Fibromyalgia Dealing With the

Effects of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia was originally thought to be a musculoskeletal disorder since most of the pain was felt in the muscles and other soft tissue. However, recent studies and research have shown that fibromyalgia is a central nervous system disorder which causes abnormal Pain processing and results in pain amplification.

The three primary symptoms that are common to almost everyone who suffers from fibromyalgia are pain, fatigue and sleep disorders.

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Fibromyalgia

PAIN

Pain is usually the most prominent symptom of fibromyalgia. FM pain is chronic and widespread affecting all four quadrants of the body, although not necessarily at the same time. Its intensity may range from mild to profound. Fm pain tends to migrate sometimes affecting one part of the body and sometimes another.

Patients also report that their bodies ache all over much like having flu. In addition to the aching, FM pain has been described by different people like burning, throbbing, sharp, stabbing or shooting pain. Most people who suffer also said they are stiff and achy when they wake up

FATIGUE

While everyone knows what its like to be tired the fatigue experienced by FM sufferers is so much more. Its a pervasive, all-encompassing exhaustion that can interfere with even the the most basic of daily activities. Another thing to note fatigue suffered by FM patients is not relieved by rest.

SLEEP DISORDERS

Most people with FM have problems with sleep. They report having difficulty getting to sleep and waking up frequently through the night. Studies have shown that FM sufferers spend little time in deep sleep. Deep sleep is our bodies way of dealing with and compartmentalizing the days events and people who suffer from FM are not able to get the restorative sleep which their bodies need.

This lack of deep sleep also has a knock on effect making the pain sometimes worse and making the patient groggy or feeling like they have a hangover the next day.

A Look at Pain Relief for Fibromyalgia

OTHER SYMPTOMS

The most frequent symptoms are:

FATIGUE

IIRRITABILITY

BRAIN FOG

RESTLESS LEGS

OVERLAPPING SYNDROMES

MUSCLE AND JOINT PAIN

YOU NEVER FEEL GOOD

ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

LOSS OF CONTROL

IMMUNE DYSFUNCTION

A LIFE TIME FIGHT

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Usually the first point of call would be a general practitioner who would more than likely refer you to a pain management specialist who will prescribe a couple of courses of treatment which may include physiotherapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsaids). These nsaids are know to help with pain, inflammation, swelling and stiffness.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is talking therapy based on the assumption that a persons thought patterns and his emotional and behavioural reactons are learned and therefore can be changed. This kind of therapy deals with what is happening right now and how the patient is dealing with it.

The therapist will give you tools to help you change your thought process and in turn your outlook. It will occasionally deal with past issues but CBT tends to deal with what is affecting you today.

Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by musculoskeletal pain and a feeling of over-exhaustion. It is a rampant disorder that usually affects women. In fact, in the United States, there are about six million people affected by Fibromyalgia, and about ninety percent of them are women.

The causes of Fibromyalgia are still unidentified; however, specialists believe that it may be due to injury, some chemical changes occurring in the brain, disturbances in sleeping patterns, bacterial infection, abnormal functioning of the nervous system, and/or changes in metabolism and in the hormones.

A person suffering from Fibromyalgia typically feels tired, and his muscles, tendons, and ligaments badly hurt. In severe cases, an intense and burning pain may be felt. He also experiences fatigue even when he has not done anything exhausting. The person feels like he has completely lost his energy.

Most patients suffering from Fibromyalgia also complain of having sleeping disorders, constipation and abdominal pain, diarrhea, and severe headaches. Women also frequently experience symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.

Symptoms vary from one person to another, and their severity differs as well. However, the symptoms are chronic, which means that they recur and last for a long time.

If you think you or a loved one has Fibromyalgia, do not be afraid that it will be fatal. The disease is not progressive and may not threat your life.

Muscle pain and sleeplessness may be mitigated through the use of drugs. Physicians usually treat sleeping disorders first because lack of deep-level sleep could worsen other symptoms of Fibromyalgia.

Drugs that help increase serotonin and norepinephrine levels in the body are usually prescribed (in low doses) to patients with Fibromyalgia to treat both muscle pain and disturbance in sleeping patterns.

People suffering from Fibromyalgia are advised to change lifestyles so as not to wear themselves out. Fibromygalia patients must also find time to learn more about this condition--its symptoms, treatment, and aggravating factors.