Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized as musculoskeletal pain. A person with this disorder faces lots of muscle pain along with fatigue, mood issues, sleep, etc. People with fibromyalgia can also get tension headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, TMJ, etc. This disorder is difficult to understand for healthcare also. Most of the symptoms of fibromyalgia are very similar to other health conditions. Due to this, this disorder often gets misdiagnosed. Many people still believe that fibromyalgia is not an actual disorder. This condition is mostly diagnosed in females. People usually get fibromyalgia in their middle age but this condition can also appear in children. There is no full cure for fibromyalgia but medication, therapies, etc help in reducing the symptoms.
Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
Widespread pain: People with fibromyalgia feel a constant dull ache. The pain usually appears for at least 3 months. The pain is considered as widespread as it occurs on both sides of the body and above and below the waist.
Cognitive difficulties: There is a symptom known as fibro fog that reduces the ability to focus, concentrate and perform other mental tasks.
Fatigue: Fibromyalgia also causes fatigue and tiredness. People with fibromyalgia often feel tired the whole day. They often sleep for a long time. The sleep usually gets interrupted by pain. Lots of fibromyalgia patients have sleeping disorders like restless legs or sleep apnea.
Other than these symptoms, fibromyalgia has some other symptoms such as:
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- Migraine
- Tension headache
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Rashes
- Dry eyes
- Itching
- Postural tachycardia syndrome
- Temporomandibular joint disorder
- Irritable bowel syndrome
Fibro fog
This term is used to describe the fuzz feeling faced by fibromyalgia patients. Common symptoms of fibro fog are difficulty in concentration, memory lapses, and trouble staying alert.
Causes of Fibromyalgia
The exact causes behind Fibromyalgia are still unknown. But some research shows that this can occur due to genetic disposition along with some triggers. Some researchers show that it occurs when the brain lowers the pain threshold. The nerves and brain misinterpret the signal and overreact to simple pain. It increases the sensitivity and a light pain feels very severe.
Genetics
Fibromyalgia can also run in families. If any person in a family has Fibromyalgia, other members are at higher risk of getting the same condition. Some research shows that this condition can appear due to certain types of gene mutations.
Trauma
People who get any kind of severe trauma may develop fibromyalgia. This disorder can be linked to PTSD.
Infections
Any kind of past illness can lead to fibromyalgia. Some common infections that can cause fibromyalgia are pneumonia, flu, Epstein-Barr virus, etc.
Stress
Any type of major stress can cause various effects on your physical body. When a person is getting stressed due to hormonal changes, it can also lead to fibromyalgia.
Tender points for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia has widespread pain that affects at least 4 out of 5 tender points. Your healthcare person will check how many tender points are affected due to Fibromyalgia. Common tender points for Fibromyalgia are:
- Tops of the shoulders
- Outer chest
- Back of the head
- Hips
- Knees
- Upper chest
Fibromyalgia Pain
The main symptom of fibromyalgia is pain. The pain appears on certain muscles and other soft tissues of the body. The pain intensity can range from a mild ache to severe unbearable pain.
Back pain
Bain pain is a very common condition. Most people get back pain in some part of their lives. But back pain is not always associated with fibromyalgia. If a person is getting other symptoms like fatigue and fibro fog then the condition may be fibromyalgia. Your doctor often suggests the same medicines for fibromyalgia that are given for back or muscle pain.
Chest pain
The chest pain in fibromyalgia is very similar to the heart attack ache. The pain appears in the center cartridge that connects the ribs and breastbone. The chest pain may also move to the shoulders and arms. This pain may feel sharp, stabbing, struggling to catch a breath and burning sensation.
Leg pain
People can also feel pain in the muscles and soft tissues of the legs. The pain feels burning, deep, and throbbing. Sometimes it can also feel like tingling or numbness.
Risk factors for fibromyalgia
Certain factors can increase the risk of developing fibromyalgia:
Gender: Females are more likely to develop fibromyalgia than males.
Genetics: If any person in the family has this disorder, other members are also prone to get fibromyalgia.
Other conditions: Some other conditions like rheumatoid arthritis increases the risk of getting this disorder.
Treatment for fibromyalgia
Medication
Your doctor will prescribe certain medications for fibromyalgia depending on your condition. He may prescribe pain relievers, muscle relaxers, antidepressants, etc. Milnacipran, duloxetine, and pregabalin are the approved drugs for fibromyalgia. Doctors may also suggest OTC painkillers.
Homeopathy
Homeopathy is also very helpful in managing fibromyalgia pain. These natural medicines reduce the pain and help to live life in a better way. Talk to a doctor of homeopathy degree and get a proper diagnosis. Your doctor will prescribe the medicines that can manage the pain. These medicines are safe and will not cause any harmful side effects.
Lifestyle and home remedies for fibromyalgia
Stress management
The pain feels more severe if a person is under stress. You need to cut off the stress to manage the pain. Give yourself some time in a day to relax. Learn things that can help in reducing your stress. Try not to feel any kind of guilt. Learn deep-breathing exercises to manage stress.
Exercise
Talk to a physiotherapist and learn which exercises are good for your condition. You feel more pain in the starting days. But after a week, you will start feeling better. Some common exercises for fibromyalgia are swimming, walking, biking, etc.
Get a proper sleep
You will feel fatigued for the whole day. Try to get enough sleep every day. Avoid all types of distractions and go to bed on time. Good sleep will help in reducing pain and fatigue.