Sensitivity to ambient temperature increases in fibromyalgia and CRPS

Abstract

Dear Editor,

People with chronic pain often report that their symptoms are exacerbated by weather conditions, such as cold ambient temperature. Some studies find that sensitivity to ambient temperature is reported more frequently by people with fibromyalgia than other pain conditions [1], although others have found no such evidence [2]. In our experience, people with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) can also report weather and temperature sensitivities. However, research on this topic is scarce, and it is not clear if the nature of their reports is different than that of people with fibromyalgia or other pain conditions. Although previous studies mainly examined exacerbation of pain by weather, we have noticed that people with pain conditions often prefer broader terms when describing these effects, such as discomfort or distress. Furthermore, our impression has been that people with CRPS or fibromyalgia sometimes indicate with curious specificity the temperatures at which they feel their symptoms are exacerbated... Show more