Recent studies involving Cymbalta and fibromyalgia suggest that the medication may help to alleviate the symptoms of fibromyalgia, regardless of whether the person taking the medication also has depression. However, the medication was not initially approved for this use. If you would like to know more about fibromyalgia and Cymbalta, be sure to talk to your healthcare provider.
Does Cymbalta Help Fibromyalgia?
Cymbalta® (
duloxetine hydrochloride) is a prescription medicine approved to treat the following conditions:
You may find information stating that Cymbalta is not approved to treat fibromyalgia, since Cymbalta was not initially approved for this use. However, such information is outdated, as the FDA has approved Cymbalta for the treatment of fibromyalgia.
Using Cymbalta for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue (feeling tired).
People with fibromyalgia have "tender points" on the body. Tender points are specific places on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, and legs. These points hurt when pressure is put on them. Other
fibromyalgia symptoms may include:
- Trouble sleeping
- Morning stiffness
- Headaches
- Painful menstrual periods
- Tingling or numbness in the hands and feet
- Problems with thinking and memory (sometimes called "fibro fog").
Cymbalta is part of a class of drugs called
serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or
SNRIs for short. SNRIs, such as Cymbalta, affect specific chemicals within the brain known as serotonin and norepinephrine. Serotonin and norepinephrine are two of several chemicals used to send messages from one nerve cell to another.
Although it is not entirely clear how Cymbalta works to treat fibromyalgia, Cymbalta may help block the nerve pain signals in the spinal cord or brain. This may help alleviate the pain of fibromyalgia.
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