fibromyalgia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Pain and Cortisol in Patients with Fibromyalgia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Emotional experiences and gender roles of men with fibromyalgia syndrome: a cross-cultural qualitative study

Pain Intensity and Sensory Perception of Tender Points in Female Patients with Fibromyalgia: A Pilot Study

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