Multidisciplinary group programs to treat fibromyalgia patients.

There are three realities that need to be understood by both clinicians and patients: (1) fibromyalgia is a complex chronic pain condition and current treatment is palliative rather than curative; (2) the major aim of treatment is to improve function, not abolish pain; and (3) a cycle of chronic pain, stress, and psychological arousal often generates a set of secondary symptoms. These secondary symptoms provide a positive feedback loop that is amenable to modification by cognitive-behavioral techniques. Multidisciplinary group treatment programs are especially suited to such techniques; their aim should be to maximize subsequent clinician-patient interactions. Thus, a current concept of optimal management is a blend of multidisciplinary group therapy and individualized clinician-based treatment.