The Localization of Pain in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome on a Pain Drawing According to Grid Areas

Abstract

23 women with chronic symptoms of fatigue and pain used a gridded form to localize pain. Most frequent experiences of pain were in the neck and right buttock (44% of subjects), upper parts of the chest, left calf, and lower back by 40%.

Chronic musculoskeletal pain in patients with the chronic fatigue syndrome: A systematic review

“…Secondly, subjects of different studies must be comparable and representative for the population of CFS patients. That is not the case in the investigation where pain complaints were localised (Lindal et al, 1996). The mean age of the 23 women included, was 62.9 years (SD = 9.1) and all had symptoms for more than 50 years.…”

“…As already mentioned only three research applied the ACR criteria for widespread pain (Wolfe et al, 1990). In the other investigations the term “chronic musculoskeletal pain” is not used or not defined, as for example in the review, the case report of Van Houdenhove (2003), the hypothetical article and the study of Lindal et al (1996), Whelton et al (1992) and Whiteside et al (2004). They talk about (musculoskeletal) pain complaints in general.…”

“…Unfortunately not all investigators used these criteria. In the study of Lindal et al (1996) for example, the subject were diagnosed with an illness like CFS in an epidemic nearly 50 years ago in Iceland. Morriss et al (1999) included patients with CFS defined by operationalised Oxford consensus research criteria (Sharpe et al, 1991).…”

“…Most frequent experiences of pain in CFS, reported in the study of Lindal et al (1996) were localised in the neck and right buttock (11 out of 23 patients, or 44%), upper parts of the chest, left calf and lower back (10 out of 23 patients, or 40%). The investigators used a picture of a human body, divided into grids, as described by Lindal (1993). Patients had to mark the grids where they experienced pain.…”

Pain Characteristics of People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

“…In the same manner, separate VAS was used to measure current mood and pain intensity in the 24-hour period prior to the interview. The VAS has been considered a quick, reliable, valid, and a suitable comparison in both research and clinical settings (17).…”