Illness perceptions and burden of disease in fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic syndrome that usually develops midlife. It is associated with a high burden of illness that causes significant disability. Areas covered: Diagnosis can be challenging, given the diverse clinical presentation among those with FM. Therefore, the typical health care journey for a patient with FM is lengthy and complex. There is no acknowledged treatment algorithm for FM, prescribing patterns vary markedly, and patients are likely to receive suboptimal or inappropriate pharmacotherapy. Expert commentary: Major improvements in FM recognition and management are urgently needed. Long-term prospective studies should be conducted to improve the understanding of the course of illness and to determine whether early diagnosis and intervention can reduce the severity and duration of symptoms.