[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 856 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 856

    Expressing support for the designation of ``National Amplified 
             Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome Awareness Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 14, 2021

  Ms. Wild (for herself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

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                               RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing support for the designation of ``National Amplified 
             Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome Awareness Day''.

Whereas amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome (in this preamble referred to as 
        ``AMPS'') is a medical condition that causes individuals to experience 
        an abnormal pain reflex that causes constriction of blood vessels, 
        bones, and skin, which deprives muscles of appropriate oxygenation and 
        results in acid buildup;
Whereas AMPS amplifies a mild pain signal into an extremely painful signal;
Whereas the 3 main causes of AMPS are psychological stress, injury, and illness;
Whereas there are numerous types of AMPS, including complex regional pain 
        syndrome, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain syndrome, neuropathic pain, 
        psychogenic pain, and reflex neurovascular dystrophy;
Whereas amplified pain in children is not well studied but is known to include 
        localized pain and diffuse pain and is estimated to affect 2 percent to 
        6 percent of children;
Whereas 6 to 12 percent of children have fibromyalgia and 87 percent of children 
        that meet fibromyalgia criteria are female;
Whereas 80 percent of children with AMPS are preadolescent or adolescent girls 
        and the typical patient is a teenage girl with a pain rating of ``10 out 
        of 10'';
Whereas symptoms can occur acutely or take weeks to develop and may include pain 
        in one or multiple limbs, pain throughout the whole body or in the 
        abdomen, headaches, skin temperature changes, skin color changes, 
        swelling of the affected extremity, vascular changes, conversions, and 
        allodynia;
Whereas AMPS is difficult to diagnose and patients often see multiple 
        specialists and are prescribed a variety of unsuccessful medications, 
        procedures, and surgeries to treat their pain, which perpetuates the 
        symptoms of AMPS and burdens families with additional health care costs;
Whereas pediatric amplified pain is being diagnosed with greater frequency but 
        has no known cure;
Whereas once diagnosed, treatment and therapy focused on aerobic exercise, 
        physical and occupational therapy, stress management, and counseling 
        have proven to be more effective than the administration of pain 
        management medications and more invasive procedures;
Whereas the treatment goal is to restore function and return a child to the 
        child's prior functional level at school, in sports, and in leisure 
        activities; and
Whereas when patients are in treatment focused on aerobic exercise, physical and 
        occupational therapy, and stress management and counseling, patients see 
        a significant reduction in their pain according to published studies: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome 
        (``AMPS'') and the effects it has on those who are afflicted, 
        particularly the minor population; and
            (2) supports the designation of ``National Amplified 
        Musculoskeletal Pain Syndrome Awareness Day''.
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