The Impact of Emotion-Related Autonomic Nervous System Responsiveness on Pain Sensitivity in Female Patients With Fibromyalgia

Abstract

These data suggest that the ANS is not hyporesponsive to elicited emotions in fibromyalgia; however, patients with a larger pain response showed an ANS response pattern reflecting heightened β-adrenergic and reduced α-adrenergic reactivity. Future research should test whether a specific ANS response pattern to emotions is a consequence of increased pain or whether it amplifies pain.

Mindfulness training for reducing anger, anxiety, and depression in fibromyalgia patients

“…Likewise, anger toward oneself is high in these patients ( Sayar et al, 2004 ). In addition, these negative emotions can increase or amplify pain ( Sayar et al, 2004 ; van Middendorp et al, 2013 ). Thus, the way that people with fibromyalgia process and regulate their emotions may be relevant for adjustment to pain ( Geenen et al, 2012 ).…”

“…The presence of anxiety and depressive symptoms is related to inadequate coping with stress. Fibromyalgia patients show a high amount of maladaptive coping strategies and a reduction of positive emotions ( van Ittersum et al, 2009 ; Aparicio et al, 2011 ; van Middendorp et al, 2013 ), as well as a tendency to internalize and suppress anger. Moreover, some psychological variables related to the inability to cope, such as catastrophic thoughts, external locus of control, a low sense of self-efficacy, and feelings of helplessness are also present ( Torres et al, 2009 ; Glattacker et al, 2010 ; Miró et al, 2012 ).…”

Stress and Sensitization in Chronic Pain

“…For example, a study in patients with fibromyalgia showed that self-reported childhood neglect was associated with a flattened cortisol profile under basal conditions (Yeung, Davis, & Ciaramitaro, 2016). Still other studies indicate that the SAM-and HPA-axis responses to acute experimental stressors in patients with chronic pain are similar to these of healthy controls (De Brouwer et al, 2010;Vachon-Presseau et al, 2013;Van Middendorp et al, 2013). These studies do not appear to support the idea of structural dysfunctions in the stress responses in patients with chronic pain (De Brouwer et al, 2010).…”

“…Of course, such laboratory studies take place in highly controlled circumstances (in contrast to real-life diary studies). Despite a potential lack of ecological validity, these studies nonetheless enable the identification of causal relationships and the validation of vulnerability factors (e.g., stress-vulnerability factors, early life or recent major stressors; De Brouwer et al, 2010;De Brouwer et al, 2014;Van Middendorp et al, 2013).…”

Personalidad y fibromialgia

“…Asimismo, la combinación entre una elevada emotividad y estrategias de regulación emocional basadas en la evitación y la inhibición social por miedo al rechazo o la desaprobación social, parece ser común en la fibromialgia (81). Esta combinación predispone al malestar afectivo sostenido en general (82) y se ha relacionado con una peor salud mental y física en la fibromialgia (83,84).…”