title: Multisensory hypersensitivity in women with fibromyalgia: implications for well being and intervention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document sensory sensitivities to nonnoxious sensory stimuli in daily life for participants with fibromyalgia (FM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive study of a convenience sample using a self-report survey of sensory processing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited from the general community. The procedure took place in a research room at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women with FM (n=27) were compared with women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (n=28) and healthy pain-free women (controls) (n=28) (N=83).
  
  
  METHODS
  Not applicable.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-report measure of sensory sensitivity to stimuli encountered in daily life. Items ask participants if they are sensitive to sensations that do not seem to bother other people or avoid common activities or environments because of sensory stimuli.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The FM group reported significantly increased sensory sensitivities to both somatic (tactile) and nonsomatic (eg, auditory and olfactory) sensory stimuli compared with the RA and control groups. The RA and control groups did not differ in reported hypersensitivities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with fibromyalgia reported increased sensitivities to stimuli in the environment and could experience more stress related to sensory conditions in daily life.
authors: Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. jlwilbarger@education.wisc.edu
authors: Julia L
authors: JL
authors: Wilbarger
authors: Dane B
authors: DB
authors: Cook
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires