Fibromyalgia

BALTIMORE -- Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who meditated were measurably less stressed after six months than those given standard care, but the disease was no better, said investigators here.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The reason that opioids seem to fizzle for fibromyalgia may be because of reduced receptor activity in regions of the brain that process and dampen pain signals, researchers here found.

EXETER, England -- Although millions are attracted to the notion that magnets relieve or prevent aches and pains, the preponderance evidence holds otherwise, found British researchers.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Joint or muscle pain or both prompted 13% of breast cancer patients enrolled in a trial comparing exemestane (Aromasin) with letrozole (Femara) to discontinue treatment, researchers reported here.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Pregabalin (Lyrica) just became the first medication approved by the FDA for fibromyalgia-related pain, but it may not work for everyone, so older treatments may still be useful.

ROCKVILLE, Md. -- The FDA has approved pregabalin (Lyrica) for the treatment of fibromyalgia, making it the first drug to earn this indication.

CINCINNATI -- For treating the chronic pain and other symptoms of fibromyalgia, the anticonvulsant gabapentin (Neurontin) proved safe and effective, researchers here reported.

WASHINGTON -- Bacterial overgrowth in the gut, a factor in irritable bowel syndrome, may also be at work in restless legs syndrome and antibiotics can help both conditions, one small study suggests.

A new generation of healthcare Web sites is connecting patients to each other, allowing them to share information and advice on virtually any medical condition. Despite concerns over some sites' accuracy and credibility, physicians are encouraged to accept, even embrace the trend.

DALLAS, Feb. 5 -- For the acute phase of temporomandibular disorder (TMD), cognitive behavioral training and biofeedback reduces overall and jaw-related care costs, researchers found.