Saturday, February 11, 2012

What's Fibromyalgia?

By Dr. Steven Yen


To date, the medical world has not reached a general agreement on what fibromyalgia is. Although the term fibromyalgia has been about since 1976, and the American School of Rheumatology had released the factors for diagnosing fibromyalgia in 1990, doctors still have difficulties describing what fibromyalgia is, what causes it, and more importantly how to treat patients with fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is fundamentally is a term used to described patients with wide spread chronic and debilitating pain, alone with harsh fatigue. Often times, other physical exams and tests were performed to rule out other underlying conditions before patients were labeled with fibromyalgia.

Fundamentally, if you are experiencing discomfort and fatigue for an extended period, and the doctors are not capable of finding what the root of your discomfort and fatigue, eventually you will be given the label "fibromyalgia". Sadly, once you've been given the diagnosis of fibromyalgia, many doctors will actually stop investigating what is truly going on with your body and you are sent home with numerous combinations of analgesics, muscle relaxants, and anti-depressants.

There is still isn't any accord on what fibromyalgia is. It is still a complex set of signs and symptoms, and each patient is different with symptoms and severity. Simply to be given the diagnosis of fibromyalgia isn't enough. You need to work with your doctor to discover in particular what is happening with your body and come up with a treatment plan that is suitable to what's going on with your body.

So , What's Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is muscle and connective tissues discomfort (fibro=fibrous tissue, myo=muscle, algos=pain). It's categorized as a chronic, widespread pain and increased pain response to mild touch. It can be weakening to any person afflicted by the syndrome.

Fibromyalgia is commonly caused by a single, traumatising event and, for unknown reasons, even though it affects women more frequently than men, children and males can still suffer the pains of fibro.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

According to the North American School of Rheumatology, there are 18 places on the body where someone with fibro could feel discomfort or sensitivity. If you find you hurt in at least eleven of these spots, you may have fibro. The 18 tender spots actually mirror each other on the right and left sides of the body in nine places:

- The base of the skull the base of the neck where the shoulders begin

- The top of the shoulders towards the back

- On or between the shoulder blades

- At the top of the hip (backside)

- On the exterior of the hip

- On the fat pad over the knee

- The breast bone

- On the outer edge of the forearm just under the elbow

Besides these diagnostic points, other common symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

- Widespread pain in the muscles, tendons and ligaments, regularly where they stick to the bone

- Mild to dreadful fatigue

- Muscle seizures and cramps

- Revulsion

- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

- Temperomandibular joint dysfunction syndrome (TMJ)

- Cognitive and/or memory impairment, also known as ibro-fog?or rain mist?

- Morning rigidity

- Anxiousness

- Depression

- Persistent tension or headaches, often dreadful

- Dysmenorrhea (unpleasant periods)

- Sleep problems like insomnia, restless leg syndrome (RLS), sleep apnea, continual limb movement disorder (PLMD), and - - Bruxism (teeth grinding)

- Giddiness/vertigo, regularly accompanied by revulsion

- Exacerbated allergy symptoms (having an effect on the nasal passages)

- Muscle weakness and twitching

- Impaired coordination

- Sensitiveness to odors, bright lights, loud noises, and medicines

- Low tolerance for exercise and physical effort in general (can cause muscle discomfort for days afterwards)

If you believe you have fibromyalgia, it can feel a bit like a unfair battle trying to find a doctor who believes you and who believes it to be a real health problem. If one doctor downplays the grim reality of the condition, seek another opinion . A rheumatologist who focuses on fibro and protracted fatigue would be a sensible choice.

Your health practitioner should check each one of the 18 spots for tenderness. They should not have to press hard; even light force on these areas may cause pain. If, at the time of the exam, you don't experience pain in some of the areas that you have before, be certain to inform your health practitioner. Fibromyalgia can seem to have a mind. Of its own, as some symptoms will appear and vanish.




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