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- Title
The Perception of Female Smokers with Fibromyalgia on the Effects of Smoking on Fibromyalgia Symptoms.
- Authors
Weingarten, Toby N.; Vincent, Ann; Luedtke, Connie A.; Beebe, Timothy J.; Welch, Tasha L.; Chong, Elisa Y.; Schroeder, Darrell R.; Warner, David O.
- Abstract
Objective Smokers with fibromyalgia have greater pain intensity and function impairment compared to nonsmokers. Patients' perceptions of interactions between smoking and fibromyalgia symptoms have not been described. The primary aim of this study was to report the perceptions of female smokers with fibromyalgia on how smoking affects symptoms. Methods Forty-eight daily smokers with fibromyalgia enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Fibromyalgia Treatment Center completed the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, General Anxiety Disorder-7 and a Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Smoking Survey which queried how smoking directly affected fibromyalgia symptoms (eg, pain, tiredness/fatigue, stiffness, nervousness/anxiety, depression/blueness, irritability, concentration, and overall) or indirectly as a coping mechanism. Results The majority of subjects reported smoking had no direct effect on fibromyalgia physical symptoms (pain [60% reported no effect], fatigue [56%], stiffness [81%]) but direct improvement of emotional symptoms (anxiety [62% reported improvement], irritability [64%]). The majority of subjects used smoking to cope with pain (69%) via distraction (83%) and relaxation (77%), lessening emotional distress by reducing a sense of frustration (83%) or sadness (54%) because of pain, and as a justification for resting vis-à-vis 'smoke breaks' (69%). Thirty-one smokers were mildly and 17 moderately/severely dependent on tobacco, and no difference in fibromyalgia impact score ( P = 0.70), pain ( P = 0.39), depression ( P = 0.20), and anxiety ( P = 0.64) scores were detected, but more moderately/severely dependent subjects reported smoking improved pain (50% vs. 17%, P = 0.04). Discussion Smokers with fibromyalgia reported smoking helped to cope with fibromyalgia pain but generally did not directly ameliorate fibromyalgia physical symptoms.
- Subjects
PSYCHOLOGICAL adaptation; ALEXITHYMIA; FIBROMYALGIA; QUESTIONNAIRES; SMOKE; SMOKING; TOBACCO products; DESCRIPTIVE statistics
- Publication
Pain Practice, 2016, Vol 16, Issue 8, p1054
- ISSN
1530-7085
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/papr.12402