Article Index

Summary

Overall the 10th World Congress on Pain was a stimulating and somewhat exhausting experience. As is often the case with large international conferences one was subjected to intense information overload. However, I came away with a sense of awe at the magnitude and quality of the research which is being done worldwide to reduce the burden of chronic pain. As an FM researcher, I was gratified to see that the diagnostic term "fibromyalgia" is being used increasingly by pain researchers who often refer to it as a "classical example of central sensitization." As a rheumatologist, I am increasingly impressed that FM is primarily a neurological disorder which presents as a musculoskeletal pain syndrome. Having said that, I believe that rheumatologists will continue to be the major specialty who treat FM, as the correct diagnosis of musculoskeletal pain is complex, and furthermore there is often an overlap of FM with chronic rheumatic problems such as osteoarthritis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis. Interestingly, neurologists seem to be one of the last standouts in accepting the FM concept.

Dr. Bennett is an internationally known FM specialist, Professor of Medicine at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU), and Chairman of Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases Division.  Permission was granted to publish this article from the Fibromyalgia Information Foundation's website. © 2002 Robert Bennett M.D., FRCP.