Restless sleep may be one of the main contributors to the onset of widespread pain among adults aged 50 years and above, according to a team of international researchers.
It is a known fact that more than 80 percent of older adults suffer from muscle, bone and nerve (musculoskeletal) pain daily. More than 15 percent of women and 10 percent of men over age 50 experience widespread pain as they get older. This is a sign of fibromyalgia - a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues.
Researchers of a new study found that non-restorative sleep may be the chief contributor to this disorder, according to a press statement. For the study, the researchers collected data on pain, psychological and physical health, lifestyle and demographic information of 4326 adults over the age of 50 who were free of widespread pain at the start of the study.
A follow-up study was conducted after three years to look for evidence of the development of widespread pain. Researchers noted that 18 percent of the total participants began experiencing pain in various parts of their body.
Researchers then went on to analyze the factors that contributed to the development of this disorder and found that pain status, anxiety, physical health-related quality of life, cognitive complaint and non-restorative sleep were associated with increased risk of widespread pain development, "after adjusting for osteoarthritis (OA)."
"While OA is linked to new onset of widespread pain, our findings also found that poor sleep, cognition, and physical and psychological health may increase pain risk," Dr. John McBeth from the Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre, Keele University in Staffordshire, said in a statement. "Combined interventions that treat both site-specific and widespread pain are needed for older adults."
According to the CDC, one in 50 Americans (approximately 6 million people) is estimated to have fibromyalgia. It is the second most common ailment affecting the musculoskeletal system after osteoarthritis.
Common Symptoms of the disorder
Ninety percent of fibromyalgia patients have jaw or facial tenderness that can produce symptoms of TMJ disorder.
Fifty percent of fibromyalgia patients suffer from sensitivity to odors, noise, bright lights, medications and various foods.
Adults with fibromyalgia are 3.4 times more likely to suffer from major depression than adults without fibromyalgia, according to a Mayo Clinic report.
Lifestyle Changes Noticed Among people with fibromyalgia
Approximately 50 percent of people with fibromyalgia have difficulty with or are unable to perform routine daily activities, according to a 2009 Health Central report. The same report also stated that 30 to 40 percent of fibromyalgia patients have to stop working or change jobs. People with fibromyalgia are hospitalized about once every 3 years, CDC reports.
Findings of the new study were published in the online journal Arthritis & Rheumatology. The research was funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), Primary Care Research West Midlands North and North Staffordshire Primary Care Research Consortium
