Legitimising fibromyalgia : exploring chronic pain and contested illness in Maltese women

Abstract

The aim of the study is to examine the lived experience of Maltese women with fibromyalgia, explore how these individuals strive for the validation of their contested illness and highlight their need for support. A qualitative research design was adopted for this study to investigate the participants’ experiences with fibromyalgia. A purposive sample of six Maltese women was recruited through a Facebook page “Fibromyalgia Malta”. Phenomenology was used as the philosophical framework. In-depth interviews were conducted to gain an understanding of the participants’ social world. The Thematic Analysis (TA) approach was chosen to analyse data with the aim of attaining further knowledge of the participants’ views and experiences when living with fibromyalgia symptoms. Three main themes and eight subthemes were elicited from the data analysis. The findings reveal that Maltese women with fibromyalgia encounter a lack of medical support. This led them to search for alternative types of treatment. Since symptoms of fibromyalgia also correspond with those of other conditions, it makes the validity of fibromyalgia difficult to establish. Fibromyalgia affects Maltese women’s lives as it forces them challenge social and cultural expectations within the local context. They adopt their own coping strategies once they realise that there is no cure. However, there is an interesting paradox in the findings. Some women in the sample conceal their condition to live up to the social norms. On the other hand, some are just as willing to reveal their condition to promote further awareness and appreciation of their needs.