I spent years trying to get a diagnosis
The one I received was fibromyalgia. At the time, it was thought to be "all in my head" and was told to do counseling in order to deal with it.
King's College London did a study on fibromyalgia and published the results in 2021. This was done in collaboration with the University ofLiverpool and the Karolinska Institute. This study "shows that many of the symptoms in fibromyalgia syndrome are caused by antibodies increasing the activity of pain-sensing nerves".
The results? Fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disorder. The proposed treatment? Therapies that reduce antibody levels. These therapies are already available and are used to treat other autoimmune disorders.
"The implications of this study are profound. Establishing that fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disorder will transform how we view the condition and should pave the way for more effective treatments for the millions of people affected. Our work has uncovered a whole new area of therapeutic options and should give real hope to fibromyalgia patients. Previous exploration of therapies has been hampered by our limited understanding of the illness. This should now change. Treatment for FMS is focused on gentle aerobic exercises, as well as drug and psychological therapies designed to manage pain, although these have proven ineffective in most patients and have left behind an enormous unmet clinical need."
-Dr David Andersson, study primary investigator, King's College London
For everyone out there who does not benefit from the typical treatments for fibromyalgia- PLEASE ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF. Take this study to your doctor and tell them to try a different method.
