Course Summary

Fibromyalgia is a common and chronic disorder characterized by widespread pain, diffuse tenderness, and many other symptoms. The American College of Rheumatology criteria on fibromyalgia assists clinicians in the evaluation of the clinical severity of fibromyalgia and issues of differential diagnosis and comorbidity. The current criteria incorporate self-reporting tools for FM symptoms, e.g., fatigue and insomnia, as well as a clinical evaluation of central sensitization and repeated pain responses. The diagnosis and treatment of fibromyalgia require clinicians to have an understanding of the etiology and risk factors influencing disease progression. Abnormally functioning pain pathways lead to an enhanced pain experience in individuals with fibromyalgia. Therapeutic modalities tend to vary with individual responses to long-term treatment and any benefits received. Interdisciplinary health clinicians provide treatment options aimed at reducing pain and other chronic symptoms. They also provide education for fibromyalgia patients on symptom management and holistic healing.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

• Introduction
  • Recognizing Fibromyalgia and its Prevalence
• Etiology and Pathogenesis of Fibromyalgia
  • Neural Mechanisms
  • Traumatic Evenets
  • Environmental Triggers
  • Genetic Predisposition
  • Psychosocial Factors
  • Insomnia and Fatigue
  • Depression and Anxiety
  • Comorbid Conditions
• Nociplastic Pain and Fibromyalgia
• Pain Symptoms Common to Fibromyalgia Patients
• Risk Factors for Fibromyalgia
• Diagnosing Fibromyalgia
  • The 1990 ACR Criteria and 2010 Changes
  • 2011 and 2016 Changes
  • Fibromyalgia ICD Classification
  • Current Criteria for Diagnosing Fibromyalgia
  • Diagnostic Testing
  • Fibromyalgia and COVID-19
• Treatment of Fibromyalgia
  • Pharmacotherapy
  • Non-Pharmacological Treatment
  • Workplace and Social Environments
• Chronic Pain Treatment Plan
  • Loss and Grief
  • Treatment Plans Based on Gender
• Economic Impact and Fibromyalgia Research
• National Institutes of Health Supported Research
• Case Study: Fibromyalgia Following Physical Trauma
  • Discussion
• Case Study: Atypical Chest Pain with FM
  • Discussion
• Summary

Authors

Noah H. Carpenter, MD

Dr. Noah Carpenter is a Thoracic and Peripheral Vascular Surgeon. He completed his Bachelor of Science in chemistry and medical school and training at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Carpenter completed surgical residency and fellowship at the University of Edmonton and Affiliated Hospitals in Edmonton, Alberta, and an additional Adult Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery fellowship at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. He has specialized in microsurgical techniques, vascular endoscopy, laser and laparoscopic surgery in Brandon, Manitoba and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and in Colorado, Texas, and California. Dr. Carpenter has an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Calgary, and was appointed a Citizen Ambassador to China, and has served as a member of the Indigenous Physicians Association of Canada, the Canadian College of Health Service Executives, the Science Institute of the Northwest Territories, Canada Science Council, and the International Society of Endovascular Surgeons, among others. He has been an inspiration to youth, motivating them to understand the importance of achieving higher education.

Richard Daniels, PharmD, BCPS

Richard “Cole” Daniels earned his Doctor of Pharmacy(PharmD) from the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of Montana in 2018. Throughout pharmacy school he completed a 3-year internship at Community Medical Center in Missoula, Montana in which he gained valuable experience in an acute care setting. Cole currently serves as a psychiatric clinical staff pharmacist at the Montana State Hospital. He has over 11 years of pharmacy experience having worked in several settings including retail, acute care, and inpatient psychiatric care. Cole has a diverse set of interests. However, acute care medicine, infectious disease, pain management, and asthma/COPD are a primary focus of his at the Montana State Hospital. He obtained board certification as a certified pharmacotherapy specialist in the Spring of 2022.