Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that affects 5 million Americans. The majority of them are women. It is as debilitating as having heart disease, yet it is invisible to doctors, family and friends, but not to those that suffer daily from it. They know that it's real. Fibromyalgia was an illness that got no respect; many doctors believed it was all in the heads of their patients.
Fortunately, nowadays more and more doctors are realizing that it is a legitimate disorder. Diagnosis is made primarily by a patient's complaints, feelings and having widespread pain for at least 3 months. Tests are done to rule out other diseases.
Symptoms
The main symptom experienced is pain. A person with this illness will have muscle aches and tender points on the back of their head, shoulders, hip area, and inside knees that are painfully sensitive to touch. There are 18 tender points that pain doctors use as a criteria for diagnosing fibromyalgia. If you experience pain with 11 out of the 18, it warrants a positive diagnosis.
It's an affliction that impacts the muscles, joints and tendons causing widespread pain and stiffness.
Chronic Fatigue, migraines,brain fog, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, bladder control problems, Restless Leg Syndrome, depression and anxiety are other problems that can arise when suffering from fibromyalgia.
Causes of Fibromyalgia
Scientists don't know the causes. Some believe that there may be a genetic predisposition to having this condition. Your chances of having the disorder increase if there are other family members suffering from it.
Fibromyalgia can sometimes be triggered by some emotional trauma or physical event such as pregnancy or a virus.
It mainly shows up in early to mid adult life. If you have other autoimmune diseases like lupus, you increase your risk of getting it.
Pain Doctors believe that fibromyalgia patients have abnormally extreme hypersensitivity to pain. It is thought that there are chemical and hormonal imbalances that cause changes to nerve and brain cells which in turn is responsible for the pain response.
Treatments
Pain killers like Tylenol and Advil have been used but are not really effective, especially by themselves.
Anti- epileptic drugs have been used and have reduced pain, fatigue and sleeplessness in some people. Recently Lyrica, a nerve pain treatment for diabetes ,was approved for use in the treatment of fibromyalgia.
It's difficult to be around people that do not understand what you have been going through. No one takes you seriously or believes that you are in as much pain as you say. Pain Management Counseling and support groups may help cope with the isolation, anxiety and depression of having a chronic debilitating condition. It's very helpful to share your problem with others that have had similar experiences.
Physical therapy can help reduce some of the pain. By doing stretching, stress reduction, posture exercises and hydrotherapy, you may be able to find some relief.
Fibromyalgia is a complex disorder and certain foods are known to affect people in a negative way. Foods that are suspect in contributing to the illness are dairy, caffeine, gluten, yeast, nightshade, MSG, fructose, and aspartame. Avoidance of some or all of these foods may improve symptoms.
Alternative Methods
Acupuncture, massage therapy, and herbal supplements ( be careful of interactions with other drugs) may be helpful. Although studies are lacking for some of them, there is anecdotal evidence that these methods have helped people. Working with a chiropractor may be beneficial in that they can adjust painful joints and do body realignment which have relieved pain in many people suffering from this disorder.
Once an illness that used to get no respect, fibromyalgia is finally getting the recognition it deserves and perhaps the research needed to find a cure.
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