Chronic pain and fibromyalgia: what the research says

Can a chatbot help monitor PMS symptoms over time?

Yes. A Telegram chatbot successfully tracked PMS symptoms across multiple menstrual cycles. Some women with PMS also met the criteria for fibromyalgia.

What are the biggest research gaps in women's health, especially for menstrual conditions?

Research is lacking in many important areas, especially communication between women and doctors about health, and support for menstrual conditions like PMDD and heavy periods. There is more research on menopause but not on how to help women manage other conditions.

Does tooth sensitivity change across the menstrual cycle?

Women had significantly higher sensitivity to cold pain during the menstrual phase compared to other phases. The evidence is moderately strong from this small longitudinal study.

Do women with fibromyalgia have more premenstrual syndrome and period pain than other women?

Yes. Women with fibromyalgia were significantly more likely to have PMS (42% vs 25%) and period pain (41% vs 28%) than healthy women.

Do women with PMDD lose the normal ability to control pain with emotions?

No. Women with PMDD and control women both showed the same pattern: pain was strongest during negative emotions and weakest during positive emotions, regardless of cycle phase.

Why do women with IBS and fibromyalgia or PMDD have similar inflammation patterns?

Women with IBS who also have fibromyalgia, PMDD, or chronic fatigue have higher levels of inflammatory proteins in their blood than women with IBS alone.

Does the menstrual cycle change how emotions affect pain?

In this study, emotions affected pain the same way during both phases of the menstrual cycle tested, suggesting the menstrual cycle may not change emotional effects on pain in healthy women.

Does the menstrual cycle affect fibromyalgia pain?

Yes. About half of premenopausal women with fibromyalgia report worse pain and fatigue during menstruation. After menopause, about one quarter report their fibromyalgia started or got worse.

Does the menstrual cycle affect pain and mood in women with fibromyalgia?

Women with fibromyalgia had more pain and negative emotions than other women. All women felt less positive emotions in the second half of the cycle, more so in those with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia pain itself did not change across the cycle.

How do PMS, pain sensitivity, and sleep connect in women with fibromyalgia?

Worse PMS was linked to worse sleep and higher pain sensitivity in this group. Pain sensitivity may partly explain why PMS severity affects sleep, but the relationships are complex.

What health and lifestyle factors are linked to worse premenstrual symptoms?

Early first period, irregular cycles, and other health conditions including headaches, pain, diabetes, thyroid problems, and mood disorders were linked to worse symptoms.

Do women with sickle cell disease have more severe PMS symptoms than other women?

Women with sickle cell disease had similar rates and severity of PMS as healthy women (68% versus 78%). However, they showed lower depression scores related to PMS, possibly because they are accustomed to more severe chronic pain.

Is fibromyalgia more common in women with PMS, and does it affect quality of life?

Yes. Fibromyalgia was present in 20% of women with PMS versus 0% of healthy controls, and the combination seriously reduces both mental and physical quality of life.

Do women with PMDD have similar pain and symptoms to women with fibromyalgia?

Women with PMDD had significantly more pain, tenderness, mental health problems, and lower quality of life than control women. The study was small and used medical staff as controls, which may not be representative.

Does whole body vibration combined with exercise improve fibromyalgia symptoms?

Whole body vibration combined with exercises showed some improvement in fibromyalgia impact at 6 months compared to exercises alone, though the effect was modest.

Do women with fibromyalgia have more reproductive problems and sleep problems?

Yes. Women with fibromyalgia were significantly more likely to have PMS, period pain, and sleep problems, and were less physically active and reported more sexual dysfunction.

What factors are associated with having a hysterectomy in women veterans?

Premenstrual syndrome was one of several factors. Women with PMS were 1.6 times more likely to have had a hysterectomy (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.3). Other factors included older age, multiple pregnancies, and PCOS.

Do antidepressants help with PMDD symptoms?

Some antidepressants appear to help relieve PMDD symptoms in controlled studies. The evidence comes from reviews of existing research rather than new data.

Do antidepressants help treat PMDD and similar conditions?

The evidence suggests antidepressants probably help, but the research quality is too varied to be certain. Better studies are needed.

Does chronic pain get worse before your period?

For some women, yes. About 37% of the women with chronic pain reported pain getting worse before menstruation, especially those with pain in multiple areas of the body or severe pain.