Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is frequently misunderstood and family, friends and co-workers, and even medical providers may not believe the person is actually sick. A proper diagnosis often takes months.

Symptoms

People with fibromyalgia frequently hurt all over and feel exhausted all the time. Signs and symptoms, as well as the intensity of symptoms, vary widely from one person to another. Many people with fibromyalgia have symptoms so severe that they have to quit or modify their jobs and physical activity.

Pain is the main symptom of fibromyalgia. The painful areas are called tender points and they are found in the soft tissue on the back of the neck, shoulders, chest, lower back, hips, shins, elbows and knees. The pain then spreads out from these areas. The joints are not affected, although the pain may feel like it is coming from the joints. The pain may feel like a deep ache, or a shooting, burning pain.

Other common fibromyalgia symptoms include:

• • Morning stiffness

• • Fatigue

• • Unrefreshing sleep

• • Anxiety

• • Cognitive or memory impairment

• • Depression

• • Abdominal complaints, including irritable bowel syndrome.

People with undiagnosed fibromyalgia don’t always realise that a host of secondary symptoms are related to the pain, fatigue and other primary symptoms.

Additional fibromyalgia symptoms include:

• • Painful menstrual cramps

• • Vision problems

• • Nausea and dizziness

• • Weight gain

• • Chronic headaches

• • Skin, hair and nail problems

• • Muscle twitches and feelings of weakness.

Treatment

Treatment options include:

• • Prescription drugs

• • Complementary treatments, including massage, physical and chiropractic therapy

• • Vitamins and supplements

• • Moderate exercise

• • Lifestyle changes, including diet, stress management and pacing.

Every case of fibromyalgia is different, and no treatment works for everyone. Many people benefit from a multi-disciplinary approach, which involves several healthcare providers. The goal of medication is to improve sleep and pain tolerance. Severe cases of fibromyalgia may require a referral to a pain clinic.

Other recommendations include:

• • Eating a well-balanced diet

• • Avoiding caffeine

• • Practising good sleep routines to improve quality of sleep

• • Having alternative treatments, such as acupressure and acupuncture.

Prognosis

Fibromyalgia is a chronic, long-term, but non-degenerative condition and therefore its course isn’t clearly established. Some people do experience improvement and long remissions, while for others the symptoms get worse. Some studies have linked early diagnosis and treatment to better long-term outcomes, but it’s largely unclear what role treatment plays in the progression, or lack thereof, of fibromyalgia.

 

Sources
http://chronicfatigue.about.com
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov