Fibromyalgia Patients With Long-Term Pain Are Abandoned by NHS
Fibromyalgia has been brought into the spotlight by Hollywood luminaries including Lady Gaga and Morgan Freeman – but at least they don’t have to rely on the ever-failing NHS
According to campaigners: “Sufferers of this chronic pain condition are being left in agony because of a ‘cruel’ ban on drugs by NHS chiefs. Fibromyalgia patients – who endure body-wide pain, muscle stiffness and headaches – had been offered powerful painkillers, including pregabalin and tramadol” [1]. However, recent guidance on the management of chronic pain by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which serves as the NHS spending watchdog, has prohibited their use” [1]
The aforementioned headline news reported last year by Daily Mail health journalist, Alex Singleton. – And it gets even worse. – Fibromyalgia sufferers are also being blocked from receiving proven National Health Service-approved non-drug therapies. These include hydrotherapy, an effective water-based treatment. Fibromyalgia Action UK chair, Des Quinn, stated:
“Patients’ quality of life is being reduced as a result. Drugs such as tramadol are backed by good scientific evidence, which NICE failed to consider” [1].
A Life-Changing Condition Brushed Off by the NHS
“Fibromyalgia affects more than two million people in the UK. The condition tends to develop between the ages of 25 and 55” [1]
As Fibro Doctors (general practitioners/doctors who have undertaken years of extra studies and practical clinical training in the fields of Pain and Pain Treatment), are all too aware, this decision has been devastating for millions of sufferers and their families. Fibromyalgia is a serious long-term condition which can cause pain, insomnia, fatigue, digestive issues, brain fog, and tenderness all over the body [2]. The fallout can impact every aspect of a sufferer’s life, including their relationships, home and work life. – And in many cases, they are unable to work and carry out normal everyday activities. So how can this “cruel ban” scenario be classed as NHS “Care Excellence?”
Can Fibromyalgia Be Cured?
Fibro Consultants are general practitioners who undertake considerable extra training and clinical experience in the fields of Pain and Pain Management. The latter includes providing patients with Holistic Personalised Treatment Plans which comprise a combination of conventional and the latest state-of-the art treatments, injectables, and physical and psychological therapies which help manage and treat symptoms [2]. These Fibro Doctors give millions sufferers hope in the face of the medical world not being able to establish an exact cause of this malady.
Do You Think You Could Have Fibromyalgia?
It is important to note that a higher percentage of women suffer from Fibromyalgia. Generally speaking, the symptoms come to the surface at middle-age, although it can impact all age groups. Moreover, the risk of contracting fibromyalgia increases with age. Furthermore, it impacts people from all ethnic and racial backgrounds [2].
If you are suffering from another disease (or multiple diseases) – particularly a mood disorder, a rheumatic disease, or a pain-promoting condition, than you will be more susceptible to fibromyalgia [2]. Pain-promoting disorders include:
- Lupus
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Long-term back pain
- Anxiety
- Depression
- IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) [2]
“Fibromyalgia tends to run in families, and some scientists believe that certain genes could make you more likely to develop it. However, the disorder also occurs in people with no family history of the disorder” [2]
Fibromyalgia Symptoms to Look Out For
The key symptoms of fibromyalgia comprise:
- Widespread, long-standing pain in multiple regions, or throughout the body. (Pain is frequently experienced in the buttocks, back, abdomen, chest, head, legs and arms). People often describe it as throbbing, burning or aching
- Fatigue or being overwhelmed by tiredness
- Insomnia [2]
Additional symptoms can include:
- Joint and muscle stiffness
- Tenderness when touched
- Tingling or numbness in the legs or arms
- Issues with memory, clear thinking, and concentration (also known as “fibro fog”)
- Raised sensitivity to temperature, smells, noise and light
- Digestive problems including constipation and bloating [2]
The Ongoing NHS Scandal
The Daily Mail article also notes that before 2021, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, did not provide any particular guidelines with regard to treating fibromyalgia patients. – It simply instructed GPs to follow the regulations related to treating nerve pain. To that end, sufferers were offered painkillers (the latter of which incorporated the now-barred pharmaceuticals). Of note:
A report conducted by the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology, came to the conclusion that: “the balance of evidence was in favour of the use of medications such as pregabalin and tramadol. However, rising numbers of Britons becoming addicted to these painkillers – as well as a concern that they were not effective in all patients – caused health chiefs to crack down on prescriptions” [1]
One of the country’s leading specialists in fibromyalgia, Dr Deepak Ravindran, stated that the: “banned painkillers are being held to too high a standard” [1]. Moreover, he made the point that
a broader spectrum of treatments should be offered to patients due to that fact that fibromyalgia symptoms can be vastly different [1].
Other accepted treatments involve CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), exercise programs, and hydrotherapy, the latter of which has been shown to ameliorate musculoskeletal issues. Unfortunately, due to the extensive waiting lists, countless sufferers have not been able to secure CBD therapy. The University of Aberdeen’s clinical chair in epidemiology, Prof Gary Macfarlane, made the point that:
“Once patients have had the long road to diagnosis, they’re often just left to get on with managing their symptoms without NHS support” [1], & this is why Fibro Doctors are so in demand, & this is why the multi-faceted Holistic Personalised Treatment Plans they device for each and every patient, are so successful
Dr Ravindran has also highlighted the point that: even in cases where patients have been afforded a recommended treatment, there are limitations on continuing treatment. He remarked that: “the NHS has always paid for a set of six sessions, but for long-term conditions you need ongoing support. The NHS hasn’t figured out how to sustain that” [1]. – And this unfortunately, is what NHS Fibromyalgia patients have to deal with. The NICE guidance is to substitute antidepressants for sedatives, pregabalin, and tramadol. From Dr Ravindran’s perspective, whilst these pharmaceuticals are worth a try, sufferers can get hooked; moreover the antidepressants can cause withdrawal issues.
So What Types of Treatments Do Fibro Doctors Offer?
Multidisciplinary treatments comprise:
- Cutting-edge research-backed analgesic medications which are specifically designed to treat fibromyalgia
- Specialist fibro physical therapy and rehabilitation which is geared to bolster your physical functioning and psychological well-being
- Cortisone injections to your body’s trigger points
- Botulinum Toxin A (Botox) treatment to your body’s trigger points
- Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment to your body’s trigger points
- Self-Help techniques (which are simple and easy to do)
- Clinical pain psychology which is designed to your raise your psychological well-being
References
[1]. Singleton, A. (2023). “Patients with fibromyalgia left in agony due to ‘cruel’ ban on drugs by NHS chiefs to treat the chronic pain condition whose sufferers include Lady Gaga.” Daily Mail.
[2]. National Institute of Health (2024). “Fibromyalgia.”
