Carme Soler: "There are doctors who doubt or even don't believe it's a real disease."

ManacorCarme Soler is the president of AMASC, the Mallorcan association that brings together a group of neuropathic pathologies often misunderstood by families and even doctors, including fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, illnesses that Soler herself suffers from.

How would you define fibromyalgia and the other pathologies covered by the association?

— These are diseases that fall under the category of central sensitization disorders, which are neurological or neuropathic in nature. They are chronic conditions of unknown origin, and therefore, their treatment is also unclear. They manifest with musculoskeletal pain: tendons, ligaments, muscles, bones, internal organs, and even hair ache, in a generalized way and without any apparent cause. These symptoms are also accompanied by tiredness, fatigue, restless legs syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and other related issues.

Why have you decided to open a weekly group in Manacor?

— The idea is to bring the association's services closer to the rural areas of Palma so that everyone, regardless of where they live, should have the same access to services, especially when it comes to healthcare and these types of illnesses. We are people who find it very difficult to travel. I have personally conducted several related workshops at the Manacor Hospital and I saw that many affected individuals had trouble getting to Palma, where our headquarters are located. So we started looking for volunteers to help us launch this project, with the aim of bringing all our workshops—crafts, fine motor skills, memory, exercise, support groups—to the people who live in the rural areas.

Is there also a desire for redress?

— We're not trying to make any particular claim; it's more about raising awareness. Because these are invisible illnesses, not visible to the naked eye. You see me today and I look relatively well, I hope [smiles]. It's the result of a process of rest, planning, a lot of help, medication of course... but you don't see me with a cast on my arm, or on crutches, although that often happens.

Do you notice a feeling of being misunderstood?

— When we feel unwell, we isolate ourselves at home, and people only see us when we go out. There is a great deal of misunderstanding, not only in social and family settings but also within the healthcare system. Even today, there are doctors who doubt or even don't believe it's a real illness, despite its recognition by the World Health Organization (WHO) since 1990. Furthermore, there is significant underdiagnosis. Many people with these illnesses are unaware of it, and when they come to us, they are often in very poor condition. Therefore, we need greater visibility in all areas, both social and medical, so that people know how these conditions should be treated. While there is no cure, there are ways to live much better and achieve a minimally dignified life.

What measures, such as dietary changes or daily exercise, are most effective? Are these diseases that manifest in outbreaks?

— It works in flare-ups, indeed. There are some, let's say, 'basic' pains that always come and go. And then there are these flare-ups, which in most cases make it impossible for us to get out of bed or even require hospitalization. The essential thing is dynamic, gentle, and adapted anaerobic exercise; but it's not easy to tell someone in pain that they should move. A proper diet, eliminating all inflammatory or ultra-processed foods... And plenty of conscious and focused rest.

What does he mean by this?

— I say this because the problem is that when you really need to rest, remorse sets in and you beat yourself up for not having done what you theoretically should have done... a feeling of guilt. And finally, there's psychological treatment, which is essential.

Are there any suitable generic medications?

— There are medications available, although this is something that should be explained more fully. The short answer is that there isn't a specific medication because, as I mentioned, there isn't a specific treatment plan. What we do know is what doesn't work for us, such as opiates, which have been prescribed to these types of patients for so many years; we know they aren't appropriate: level 2 and 3 analgesics, morphine, or ketamine...

What is the incidence of these diseases in the Part Forana, for example?

— We don't have statistics for specific locations... We've requested them, because obviously the Social Security system and the Balearic Islands Health Service (IB-Salut) have data, but they don't make it available to us. If we talk only about fibromyalgia, we know that between 3 and 4% of the population suffers from it, which in Mallorca would be an incidence of around 30,000-40,000 people. There is enormous underdiagnosis. In one part of the Madrid region, for example, surveys conducted in 2025 at the exit of health centers determined that less than 40% of the population suffering from it is diagnosed.

It affects women most of all; doesn't it?

— That's right. Although it's increasingly affecting men and boys as well. We're not sure if this is due to diagnostic issues or a higher actual incidence of the disease.

Can it happen at any age?

— It usually appears after the age of 40 or 45 and affects women in 80% of cases. However, the most recent tragic death in Spain was in a 24-year-old.

How often will the meetings be held at the Molí d'en Polit in Manacor?

— Every Wednesday afternoon. At the same time, we continue with online workshops at the association level, which are also working very well. But we believe that in-person meetings are important so we can see each other and connect our bodies and minds. We intend to organize workshops here; we'll be finalizing the details in the coming days. The first will most likely be on creativity, creative therapy, which has been incredibly popular in Palma. And then we'll do whatever our members request, because we owe it to them.