Women With Fibromyalgia Benefit From Working

Working helps pay the bills and contributes towards feeling productive -- but does working help or hurt health status for people with fibromyalgia? According to study results published in the December 2008 issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, most women with fibromyalgia benefit from being employed. While working did not appear to prevent women from developing fibromyalgia, it did improve certain aspects of their health.

Over a period of 5 years, researchers assessed 287 women who had fibromyalgia. The majority of the study participants were white and around 47 years old (plus or minus 11 years) at the beginning of the study. Half of the women were employed but reported high levels of functional disability, pain, fatigue and depression. It was found that patients who were employed at the beginning of the study had better health status over time, except for pain.

Related Resources:

• Fibromyalgia Screening Quiz
• Fast Facts About Fibromyalgia
• Test Your Knowledge: Fibromyalgia
• 10 Things You Should Know About Fibromyalgia
• How to Recognize the Signs and Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

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