Do you know what is fibromyalgia?

Some Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Pain are caused by fibromyalgia then…

How to Manage Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Pain?

First we must know what is fibromyalgia.

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes pain, stiffness, and tenderness of muscles, tendons, and joints. It is also characterized by restless sleep, awakening feeling tired, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, and disturbances in bowel function. The condition is non-life-threatening and does not cause body damage, deformity, or injury to internal body organs. Fibromyalgia is sometimes referred to as fibromyalgia syndrome and abbreviated FMS. Fibromyalgia was formerly called fibrositis.

What Does the Name Fibromyalgia Mean?

The word fibromyalgia comes from the Latin term for fibrous tissue (“fibro”) and the Greek terms for muscle (“myo”) and pain (“algia”).

Is Fibromyalgia a Form of Arthritis?

Fibromyalgia is considered an arthritis-related condition. However, it is not a form of arthritis (a disease of the joints) since it does not cause inflammation in the joints, muscles, or other tissues or damage thembut rather a muscle disorder. But fibromyalgia can (like arthritis) cause significant pain and fatigue, and it can similarly interfere with a person’s ability to carry on daily activities.

Whom Does Fibromyalgia Affect?

Fibromyalgia affects predominantly women (over 80% of those affected are women) between the ages of 35 and 55. Less commonly, fibromyalgia can also affect men, children, and the elderly. It can occur independently or can be associated with another disease, such as systemic lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. The prevalence of fibromyalgia varies in different countries. In Sweden and Britain, 1% of the population is affected by fibromyalgia. In the United States, approximately 4% of the population has fibromyalgia.

What Causes Fibromyalgia?

The cause of fibromyalgia is not known. Those affected experience pain in response to stimuli that are normally not perceived as painful. Researchers have found elevated levels of a nerve chemical signal, called substance P, and nerve growth factor in the spinal fluid of fibromyalgia patients. Levels of the brain chemical serotonin are also relatively low in patients with fibromyalgia. Studies of pain in fibromyalgia have suggested that the central nervous system (brain) may be somehow supersensitive. Also, patients with fibromyalgia have an impaired non-rapid eye movement, or non-REM, sleep phase (which likely, at least in part, explains the common feature of waking up fatigued and unrefreshed in these patients). The onset of fibromyalgia has been associated with psychological distress, trauma, and infection.

What Are Symptoms and Signs of Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is not always easy to diagnose because symptoms vary from person to person, many of the symptoms mimic those of other disorders, there are no visible signs of the disorder that a physician can see, and there is no definitive laboratory test for fibromyalgia. The next several slides review some of the more common symptoms of the disorder. Keep in mind each patient with fibromyalgia is unique. Any of the following symptoms can occur intermittently and in diffe

 

rent combinations.

Fibromyalgia Tender Points

Fibromyalgia “tender points” are localized areas of the body that are tender to light touch. Fibromyalgia tender points, or pressure points, are commonly found around the elbows, shoulders, knees, hips, back of the head, and the sides of the breastbone and are typical signs of fibromyalgia. Tender points are sometimes incorrectly referred to as “trigger points,” which is terminology that is used to describe a situation whereby pressing on certain trigger points can initiate a sequence of symptoms. This is not the case with fibromyalgia tender points, which are chronically a focus of pain and tenderness in the particular area involved.