Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia
Unknown Causes of Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia remains difficult to diagnose and treat because the cause of fibromyalgia apparition is unknown and there’s no specific laboratory test to detect it. People with fibromyalgia suffer from chronic pain in multiple parts of the body and “tender points” that hurt in response to even slight pressure.
There are cases when patients might be treated for years for chronic hip pain with no relief and after that to find that they have fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is known as syndrome which involves medical problems, symptoms and signs tending to occur together, but not related to a single identifiable cause like to a disease. The following symptoms are present to patients with fibromyalgia like:pain and fatigue, and also may experience sleep disturbances, morning stiffness, numbness or tingling of the extremities, headaches, restless leg syndrome, painful menstrual periods, memory and cognitive problems. They can have other symptoms too.
Generally in the U.S. from two to four percent of the population suffer from this syndrome. Fibromyalgia is characterized by a chronic pain associated with multiple areas of the body, that is called ‘tender points’ distributed quite frequently in the neck, lower back, and a number of joints, situated in muscle, ligament and tendon areas. People with fibromyalgia have problems with their sleep pattern, have a lot of fatigue, and often uncertainty as to what is causing the problem.
An easily missed diagnosis is fibromyalgia because many times people will develop symptoms gradually, and often they present with a localized area of pain. Generally after an usual treatment the relief may fail. Patients with fibromyalgia have a number of systemic type complaints and problems. Many of patients with fibromyalgia are women of childbearing age, but this is also present at younger and older women, men, and children. The researchers have been trying to tie the syndrome together include problems with how the central nervous system processes pain, physical or emotional trauma, hereditary factors, underlying diseases, and others after the causes of fibromyalgia have been studied.
For diagnose fibromyalgia is difficult because there’s no single test that can be made, there are a number of things that may be going on. In the brain or below the brain level something is going on, and these changes seem to be such that the person perceives pain to a heightened level. The ‘central sensitivity’ theory is supported by some research experiments. There seems that fibromyalgia is not a psychosomatic condition, although many people think of it. They have physical problems, and also have some emotional and related issues. The major factors in this case are more and more suggestions that central sensitivity is altered sensitivity issues.
For fibromyalgia diagnosis has been established two criteria from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) like: a patient history of widespread pain lasting more than 3 months and the presence of tender points. Usually when the pain affects all quadrants of the body it’s considered to be widespread. There are 18 sites on the body as possible locations for tender points. When a person has at least 11 tender points a fibromyalgia can be diagnosed. Because of the severity of the syndrome numerous treatment options are important. There are many people with fibromyalgia which are perfectly functional and active in life.
A substantial amount of emotional stress may be associated with fibromyalgia. Patients often feel a lot of fatigue because the altered sleep pattern does not allow adequate recovery of the muscular and ligament structures. Also the pain that is felt by patient is very bothersome and frustrating. There are a number of other associations that have been found. Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, AIDS, or chronic fatigue syndrome are some conditions associated with fibromyalgia.
Sometimes people who have had cervical injuries, as in an automobile or other accident, can develop features of fibromyalgia over time. At these individuals the level of growth hormone secretion is reduced. Also neurochemical changes can be present, like altered levels of noradrenalin and serotonin. Fibromyalgia is an expensive condition because a lot of cost is involved in the medical care by people looking clarity, a clear diagnosis, and solutions. They also lose a lot of workdays and they make a variety of tests without finding nothing wrong.
The treatment is difficult due to complexity of fibromyalgia. Unfortunately patients with fibromyalgia end in specialty clinics such as Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, rheumatology, and quite often in pain clinics. Fibromyalgia is a well-described condition accepted in the medical world.
About the Author: If you want to find out more information about http://www.fibromyalgia-info-center.com please visit this website. You will also find valuable information about Fibromyalgia symptoms and Fibromyalgia treatment.
This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Seek the guidance of a licensed physician if you need medical advice.
Fibromyalgia Resources
Fibromyalgia – Mayo Clinic
Fibromyalgia – Symptoms, Treatments and Causes
Tags: Fibromyalgia
This article is very poorly written. It needs editing in a very serious way. This sounds amateurish and illiterate.
Thank you.
I completely agree with Catherine Sullivan’s comment. I have rarely read a more poorly written article.
I have suffered over 40 yrs with pain from Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis. I have tried many pills and found no relief. I was introduced to Mona Vie which has tha acai berry from Brazil and 18 other fruits in it. i no longer have pain os swelling or need the use of my walker or cane. Free of pain for first time in over 40 yrs. All natural no chemicales. please contact me at neicecarol@yahoo.com
Just because the author’s grammar is incorrect does not mean there is not valuable information in this article.
I have had fibromyalgia for some 40 yrs and also have osteo arthritis, and DDD in spine and Brosidis in hips. I have tried every pain medician there is and all anti inflamitories ever made, nothing seems to help. I walk all the time and my husband and I run apt blocks and that keeps us very busy. Over the years I have gained 50 lbs over my regular weight and cannot get it off now. So there is not much more to say except i keep going on and cope.
I have had fibro for years, but just recently got a doctor to believe me. I think i also suffer from severe depression because i find my self crying all the time. I’m on an antidepressant, Cymbalta, but….I, too, have gained much weight, and cant get it off because it hurts too much to exercise.
I have been suffering for a long time and did not know what was wrong with me until I found out about fibromyalgia.I have been seeing a doc at a pain clinic he also told me I have fibro.I tried Lyica and it helpped me sleep better,but my disability pension refuses to pay for it and I cannot afford 129.00 per month.So because of this I do not sleep well and feel like im getting worse instead of better.Is there anyone else having the same problem?
I too have been suffering from FMS for years, over 20, and it had taken control of my body in the past year and I have been trying to get disability as I am unable to work, but it has been denied. I too have gained alot of weight and my specialist tells me I need to reduce it, but as was said in other postings, I do not get enough sleep and I do not have the energy or motivation to exercise and the pain is just too much to handle. I also suffer from depression because I feel so useless.
I too have been suffering with FMS and Chronic Daily Headaches for over 15 years. The constanant pain and the lack of relief from multiple medications and exercises did eventually lead to me having to quit my job. After 2 years I finally did get approved for disability but believe me it was not easy. You will need to first find doctors who believe you and who will document everything (pain meds working or not), even if you needed someone to bring you to an appointment. You also have to be your own advocate, make sure if there is something else wrong not just fibromyalgia that it is well documented on your disability application such as obesity, depression, chronic bursitis etc … Keeping a pain journal is also beneficial. Good Luck To You All!
In reference to the first person’s response about the poor writing of the medical info, it is clear to me that English is not the first language of the author. I challenge the complainer to write a decent medical paper in a language other than your own that equals the quality of this article. The author’s facts are on the money.
I injured my back/neck/arms. Now 3 surgeries later including cervical fusion, I now have been diaganosed w/Fibromyalgia.
I have taken every C2 level pain pill available, but I experience terrible side effects and must stop them. The best Rx; was – Savella. It was GREAT, for months, then unexpectantly, my blood pressure increased very high, to the point that I had to decrease my Savella and the pain returned, quickly & painful. I am also unable to take anti-inflamatory meds due to Crohns Disease. I take meds for Depression but I don’t feel it’s helping much at this point. I feel cornered and looking for a way to get out.
Joan says that “I suffer with involuntery muscle pain and jerking and joint pain. The pain comes and goes but is worst at night when I’m trying to sleep. I then become so worn down that I can’t sleep with muscle spasma
My pain came and went without any particular pattern — so it took awhile before I could say definitively that the various meds I was given weren’t working.
The pain was debilitating. The sleep pattern disruptions were extreme. I was on the net looking for help.
Someone wrote that their pain was relieved when they eliminated caffeine from their diet. Desperate I decided that eliminating caffeine certainly wouldn’t hurt me & so I tried. After awhile I cautiously thought it might be working. I went to a fast food place & bought a regular coke. Pain came back. Went back to a mostly caffeine free life style. Sometimes ingesting caffeine is followed by pin, sometimes not. The connection occurred often enough that I’ve decided caffeine free is my best bet.
I now rarely get that horrendous pain that goes on and on forever. I’m not sure why. Is it the mostly caffeine free diet? Is it that combined with immediately dealing with any ache or pain (e.g. eliminating anything that would cause me to hunch my shoulders — keep the room warm, avoid chairs with arms, use speakerphone when put on hold or when going to be on phone for longer than a couple of minutes).
I no longer wait for pain to get serious before resorting to aspirin/tylenol and the like. (When the pain was bad, aspirin, etc. had no effect at all. Prescription federally regulated pain killers had no effect on the pain, they just made it so I didn’t care so much about the pain.
Now I try very hard to be alert to the first inkling of discomfort, to not let the pain creep up on me until it suddenly it is all consuming or it becomes a background noise that takes over but that isn’t ‘noticed’ until it lessens or goes away.
I still have very erratic sleep patterns. My memory is still shot to hell. Can’t calculate in my head. Just found out that the restless leg I have is part of the syndrome. Morning stiffness, hey, stiffness after not moving anytime of the day, is still a problem.
In short, the only thing eliminating caffeine may have helped was the pain — but I can live with the rest. I’m not sure I could have lived much longer with the level of pain I had.
I hope that all who are suffering can find some change(s) that will give them relief, if not, by eliminating caffeine and monitoring their body position then by something else — until medical ’science’ comes up with a cause and solution.
Trying to find a pattern, looking for a cause just about drove me nuts. So I hope that my ’something else’ comment doesn’t induce the same feelings in another sufferer. Reading about the no caffeine fix was random. If it doesn’t work for you, I’m sorry but my backup suggestion is to try ‘random’ (non-harmful) changes in your life, diet, pls don’t drive yourself nuts looking for patterns & causes like I did.
I was diagnosed a year ago with Fibro, but believe I have suffered much longer with this disease. I wanted to let all the people who find exercising difficult that I have found a swimming class (hyrotherapy) that is helping me. It does not take away all the pain but it does help me feel a bit better and not quite a sore.
I have suffered with fibro for over 2 yrs now. I have been givin the highest dose of Lyrica and I still have a lot of burning tingling in most of my body, which is something I hAVE NOT READ IN ANY OF THE COMMENTS HERE , is there anyone out there that has this symptom, it is the most awful feeling there is in my feet and legs mostly, there is also a lot of numbness in my feet that only a cold ice pack will help. There has to be some kind of freedom from this dreadful disease.
I am sorry, with my last comment I forgot to mention that I also suffer with severe ruhmatoid arthritis and have had a massive heart attach, also diabetis,Ithink that covers it all ,any help out there
Goood morning like all the rest I have fibro, DDD, IBS,CFS. for at least 30yrs. Nothing seems to work, the muscle spasms in my back get so bad everyday. I use to be very heavy, they told me to lose weight and I did 118lbs. The pain was still there. I have had knee and shoulder surgery and both of my knees still killing me. I use to burn from my rib cage down to my toes, they put me on Lyrica and I gain 40 lbs it did help some with the pain but not enough, the burning was still constant. Thank God I have a good Neuro. I had him put me on 3200mgs of Neurontin – 1 600mg in am, 2 in late afternoon and two at bedtime. I also take cymbalta, celebrax, flexiril. etc. But the burning has subsided ebough I don’t feel like crying all the time.. See if you can find one in your area that believes you and understands what you are going through.. It also helps if they personnaly knows someone with it. Good luck