Feeling sensitive ? Fibromyalgia can cause hypersensitivity but why is this, and are there any solutions? Words: Juliette WilliS ccording to a recent study into the cause of fibromyalgia, scans of patients with the condition showed that their brains process non-painful stimuli such as sound and touch differently from the brains of people without the disorder. This may explain why patients often complain of hypersensitivity in everyday situations. professor Jennifer Glass, from the Research Center for Group dynamics at the University of Michigan, cites the study as adding more weight to the fact that there is some kind of very real disorder in people with fibromyalgia one that is more of a central nervous system problem, rather than something out in the periphery causing pain. Lisa Moss, 42, from Surrey, was diagnosed with the condition two years ago. She also suffers from ankylosing spondylitis and ulcerative colitis, and believes fibromyalgia came along as a result of her having spent the past 15 years in acute pain. My rheumatologist explained that, quite often, fibromyalgia symptoms begin when a patient has experienced high levels of stress, either emotionally or physically. Its your brains way of saying it cant cope, she says. Id been in pain for so long, and just kept pushing myself to the limit. The symptoms hit me suddenly and soseverely I couldnt understand what was happening. Lisas symptoms mirror those of many other sufferers; she feels a burning sensation on her skin, along with a dull, trapped nerve kind of pain, from my shoulder blades to my finger tips, along with pins and needles and numbness. My legs ache, I feel dizzy and faint, and quite often have to stop whatever Im doing and sit down, she adds. The condition can also make sufferers sensitive to bright lights and crowds. I cant bear going to the supermarket or a shopping centre during a flare-up, as everything around me is unbearably amplified, says Lisa. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but several studies show that regular, gentle exercise such as yoga may help ease the symptoms. Meditation can also change the way the brain processes pain signals. In one study, participants took part in a 60-minute tai chi class, twice a week for 12 weeks. These patients experienced improvements in pain, sleep, depression and quality of life. Moreover, the benefits were still noticeable 24 weeks later. Robert Shmerling Md, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, says:Its difficult to take something as safe as tai chi and show that it has this dramatic benefit and not be enthusiastic about it. find out more For a free fact sheet on fibromyalgia, click here.