Managing fibromyalgia in midlife and old age

Elderly patients presenting with multiple pains, disturbed sleep, fatigue, poor memory and slow thinking may have fibromyalgia. This is one of a spectrum of €œcentral sensitivity syndromes€ in which there is oversensitivity of certain areas of the brain and abnormal neurotransmitter activity. The diagnosis is symptom-based and may be made despite the presence of other disease.