Fibromyalgia Syndrome
Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness that causes immense physical pain and debilitating fatigue. Classified as a syndrome, fibromyalgia is not a disease. Instead it is a condition that causes many different symptoms. These symptoms affect all systems in the body. Fibromyalgia plagues up to 5% of the population, with 6 million sufferers in the United States alone. The name fibromyalgia comes from "fibro" meaning fibrous tissue (such as tendons and ligaments), "my" meaning muscles, and "algia" meaning pain.
The Pain of It All
Fibromyalgia's main symptom is widespread musculoskeletal pain. This pain affects the ligaments, tendons, and muscles throughout the body. Ligaments are made of tough tissues which attach to the bones in your body. Tendons help to attach muscles to your bones. Muscles allow you to stretch and flex various body parts.
Fibromyalgia patients often feel like they are aching all over; muscles feel sore, stiff, and overworked. Muscle twitches are also common in fibromyalgia, adding to the pain of the illness. Sometimes muscles can even feel like they are burning.
A Chronic Disorder
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder, which means that it is a condition that is persistent and long-lasting. The term is usually used in cases where the illness lasts for more than three months. Most people who suffer with FM will tell you that the pain they endure has gone on for months and often years.
Unfortunately, fibromyalgia treatment is often difficult to come by and many people suffer in silence. However, fibromyalgia pain generally does not worsen over time, and it doesn't cause inflammation of the internal organs or muscles.
Many Other Symptoms
Although pain is the foremost symptom of fibromyalgia, it is by no means the only symptom. Among other symptoms, fibromyalgia sufferers often experience:
Many Sufferers
Fibromyalgia syndrome has many sufferers of all ages and backgrounds. Fibromyalgia does affect women more than men, especially during the childbearing years. More than 80% of fibromyalgia sufferers are women, however, some men do have the condition. What has become alarming is that small children are also affected with a condition called Juvenile or Pediatric Fibromyalgia. While diagnosing FM in children is much more difficult than diagnosing and adult, since the symptoms appear very gradually and children tend to be inconsistent in describing their symptoms - nevertheless, the pain and challenges are not unlike adult symptoms. On the other end of the spectrum, seniors have the added challenge of FM pain to add to their existing health issues. Since they are probably already dealing with some conditions that appear similar, diagnosing FM in seniors can be a lengthy process.
FM Frustration
Fibromyalgia syndrome is a very frustrating illness to have. Until recent years, even the medical community had trouble accepting that all of the pain being complained about was real. For years it was determined that most sufferers were dealing with an illness that wasn't real. Few people truly understand the condition, although with all the research and exposure over the past few years, more people are beginning to "get it". It may be difficult for you to relate your pain to your friends and family. To help them understand, ask them to think back to when they last had a bad bout with the flu. The memories of constant aches, pains, and fatigue may help them to understand what you are facing.
Fibromyalgia Treatment
Although there is no cure, there is a wide number of treatments available for fibromyalgia. Medical treatments and drug therapies can help alleviate your pain. Alternative treatments are also widely popular. The best treatment approach is the team approach with a doctor, physical therapist and possibly pain management professionals. It can take a long time to put together a team such as this, but when it is assembled, the combined expertise of the professionals can make a huge difference in quality of life.
Think about joining a support group for fibromyalgia sufferers so you have someone to share your thoughts with.
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