First ever study to prevent chronic widespread pain begins

A research team from Aberdeen in the UK is investigating if cognitive behavioural therapy over the phone could prevent the development of chronic widespread pain in almost 1,000 people at high risk. 



It is the first trial in the world that aims to prevent the onset of chronic widespread pain, the main feature of fibromyalgia.

“It’s important to manage the symptoms of chronic widespread pain as quickly as possible because the longer it lasts the less likelihood there is of being able to successfully treat it,” outlines Prof Gary Macfarlane, who is leading the work. “Ideally we need therapies that reduce the risk of patients developing the condition.”

The group previously found that when people with chronic widespread pain had cognitive behavioural therapy by telephone, they experienced long-lasting improvements in symptoms.

So they now plan to find people who have visited their GP with musculoskeletal pain and other symptoms that suggest they are at risk of chronic widespread pain. Half will receive the care their GP normally provides. The other half will receive up to six sessions of cognitive behavoural therapy on the phone with a trained therapist over a six week period, and then booster sessions three and six months later.

The sessions will be tailored to the individual but will:

• Encourage people to identify helpful and unhelpful thoughts and feelings related to their pain and other symptoms;
• Find ways to overcome problems caused by their symptoms;
• Build in aspects of a healthy lifestyle to their daily routine.

The team will work out how many people develop chronic widespread pain at certain points during and after the trial, and if there are differences between the two groups.

Dr Stephen Simpson, director of research and programmes at Arthritis Research UK, comments:

“We’ve identified both pain and fatigue as major priorities for the charity over the coming years in our mission to improve the lives of the ten million people with arthritis and related conditions. This important study could be enormously significant in helping us achieve those goals.”

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Image credit: Martin Catharine