2019.07.19

周五 Friday

chronic
 ['krɒnɪk] 
adj.长期的；【医】慢性的

图片来源：视觉中国

At least one in 10 of us suffer some sort of troublesome, long-term (chronic) pain. But not all have fibromyalgia.

至少每10人中就有一人遭受某种麻烦的、长期的（慢性）疼痛。但不是所有的疼痛都是纤维肌痛。

People with fibromyalgia have chronic widespread pain - including musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, and soft tissue tenderness - in many areas across the body.

患有纤维肌痛的人在全身很多部位都有慢性的疼痛，包括肌骨骼痛、疼痛和僵硬、软组织敏感等。

This affects other systems like the brain, impacting a person's ability to concentrate and remember things. People who have fibromyalgia often refer to this as the "fibro fog". It can affect sleep patterns, emotions, and many other aspects of everyday living.

这会影响其他系统，比如说脑，会影响一个人集中精力的能力和记忆力。患有纤维肌痛的人通常把这叫做“纤维雾”。这可能会影响睡眠模式、情感，以及日常生活的很多方面。

Fibromyalgia is a condition singer Lady Gaga lives with.

Lady Gaga得的就是纤维肌痛。

So what causes fibromyalgia?

那么纤维肌痛是由什么引起的呢？

When investigations can find no other cause for widespread chronic pain, it's generally diagnosed as fibromyalgia.

调查研究找不到广泛慢性疼痛的病因时，通常就将之诊断为纤维肌痛。

We don't know exactly what causes fibromyalgia, but genetics, environment, hormonal and neural (brain and central nervous system) factors are all believed to play a role. 

我们不知道具体是什么引起了纤维肌痛，但是基因、环境、荷尔蒙和神经（脑和中心神经系统）因素都在其中起着作用。

Research indicates genes may be responsible for up to 50 percent of susceptibility to the condition. The latest research indicates the body's immune system is involved, too.

研究表明，基因对这种状况的高达50%的敏感性起着作用。最新研究表明这也与身体的免疫系统相关。

An online survey of 596 people with fibromyalgia found a few common causes reported by participants. 

对596名纤维肌痛患者的网上调查发现了参与者提到的一些常见病因。

Around two thirds of people could relate the start of their symptoms to a specific incident or event, such as a physical injury, a period of sickness that might have involved surgery, or a stressful life event.

大约三分之二的人将症状的开始与一次特殊事件联系起来，比如身体受伤、可能与手术有关的恶心时期或者生活中紧张的事件。

Notably, many of those surveyed said they experienced negativity and stigma when trying to explain and authenticate their symptoms to professionals, their families, and their communities.

值得注意的是，很多参与调查者说，对专家、家人和团体解释和证实他们的症状时，经历了消极性和耻辱。

How is it treated?

如何治疗？

Everyone experiences treatments differently, and what works for one person may not work for another. But the main treatments focus on pain relief.

每个人的疗法都不一样，对这个人起效的疗法可能对另一个人没用。但是主要的治疗集中在缓解疼痛上。

The drugs pregabalin and duloxetine work by altering the neurotransmitters in the brain (gamma amino butyric acid and serotonin), and are effective for many people.

药物普瑞巴林和度洛西丁通过改变大脑中的神经递质起效（γ氨基丁酸和血清素），并且对很多人都有效。

 

今日词汇

chronic
 ['krɒnɪk] 
adj.长期的；【医】慢性的

 

我们常说的慢性病——chronic disease 

chronic back pain 慢性背痛

In spite of chronic ill health, she wrote ten books.

虽然一直受到慢性病的困扰，她仍写了十本书。