Fibromyalgia

This syndrome is a common form of generalized muscular pain and fatigue that affects approximately 3.7 million Americans.

Fibromyalgia is known as a syndrome because of the signs (what doctors find) and symptoms (what people report) that occur together. The name means: Pain in the muscles and fibrous connective tissues, and was once known as Fibrositis. It affects muscles and thier connections to the bones and though it may feel like arthritis it is not. Fibromyalgia does not cause deformities to the joints but instead is a form of soft tissue rheumatism. Fibromyalgia is often misunderstood because of common symptoms it shares with other conditions ( Chronic Fatigue Syndrome CFS, Artritis, Rheumatism) The diagnosis of Fibromyalgia depends mainly on what the patient list of complaints are, however, sutdies have established guides for the diagnosis. A couple of the key points in diganosing Fibromyalgia are specific tender points, and generalized (not specific) muscular pain. Pain is the most prominent symptom and occurs throughout the entire body. People have described the pain as burning, gnawing, sore, stif and aching and that in varies in intensity through the day. Weather, activity level, stress, and sleep patterns also affect the pains intensity. Even though the level of pain changes in Fibromyalgia there is always some pain present. Not all doctors can spot Fibromyalgia because of its similar symptoms to other conditions, however, an arthritis or rheumatologist will know how to check the muscles for confirm or rule out the possibility of Fibromyalgia.

People with Fibromyalgia look healthy, tests may show they are healthy but careful examination of the muscles shows something is wrong. The most common areas of soreness is at the base of the skull, above and next to the shoulder blades, beside the hip bones and under the buttocks towards the outer hips. On the front of the body they are on the inner areas of the collar bone, about two inches in from each arm pit, on the inner elbows, and on the inner knee. There are other areas of pain in each individual but these areas seem to common to most Fibromyalgia patients. People who don't have Fibromyalgia usually tend to dismiss the fact that one person can hurt all the time and credit the pain as being "all in their heads."

Most people (about 90%) with Fibromyalgia experience moderate or severe fatigue with lack of energy, or the kind of exhaustion the results from the flu or lack of sleep. People tend to wake up feeling unrefreshed or still tired. This is because the deep sleep stage is often interrupted by restless legs, sleep apnea, and sleep myoclonus. Some doctors will prescribe medications to improve sleep paterns in order to try to reduce pain levels. In some people of fatigue causes more problems then the constant pain. It is common for doctors to mix up CFS and Fibromyalgia because of the overlapping symptoms.