The Relevance
More pieces of evidence support the theory that fibromyalgia and CFS are neuropathic. The presence of severe nerve pain, as well as the fact that many patients have found relief on treatments that are intended for neuropathy, could support these claims. By checking small fiber neuropathy, doctors may be able to easily determine which patients can respond better to these treatments.
This is also an important opportunity for further research. Doctors are fully aware of neuropathic pain, as it is common, including in diabetes, which is usually a result of nerves damage due to high blood sugar. However, this has also led to a new question – what exactly are causing the damages to our small fibers? Can we blame this on the immune system, which would confirm that fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disease? Do patients with fibromyalgia and CFS lack the enzyme that helps in the repair and growth of small fiber damages?
For now, we can only hope that researchers will start looking for answers to address these questions. If it is indeed due to nerve damage and not only dysfunction, then hopefully, medical experts will be able to come up with more concrete targets to help in treatment.
