About Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a difficult condition to diagnose, and not all physicians agree on the guidelines used to determine if a patient is suffering from the ailment. There is no single laboratory diagnostic test, and often it is a matter of ruling out other diseases before considering fibromyalgia. One guideline that is used is that the patient must have suffered widespread pain for a minimum of three months, on 11 or more areas of the body.

Identification

• Fibromyalgia is a chronic medical condition that tends to be more common in women than men. It is characterized by a feeling of persistent exhaustion and muscle, tendon and ligament pain. Sufferers also experience multiple tender points, where random points on the body experience pain if slight pressure is applied. Fibromyalgia is not life threatening, yet it can impede the quality of life.

Features

• Fibromyalgia is not a progressive condition, and the intensity of the symptoms can vary. There are treatments and lifestyle changes that can improve the quality of life for fibromyalgia sufferers, although the condition never completely disappears. Fibromyalgia was also known as chronic muscle pain syndrome, psychogenic rheumatism, fibrositis and tension myalgias.

Effects

• The symptoms of fibromyalgia include stiffness, widespread pain and tender points at the back of the head, upper neck, back and chest, hips, knees and elbows. The pain might persist for months at a time. Symptoms also include fatigue and the inability to wake up refreshed after a full night of sleep. Other symptoms are restless leg syndrome, headaches and facial and jaw pain, along with irritable bowel syndrome, with constipation, diarrhea and stomach pain or bloating. There can also be a heightened sensitivity to odors, bright lights and sounds. Sufferers might experience depression, mood changes, an inability to focus, dizziness, anxiety and dry skin.

Theories/Speculation

• The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, yet there are many theories of what may contribute to the condition. One theory is that the brain of a sufferer has a higher sensitivity to pain signals. Other contributing factors might include disrupted sleep patterns, spinal injury, bacterial or viral infections, hormonal changes, psychological stress and abnormalities in the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system controls the involuntary body functions, such as heart rate, sweating, intestinal movements and blood vessel contractions. If this dysfunctions it can lead to stiffness, dizziness and fatigue.

Prevention/Solution

• A fibromyalgia sufferer should try to reduce stress, get more sleep, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet and attempt to pace herself. Some of the drugs prescribed to patients include analgesics, antidepressants, muscle relaxants and pregabalin. The condition tends to be more common for those with rheumatic disease, and those in early to middle age and who have a family history of fibromyalgia.