Characteristics of Post-Traumatic Fibromyalgia

This study compared two groups of fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) patients: 46 with post-traumatic FS, and 46 with idiopathic FS. Each group was given a series of self-report inventories and a medical examination.

The study found that there were no significant differences between the groups in terms of physical findings. The traumatic-onset FS patients, however, reported more pain, distress, disability, and lower general activity than the idiopathic-onset FS patients. "The greater disability and psychological distress in the post-traumatic FS patients were present even when we controlled for compensation status, a potential mediator. Thus, the differences between the two types of FS onset cannot be attributed solely to a desire by these patients to receive some financial gain."

Turk DC, Okifuji A, Starz TW, Sinclair JD. Effects of symptom onset on psychological distress and disability in fibromyalgia syndrome patients. Pain 1996;68:423-430.