Fibromyalgia has been commonly referred to as a “stress-related disorder” due to its frequent onset and worsening of symptoms in the context of stressful events. This disease can affect every aspect of a person’s life and is seen in about 2% of the general population, which affects more females than males, with a ratio of 9:1 by ACR criteria.

 Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain in your muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on your body where slight pressure causes pain like the soft fibrous tissues in the body. Fibromyalgia patients are often sensitive to odours, loud noises, bright lights, and sometimes even the medications they are prescribed.

Fibromyalgia can be managed, but it needs to be managed differently than a standard disease. Fibromyalgia also causes people to have trouble sleeping and feel very tired all the time. Fibromyalgia is especially confusing and an often misunderstood condition. Fibromyalgia does not cause inflammation or damage to the painful areas, but seems to be due to an overactive pain system. It can be very difficult to diagnose.

 Fibromyalgia pain has been described in a variety of ways including: burning, radiating, gnawing, sore, stiff, and aching. Fibromyalgia patients also have a higher incidence of specific sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea. Symptoms Symptoms can have a slow onset, and many patients have mild symptoms beginning in childhood, that are often misdiagnosed as growing pains. Symptoms vary, depending on stress level, physical activity, time of day, and the weather. Symptoms can be exacerbated by environmental or emotional stress, poor sleep, trauma, and exposure to dampness or cold, or by a physician who gives the patient the incorrect message that it is “all in the head.

 Other common signs and symptoms include: DepressionNumbness or tingling sensations in the hands and feet (paresthesia) Difficulty concentrating. Mood changes. Chest pain. Dry eyes, skin and mouth. Painful menstrual periods. Dizziness. Anxiety. The primary symptoms of fibromyalgia include widespread musculoskeletal pain, severe fatigue, and disturbed sleep. Sometimes fibromyalgia symptoms include muscle twitches and burning sensations. Other symptoms may include: irritable bowel and bladder, headaches and migraines, restless legs syndrome (periodic limb movement disorder), impaired memory and concentration, skin sensitivities and rashes, dry eyes and mouth, anxiety, depression, ringing in the ears, dizziness, vision problems, Raynaud’s Syndrome, neurological symptoms, and impaired coordination.

 One of the most important factors in improving the symptoms of Fibromyalgia is for the patient to recognize the need for lifestyle adaptation. If the condition is not diagnosed and treated early, symptoms can go on indefinitely, or they may disappear for months and then recur. If you have fibromyalgia, many different treatments are available to help you manage your pain and other symptoms.

 One of the main factors that seem to affect outcomes is how quickly treatment begins following the onset of symptoms. Treatment Conventional medical intervention may be only part of a potential treatment program. Alternative treatments, nutrition, relaxation techniques, and exercise play an important role in Fibromyalgia treatment as well. The goal of treatment is to help in the management of pain and other symptoms. Some people find complementary therapy treatments such as acupuncture, aromatherapy, massage, chiropractic or osteopathy ease their pain or fatigue, or help them relax and manage their condition better. Alternative treatments, which focus on pain relief and stress relief, also benefit many fibromyalgia patients.

 If specific tender points are particularly painful, you can use acupressure to help calm them down. Soothing aromatherapy baths and massages can help to ease muscle and joint pain. Herbal Remedies Herbs can be used to help alleviate fibromyalgia by reducing inflammation, stimulating hormones, providing immune system sup. Recent studies have shown that people can get a sustained benefit by participating in an aerobic exercise program. For many years it was thought that fibromyalgia was psychologically based but is now recognised as a medical condition in its own right and research into the condition has increased.

 It is thought that fibromyalgia may be due to a malfunction in the way the central nervous system processes pain signals. Since the symptoms of fibromyalgia are diverse and vary among patients, treatment programs must be individualized. In general, treatment for fibromyalgia is with a combination of medication and self-care. So is there a cure for fibromyalgia? No. Is there ways of providing relief? Yes. If you found this article helpful, than please use the following link to find out for yourself how you can cope with and manage fibromyalgia.



Butalbital Blog

Medterms.com gives the following definition for fibromyalgia:

Fibromyalgia: A syndrome characterized by, stiffness, and tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints without detectable inflammation. Fibromyalgia does not cause body damage or deformity. However, undue fatigue plagues the large majority of patients with fibromyalgia and are common in fibromyalgia.

It is estimated that over 3% of the population of the United States suffers from fibromyalgia. The condition affects women predominantly (over 80 percent), between the ages of 35 and 55.

This condition has been studied since the early-1800s and was called by a variety of former names, such as muscular rheumatism and fibrositis. In 1976, “Fibromyalgia” was coined to help describe the condition. The term is derived from the Latin word fibra, meaning fiber, myo, meaning muscle, and the Greek word algos, meaning pain.

Characteristically, a person suffering from fibromyalgia will hurt all over, be constantly tired, depressed, anxious, have stiffness and tenderness of muscles, tendons and joints without detectable inflammation and may even have irritable bowel syndrome. These are just some of the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is considered an arthritis-related condition but it is NOT arthritis, as arthritis is a disease of the joints and although fibromyalgia can be just as debilitating as arthritis, they are not the same.

Fortunately, fibromyalgia, although extremely painful, does not lead to joint deformity or damage to the internal organs or muscles like such other diseases as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus and polymyositis. Unfortunately, there is no known cause or cure.

Current research suggests that fibromyalgia can start from an illness or as a result of some trauma, such as a traffic accident. The progression of fibromyalgia can have a slow onset, with many patients reporting mild symptoms beginning in childhood, such as growing pains. Changes in the weather or an unrelated illness have been known to aggravate symptoms.

Fibromyalgia patients have reported that the following factors can temporarily increased their suffering:

Cold weather, especially when damp

Malnutrition, hunger, or starvation Physical activity of any kind, including minor tasks such as writing

Lack of deep sleep

Increase of stress

The consumption of alcohol

Diagnosis of fibromyalgyis is tricky, as it is closely related to other conditions, such as endocrine disorders, arthritis and plymyalgia reheumatia. The American College of Rheumatology has established two criteria for diagnosis:

1. A history of widespread pain lasting more than three months – widespread as in all four quadrants of the body, i.e., both sides and above and below the waist.

2. Tender points – there are 18 designated possible tender points, although a person with the syndrome may feel pain in other areas as well.

There are no blood or x-ray tests to help the physician with their diagnosis and, therefore, said diagnosis is made purely on clinical grounds based on patient history and physical examination. Widespread pain, on both sides of the body above and below the waist and tenderness in at least 11 of the 18 tender points when pressed are two symptoms that confirm the condition of fibromyalgia.

Although there are no specific bloods tests to determine the presence of fibromyalgia, there are blood tests that can exclude other medical conditions that mimic fibromyalgia.

Upon confirmation of the diagnosis of fibromyalgia after all other possible conditions are ruled out, treatment may consist of a variety modalities. Not all patients will respond to these, but here are a few treatment methods that have helped:

Getting regular exercise to help with muscle aches and stiffness – low impact exercises such as swimming, cycling, walking and stationary cross-country skiing machines are excellent exercises as long as you start out slowly. It has been found that exercise regimens performed on an every-other-day basis, in the morning, are most beneficial. Stretching to help allay muscle stiffness and fatigue, as in mild aerobic exercise is also highly recommended.

Avoiding alcohol and caffeine before bedtime can help promote a more restful sleep.

Stress reduction. This may include biofeedback, relaxation tapes, psychological counseling and/or support groups. Some have even found that by modifying environmental factors such as noise, temperature and weather exposure helps.

Medications such as used for depression, in low doses, have helped in treating fibromyalgia.

Acupuncture may also help. According to a study published in the June 2006 edition of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings and presented last year at the 11th World Congress of Pain, acupuncture relieved fatigue and anxiety in fibromyalgia patients for up to seven months after treatment.

Chiropractic care. This treatment is based on the theory that restricted movement in the spine may lead to pain and reduced function. Due to the risks of manipulation be sure to seek out properly trained and licensed practitioners.

Massage Therapy. One of the oldest methods of health care still in practice, massage can reduce your heart rate, relax your muscles, improve range of motion in your joints and increase production of your body’s natural painkillers as well as relieve stress and anxiety.

The future of fibromyalgia therapy is, of course, to find the cause of the condition in order for researchers to develop a test that can help doctors diagnosis fibromyalgia. Until then, fibromyalgia patients can be helped by improved education of fibromyalgia for themselves, families and friends, exercise and medications.



Fioricet blog, know more about fioricet