[Causal attributions in the narratives of patients suffering from fibromyalgia]

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome, common in primary care. This article presents some elements of a study based on 65 narratives of patients suffering from fibromyalgia. These narratives showed that patients establish causal links between traumatic events such as death, abuse or accident and fibromyalgia. There is some evidence supporting psychosocial approaches as useful in the clinical management of such complex chronic syndromes. It seems in particular important for the doctor to take into account the subjective experience of his/her patients in order to better understand them and legitimate their suffering, an essential step toward an integrated patient-centred healthcare project.