Integrating Pain Management in a Patient With Cystic Fibrosis and Fibromyalgia: A Case Report.

Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine

Chronic pain is increasingly recognized in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF), especially as survival improves. However, the coexistence of CF and fibromyalgia-a centralized pain syndrome-has not been previously reported and presents a unique diagnostic challenge.. A 26-year-old woman with confirmed CF presented with chronic, widespread musculoskeletal pain unresponsive to CF-specific treatment. Evaluation revealed neuropathic features and positive findings on fibromyalgia screening tools. Management included duloxetine, pregabalin, Pilates-based rehabilitation, and reflexology-based manual therapy. With consistent care, the patient achieved significant symptom control and improved quality of life. Our case highlights the importance of individualized, multimodal pain management in CF, particularly when symptoms suggest overlapping centralized pain syndromes. Clinicians should consider fibromyalgia in CF patients presenting with persistent, widespread pain unresponsive to standard treatment.