what is fibromyalgia? It is defined as a chronic widespread painful condition that often involves a heightened sensitivity to pain. These patients, fibromyalgia patients, have an increased sensitivity to painful stimuli. We call that hyperalgesia in our world. They also have a heightened sensitivity to non-painful stimuli. Just simple touch can cause a sensation of pain. They also have a series of additional comorbid symptoms such as tenderness, sleep disturbances, they're fatigued, patients get morning stiffness, they get this cognitive impairment.

Sean Mackey is the Chief of the Pain Management Division at Stanford.