Pain-related Sleep Difficulties in Fibromyalgia and Neuropathic Pain

Chronic painful conditions can have a broad-reaching impact on a patient’s quality of life (QoL). Physicians should pay particular attention to the deterioration of sleep quantity and/or quality as it is one of the most dramatically affected areas in these patients, which can lead to broader impact on the patients’ overall QoL. This review article focuses on sleep difficulties encountered by patients suffering from two common chronic painful conditions: fibromyalgia and neuropathic pain (NeP). The topics covered include a brief general overview of the two conditions in question, an analysis of the types of sleep difficulties encountered, a discussion of the factors that lead to and exacerbate these difficulties, and the strategies that may be employed to improve sleep in these patients.