Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia – General Information

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease characterized by a general feeling of exhaustion, severe pain which appears in the tendons, ligaments and muscles and excessive fatigue. It usually affects more women than men. The symptoms of this disease are quite easy to notice, but in most of the cases the doctors can not diagnose the disorder and this is why it can not be treated completely. Therefore, the symptoms will diminish, but they will never disappear; the good part is the fact that this disorder can not result in dangerous complications and it is certainly not life-threatening. In some cases, it can however lead to rheumatism. At this stage, the doctors can not tell what causes Fibromyalgia exactly; however, there are some possible causes and a certain theory, which states that the disease appears of a result of central sensitization; this means that a person whose brain is more sensitive to the pain signals is more likely to suffer from this disorder. This increased sensitivity of the brain can also be induced by certain chemicals. Other possible causes of Fibromyalgia include some injuries, sleep disturbances, infections, and some problems of the nervous system or some metabolic changes. In what concerns the injuries which can lead to the appearance of this disorder, the most dangerous ones are those in the spinal region, as they can affect a person’s nervous system. Some bacterial or viral infections can also increase the possibility of suffering from this disorder. However, the fatigue can be induced by a decreased strength of the muscles.

Fibromyalgia – Symptoms

The signs and symptoms of Fibromyalgia differ from a patient to another and they can even vary because of the weather, the sufferer’s physical activity, stress or, in some cases, on the moment of the day when they appear. However, the most common signs and symptoms which have been reported include pain, fatigue, excessive sensitivity, headaches, sleep disturbances or IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). The pain which characterizes this disease usually appears in the neck, chest, head, hips, elbows or knees; this type of pain usually persists for a long period of time (a few months to a year) and it can be accompanied by stiffness. In what concerns the sleep disturbances and the excessive fatigue, a patient will experience these problems even though he sleeps normally and for enough hours. In addition, during the night, the sufferer can experience involuntary muscle spasms in the arms and the legs. The irritable bowel syndrome which characterizes this disease is an association of a number of problems: abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea. The facial pain and the headaches are also quite frequent and the pain can also extend to the shoulders and the neck. On the other hand, those who suffer from this disease can experience an increased sensitivity to noises, odors, touches or bright lights. In some rare cases of Fibromyalgia, other signs and symptoms have been noticed: depressions, sudden mood changes, tingling sensations in the feet and the hands, chest pain numbness, dizziness, dry skin, dry mouth, dry eyes, painful periods or anxiety.

Fibromyalgia – Treatment

If you notice one or more of the signs and symptoms described above, you should seek for medical care immediately. However, in most of the cases, those who experience pain do not consider it a reason to consult a doctor and just wait for it to disappear; if the pain is also associated with fatigue and if it lasts for several months, a person should definitely consult a specialist. In order to obtain a sure diagnosis, your doctor will need a complete and exact description of the symptoms you experience and he will also need to take some tests. Fibromyalgia is quite hard to diagnose and even after some tests, such as an x-ray test or a blood test, the doctor can diagnose you with another disease, such as sclerosis, rheumatism or the lupus disorder. In order to help the doctors to give a sure diagnosis, the specialists have established some criteria which indicate the presence of Fibromyalgia: the persistence of the pain for more than four months and number of affected areas higher than ten. However, the doctor should also carefully inform about your medical history.

The treatment for this disease consists of a combination of self-care and the administration of drugs. The purpose of the treatment is to improve the symptoms and the general health condition of the patient. The most common drugs which are administrated in the case of Fibromyalgia are the following: analgesics, antidepressants, relaxants and pregabalin. The analgesics are administrated in order to diminish the stiffness and the pain, whereas the antidepressants are prescribed to help the sufferers who experience severe depressions. The muscle relaxants will decrease the number of spasms which appear when the patient sleeps; however, they are indicated only for a short period of time. Pregabalin is a drug which decreases the pain and also improves the vital functions of the body; the bad part is the fact that this medicine can lead to a number of side-effects, such as sleepiness, weight gain, dizziness, blurred vision, swelling or dry mouth. Other drugs can be prescribed for a short period of time in order to ameliorate the condition of those who suffer from this disease; in some cases, the doctor can even recommend some sleeping pills.

On the other hand an extremely important part in the treatment of Fibromyalgia is the self-care. Every patient should be informed about the measures he can take in order to improve his condition. The most important thing a patient can do is to reduce the stress; he should spend some time every day doing nothing, but relaxing. In order to relax, a patient can use some special techniques, such as meditation or breathing exercises. In addition to this, a patient should make sure that he gets enough sleep and he should also try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same hour every morning.  
During the treatment of Fibromyalgia, a patient should exercise regularly and he can choose from the following physical activities: biking, walking, aerobics or swimming.