title: Sleep disturbance and chronic widespread pain.
abstract: Musculoskeletal pain is common and often occurs at multiple sites. Persons with chronic widespread pain (CWP) often report disturbed sleep. Until recently, the relationship between sleep disturbance and CWP has been unclear: does poor sleep increase the risk of developing CWP, do people with CWP develop poor sleep as a consequence of their pain, or is the relationship bi-directional? In this article, we have focused on the relationship between insomnia and CWP. We briefly present descriptive epidemiological data for insomnia and CWP. We then summarise the available evidence which supports the hypothesis that the relationship is bi-directional. Finally, we discuss the clinical management of CWP and insomnia in primary care, where the vast majority of cases of CWP are managed.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences, Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, UK, j.mcbeth@keele.ac.uk.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McBeth
authors.forename: Ross
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wilkie
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bedson
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chew-Graham
authors.forename: Rosie J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lacey
mesh_terms: D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy