(Nicole Bogart/ CTV News) — A Canadian study has revealed a link between fibromyalgia and alterations in gut bacteria—a discovery researchers say could lead to faster diagnosis for patients grappling with the chronic pain condition.
Researchers at McGill University identified 19 species of gut bacteria that were either increased or decreased in patients with fibromyalgia.
The study found that the severity of symptoms fibromyalgia patients’ experience— including widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue and cognitive difficulties—are directly correlated with an increased presence, or significant absence, of certain bacterial species.
“We found that fibromyalgia and the symptoms of fibromyalgia contribute more than any of the other factors to the variations we see in the microbiomes of those with the disease,” said study author Dr. Amir Minerbi, who works with the Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit at the McGill University Health Centre. (…)