Fibromyalgia and Psychotrauma: A Clinical Case and Brief Literature Review

Abstract

Fibromyalgia (FM), a chronic disabling disorder causing diffuse musculoskeletal pain, presents strong comorbidity with psychopathological disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We report the case of a 35-year old Syrian Refugee, diagnosed with both Fibromyalgia and PTSD related to traumatic events (killed husband, expulsion from home, rape with death threats, difficult socio-economic situation). An antidepressant treatment combined with psychotherapeutic and psycho-educational intervention led to satisfactory improvements. Considering the clinical case and other related studies, it seems that early management of the traumatic dimension is essential, in order to prevent the chronicity of the suffering and the emergence of psychiatric comorbidities.