Fibromyalgia is a syndrome of chronic pain. Its etiology is unknown and treatment is not well defined.
The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of specific variables on pain in 107 women with fibromyalgia.
Data collection included two pain measurements administered by the researcher, four survey questionnaires self-administered by the participants (measuring activity, fatigue, depression, and demographic data), and three measures of physical fitness for flexibility, strength, and endurance.
Fatigue, pelvic pain, and physical trauma explained 23% of the variance in sensory pain; activity, depression, and pelvic pain explained 23% of affective pain; and a flare-up of symptoms and depression explained 25% of the intensity of pain experienced by the participants.
Nurses should consider decreasing depression and fatigue and increasing activity so that fibromyalgia pain may be lessened during care.