Amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome (AMPS) is a long-term condition characterized by amplified pain without an identifiable physical cause. Other common symptoms include changes in the skin texture, color, and temperature; changes in hair and nail growth; skin sensitivity to touch, also known as allodynia; and dizziness, especially when going to a standing position after sitting. In up to 80% of cases, symptoms are caused by psychological trauma or psychological stress. AMPS is also commonly caused by physical injury or illness. Other possible causes of AMPS include Ehlers-danlos syndrome, myositis, arthritis, and other rheumatologic diseases. Due to the nature of the condition, AMPS is often not diagnosed when it first presents. AMPS is diagnosed through a review of a patient's medical history, as well as multiple tests to rule out the diagnosis of other conditions, such as bone fracture.
AMPS is treated through various methods. As there is no cure for the condition, pain management and treatment of potential causes, such as psychological stress, are used. This can include psychotherapy, physical therapy, and other pain management treatments. The prognosis for the condition is very positive, with the ability for majority of effected individuals to recover completely, but the management of the condition is a gradual improvement over time, which can leave many individuals feeling a lack of motivation or progress in their AMPS management. Anyone can be affected with AMPS, though the most commonly affected individuals are children and adolescents, with up to 80% of affected individuals being women.
Signs and symptoms
Amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome is characterized by various symptoms. This includes chronic pain, allodynia, abdominal pain, dysphagia, dizziness, fatigue, headache, joint pain, movement issues, such as stiffness, shakiness, or coordination difficulty, swelling, fast heart rate, skin texture, color, or temperature changes, paresthesia, and changes in nail or hair growth are all common symptoms of AMPS. These symptoms can also cause various other complications, which, while being mainly mental symptoms, still have a heavy impact on the effected individual. This can include anxiety, depression, psychological trauma, and psychological stress.
Chronic pain
Chronic pain is one of the main symptoms of AMPS. The pain associated with the disorder can either be constant or intermittent. It is also distinguishable based on whether the pain is isolated to one region of the body, or is felt throughout the body. No matter the type of pain felt by AMPS, all kinds can be equally debilitating and have heavy impacts on the quality of life for the effected individual.
Visual changes
Because of the mechanics of AMPS, individuals with the condition can have visual changes to the affected area. This is mainly seen in complex regional pain syndrome. Visual changes in AMPS can include swelling; skin texture, color, and temperature changes; and changes in nail and hair growth. Because these symptoms do not present in all forms or cases of AMPS, individuals effected with the condition often do not receive a diagnosis when the condition first presents, and often are given other diagnoses that are not accurate, such as a physiological cause.
Complications
Because of the mechanism of AMPS, the condition can often result in complications as the result of the presented symptoms. This can include various physical symptoms, including muscle atrophy and osteoporosis. While physical conditions are possible as the result of AMPS, mental health conditions are very frequent, including anxiety, depression, psychological trauma, and psychological stress.
Causes
Various events can cause AMPS. The three main causes include psychological stress, physical injury, and illness. Various other conditions can be risk factors or causes of the disease, including arthritis, myositis, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and autoimmune diseases, such as asthma.
Psychological trauma
Psychological trauma is the main cause of AMPS. Evidence shows it is capable of causing up to 80% of reported AMPS cases. This is often a target of the treatment of AMPS, which includes psychotherapy, occupational therapy, and is one of the reasons for which selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are used as a management for the condition.
Physical injury
Physical injury, such as a bone fracture or surgery, is the second most common cause, often resulting in complex regional pain syndrome, a type of AMPS that is isolated to one region of the body, such as a hand or foot.