ROma, 28 needle. (askanews) – Lombardy takes a decisive step in the fight against fibromyalgia with the establishment of Fibronet Care, the first regional network dedicated to diagnosis, care and support of patients with this complex syndrome.
Fibromyalgia affects 2 to 5% of the Italian population, with a clear prevalence in women, and manifests itself through widespread pain, chronic fatigue, sleep disorders, headache and difficulty concentration. Despite the diffusion, it remains a long -neglected pathology, with times of diagnosis that can reach up to eight years. Years marked by physical and psychological suffering that impact not only on the patient, but also on family and working life.
Fibromyalgical pain is defined as a nociplastic, i.e. linked to an alteration of the mechanisms of perception of pain, both central and peripheral. This means that even minimal stimuli can be perceived as painful in an disproportionate way. The disease, which mainly affects the age group between 45 and 64 years of age, often arrives in the midst of working and family life, increasing its social impact.
The regional data are clear: in 2023 6,396 requests for economic support for fibromyalgia were submitted, which in 2024 is expected to exceed 9,300. 95% of patients are women.
Faced with this silent emergency, the Lombardy Region has chosen to intervene with Fibronet Care, a project that combines technology and specialized health care. At the center of the initiative is a free application downloadable from Google Play and App Store, which allows patients already diagnosed to connect directly to regional rheumatology centers.
Through the platform, patients may register, choose the reference center and fill in self -assessments on their symptoms, which are made available to specialist doctors. This tool facilitates the setting of personalized therapies and offers additional services such as “Ask outdoors” and “speaks with the psychologist”, recognizing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach.
The therapeutic approach proposed by the Lombard network embraces the bio-psycho-social model, recognizing that ‘biological, psychological and social factors interact with each other, altering the well-being of the person’. The treatment strategy must be customized, integrating specific drugs such as antidepressants and anticonvulsants, regular exercise, psychological support and complementary medicine techniques.
Fibronet Care is not limited to the diagnosis and care, but also focuses on the training and awareness of health personnel, a crucial element to reduce the recognition times of the pathology.
The future prospects of the network include the expansion of the services offered and the enhancement of clinical research on fibromyalgia. The goal is to transform what today is often a diagnosis of exclusion in a structured and timely path, restoring dignity and hope to thousands of patients who have had to live with misunderstanding and isolation for too long.
The social impact of this initiative goes beyond the purely sanitary aspect: recognizing and adequately treating fibromyalgia means restoring people affected by the possibility of a more serene working and relational life, reducing the social and economic costs of a pathology that, if not adequately managed, can lead to significant disability.
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