Living With Fibromyalgia

micheline November 7, 2022 Uncategorized 0

Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a neurological disease that may affect the way the body senses pain. The disease causes widespread musculoskeletal pain but can also have symptoms affecting mood, sleep, and memory. Fibromyalgia is notable for causing fatigue in those that it affects. It is also unclear what causes this disease but in most cases it can be traced back to a specific event that caused a physical trauma or psychological stress like surgery or a car accident. In some cases, however, there may not be a triggering event and symptoms compound over time.

Is Fibromyalgia Common?

Fibromyalgia affects around 2% of the United States population. This may seem like an insignificant number but this does equate to roughly 4 million people. It is known that women are more likely to be diagnosed than men and many patients affected by Fibromyalgia often have other diseases as well. These other diagnoses can include: tension headaches, IBS, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, anxiety, and depression.

What are the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia?

People that suffer with Fibromyalgia almost always report feeling widespread pain. This pain is described, normally, as a dull ache without an originating location. These people also normally are plagued with fatigue. They wake up tired and often have disrupted sleep patterns. Those suffering with Fibromyalgia may also suffer from cognitive difficulties like feeling as if they are in a fog or have trouble concentrating.

If you or someone you know is suffering from these symptoms, talk to your doctor about your concerns.

How is Fibromyalgia Diagnosed?

Unfortunately, there is not a specific test that will diagnose Fibromyalgia. It is what is known in the medical field as a “disease of exclusion”. Essentially, this means that it is often diagnosed after all other possible conditions are proven to not be the cause of the symptoms. Many doctors will determine if you have widespread pain using a criteria scale. To meet the criteria, you will need to have pain in at least four of the five areas for a time greater than 3 months:

Left Upper Region (shoulder, arm, or jaw)
Right Upper Region (shoulder, arm, or jaw)
Left Lower Region (hip, buttock, or leg)
Right Lower Region (hip, buttock, or leg)
Axial Region (neck, back, chest, or abdomen)

Blood tests may also be performed to rule out other possible causes of the widespread pain like Rheumatoid Arthritis, thyroid malfunction, vitamin D deficiency, and Celiac Disease. Doctors may also order an overnight sleep study if they suspect you are suffering from Sleep Apnea.

Managing Fibromyalgia

There is no cure for Fibromyalgia. The focus is on decreasing the symptoms caused by the disease so quality of life is improved. There is not a singular treatment available that will alleviate all of the symptoms, however. Medications that you can take to alleviate the pain associated with Fibromyalgia can include over the counter pain relievers like Advil and Tylenol. Other medications like antidepressants and anti-seizure drugs can be used to ease the fatigue and mood symptoms associated. If you have questions about these medications, always speak with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure all of your concerns are addressed.

Other therapies can be incorporated into one’s daily life to help improve general overall health. These can include physical therapy, occupational therapy, counseling and alternative therapies like cryotherapy. All of these therapies may aid in decreasing some of the symptoms people often feel when diagnosed with Fibromyalgia.