Fibromyalgia – Treatments, Remedies, Alternative Therapy

Since the fibromyalgia pain is very similar to pain associated with arthritis, hypothyroidism and polymyalgia rheumatica, tests are performed to rule out the presence of these problems and confirm presence of fibromyalgia.

Pain should have lasted more than three months, experienced on all four quadrants of the body and palpable at eleven out of eighteen fibromyalgia trigger points in the body to qualify as fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia treatments are there to reduce the symptoms through prescription medication, exercises, education and psychotherapy. There is no fibromyalgia cure in sight which anyone would advocate.

Lyrica and Provigil for Fibromyalgia are two well known fibromyalgia medications. Alternative and complementary medications are analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, COS-2 inhibitors, antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, dopamine agonists and serotonin supplements.

Analgesics help reduce pain and stiffness in the muscles. Anti depressants help reduce depression and improve sleep. Anti-seizure drugs help control muscle spasms.

Physiotherapy and stretching exercises are prescribed to help maintain muscle and also reduce pain. This is followed by counselling, which is done to help one deal with mental stress which also causes fibromyalgia.

Lifestyle and home remedies:

Mild exercises performed as a daily routine will actually reduce the muscle pain. Exercises enhance blood circulation and relieve muscle pain. Likewise they also give relief from mental stress, a cause of fibromyalgia.

Going to bed at regular time, avoiding day time naps, not consuming anything a few hours before bed, making the bed and bedroom as comfortable as possible and finally going to bed without worries can give one a good night’s sleep.

One needs to pace the workload of the day well with intermittent rest periods. Despite the rest intervals work will get done effectively and efficiently. Work throughput and rewards from work will increase. Happiness ensues, reducing stress and reducing fibromyalgia too.

Eating healthy with a 30:30:40 ratios of carbohydrate, fat and protein is advocated. There is no specific fibromyalgia diet. But some food constituents have been found to trigger muscle pain like caffeine, alcohol, fatty dairy products, acidic foods, citric foods, white flour and white sugar.

Alternative treatments:

Meditation helps relieving the mind of stress and calms it. It increases the pain bearing threshold of the body. It helps one perceive the pain less and becoming immune to pain.

Yogic exercises are very mild exercises ideal for those who are already having muscle pain. It is an exercise of both body and mind. So mind is also de-stressed along with the body.

Fine needles are used to prick the human body at specific locations up to varied depths to bring about relief for specific problems. The idea behind acupuncture is to draw blood to the site of prick and along with it the essential nutrients to heal the affliction.

Chiropractors manipulate the spine at different points at different angles and differing pressures to bring about a specific effect to treat the problem at hand. Some stretching and massage is also given.

Massages helps the body release its natural pain killers and subsidise the pain in the muscles. Massages help bring in nutrients to the site of pain through improved blood circulation. This heals the muscles faster and brings about fibromyalgia relief.

Fibromyalgia support groups provide a lot of information on the medical condition. One may keep oneself abreast of happenings in this domain and make use of the latest available treatments.

The afflicted may be encouraged to join a group of people with similar affliction. The sense of belonging and sharing of coping strategies with the peers brings a renewed sense of purpose, the purpose of overcoming fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia – Symptoms, Causes, Targets, Course

What is Fibromyalgia?

The Latin word ‘fibra’ meaning fiber, Greek word ‘myo’ meaning muscle and ‘algos’ meaning pain combine, to name the medical ailment, fibromyalgia.

Chronic pain in the muscle (lasting three months or more) is referred to as Fibromyalgia. It is often accompanied with tenderness of the muscle, fatigue, disturbed sleep and memory lapses. It is also referred to as Fibromyalgia syndrome because the pain is often associated with several other symptoms including dysfunction of the cognitive and motor abilities of the afflicted.

Some medical specialists do not recognise this as a disease because the medical condition is not amenable to lab tests and imaging tests to confirm diagnosis. Yet another school of thought believe it to be a central nervous system disorder which is amenable to research and manifestation as clinical symptoms.

Symptoms of Fibromyalgia:

Chronic pain in the affected muscle apart there are a few other symptoms which typify the presence of Fibromyalgia. Muscle spasms, extreme fatigue, headaches, disturbed sleep ( restless leg syndrome, sleep apnoea, sleep but do not feel rested), stiffness in the joint close to the muscle, pelvic pain, discomfort while swallowing, bowel dysfunction, bladder dysfunction, temporomandibular joint disorder, eye pain, blurring of vision and fluctuation in vision clarity, sensitivity to light and temperature, discomfort in breathing, numbness ( not necessarily in the affected area), tingling, arthritis, lowering of cognitive abilities, lowering of motor abilities and anxiety related problems.

Not all the fibromyalgia symptoms appear in all the afflicted persons. Even the symptoms that do manifest, wax and wane, and do not remain forever.

Causes of Fibromyalgia:

The exact cause and effect of fibromyalgia are not known. The presumed causes are hereditary disposition, physical, mental or emotional stress, lack of sleep, low level of central dopamine (and norepinephrine), abnormal serotonin metabolism, deficiency in human growth hormone secretion, psychological factors, toxins making the nerves less/more sensitive, some infections, allergies, lack of emotional support, perfectionism, arduous work, inactivity, side effects of medications, change in weather conditions and chemical exposures.

Targets of Fibromyalgia:

Fibromyalgia affects 2-4% of the population, mostly in the age group of 20-50. Women are more likely afflicted compared to men with the women versus men ratio being 9:1. Those already afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and ankylosing spondylitis are more likely to suffer fibromyalgia pain in the initial stages before developing inflammation.

Fibromyalgia is more likely to attack certain locations in the body known as fibromyalgia tender points – back of head, between shoulder blades, top of shoulders, front sides of neck, upper chest, outer elbows, upper hips, sides of hips and inner knees.
There are about 18 fibromyalgia trigger points of which at least 11 should be painful to the afflicted when 39 Newton force is exerted on the location.

Course of Fibromyalgia:
The afflicted are known to produce more of a substance P in their spinal fluid which gives increased pain signals to the brain. They have a low threshold for pain due to highly sensitized brain signals of pain.

Stress leads to disturbance in the neurotransmission of dopamine which has a lead role to play in how a person perceives pain and how immune he is to pain. Nerve stimulation of certain cells in the brain could help control the release or otherwise of pain transmitters.

Fibromyalgia is not a degenerative or fatal problem. But the pain, disturbed sleep and accompanied anxiety interferes with the performance of domestic work and office work, and maintaining family or office relationships.

What Are The Causes of Joint Pain?

What are the main causes of joint pain?

Arthritis: Arthritis means inflammation of joints. Arthritis is frequently accompanied by joint pain. Osteoarthritis is characterized by the wearing off of the cushioning between two bones in a joint. Rheumatoid arthritis is the body’s immune system working against the joints causing joint pain. Even Lupus does the same mischief as rheumatoid arthritis. In gout arthritis uric acid deposits on joints and causes joint pain. Septic arthritis is an infection which affects the muscles and the fluids around the joint.

Such joint pains could be accompanied by low functioning of joints, tenderness, swelling, stiffness, reddening of the skin above and warm sensation in the affected area.

Osteonecrosis: This is characterized by low blood supply to the bone because of which they are not able to function properly, become painful and weak, sometimes causing even bone death. Mostly thighs, legs and arms are affected. This can be due to injury, damage or thickening of blood vessels or blockage in the blood vessels which supply oxygen to bones. Joint pain increases on bearing weight with the afflicted bone.

Bursitis: Bursitis is the inflammation of bursae which are small fluid filled sacs found between tissues giving cushioning to these tissues. Most of these bursae are found in joints of shoulder, elbow, hips and knees.

This can be caused by injury or infection or even rheumatoid arthritis. Here joint pain could be with inflammation, tenderness, pain on movement and sometimes calcium deposits on the bursae.

Osteochondritis Dissecans: In this case joint pain is experienced when the bone and the abutting cartilage do not receive enough blood supply. The most likely spots to be targeted by this sort of joint pain are the elbows and the knees. Pain is accompanied with stiff joints limiting the movement of the affected joint.

It is yet to be known why they are caused but theories have been postulated on the causes being repeated injuries on that joint or some disturbance in its growth.

Chondromalacia patella: This joint pain is characterized by the degeneration of the cartilage underneath the kneecap. The knee makes a grating-grinding sound when stretched, becomes tender to touch and is more painful on the front. It aggravates while climbing on stair and stressing on it to lift oneself from the chair.

Sickle Cell Disease: Some people due to hereditary reasons have abnormal haemoglobin due to which the some red blood cells of the body lose shape and even rupture. These cells block the blood carrying vessels. The organs and tissues to which these vessels lead get damaged or ache for want of blood supply.

Joint pain ensues with possibly weariness, anemia, inflammation, arthritis, infections, blood collecting at spots, liver congestion, injury to the heart or lungs, ulcers in the legs, bone death, damage to the eyes, abdominal pain, fever, kidney damage, brain damage, etc.

Steroid Drug Withdrawal: It takes time for the body to get adjusted to steroids in the first place. But having been on steroids for a long time, the body gets used to these. Once these are withdrawn once again the body suffers. One of the symptoms could be joint pain.

Infectious diseases: Diseases like hepatitis, influenza, measles, mumps, rheumatic fever, chickenpox, rubella, lyme disease also cause joint pain.
Other Causes:

A fracture causes immense pain in the joints.

Cartilage getting torn, sprains tearing or stretching of the flexible ligaments around the joints, tendons getting inflamed could cause joint pain.

Synovial sarcoma, is the presence of tumour in the tissues close to the joints which give pain to the joint. Bone tumour could also lead to joint pain.

Some joint pains are caused due to disturbance in gait. When a person suffers pain, say after an injury, he changes his gait to be least impacted by the pain. This disturbed gait of the person additionally causes joint pain in some other portion of the body.

Knowledge is indeed healing. Knowing the cause of joint pain is half the pain conquered. The rest can be conquered with treatments and remedies for joint pain.

Home Remedies for Arthritis – The Home Pharmacy

If only one could clock back one’s life and start all over, Arthritis could probably have been avoided. Now that it is here visiting or to stay, it is in best interests to make friends with it. Orthopaedic doctor suggested medications do not suit everyone. They sometimes come trailing some side effects with them which, not all are able to cope with. Some are ineffective too.

A few alternative medications like massage based home remedies for Arthritis are:

A light massage of olive oil or castor oil, on the affected joint as a natural remedy for Arthritis is said to give relief.

Massage of hot vinegar before going to bed is another easy to follow home remedy for Arthritis.

A tablespoon of lightly warmed coconut oil or mustard oil in which a one centimetre cube of camphor is added is very effective when massaged on the affected area.

Even better would be to add one part of garlic, juniper, lavender, sage, thyme and rosemary to ten parts of olive oil and then massage. The additive oils with their medicinal properties make for an even better natural remedy for Arthritis.

Essentials oils juniper, cypress and lemon combine to give a boost to the blood circulation around the joints.

Lavender, rosemary and chamomile together provide an analgesic and anti-inflammatory treatment for the aching joints.

Powder four pods of garlic and two grams of Sprague and heat the powder in 30 ml of mustard oil. This can be used as massage oil on painful joints. This is an excellent home remedy for Arthritis.

Another sure fire home remedy for Arthritis, is a concoction of 10 gm of camphor in 200 gm of mustard, closed tight in a bottle and warmed through indirect heat from sunlight. The oil is to be massaged over the affected area daily.

Hot and moist fenugreek seeds pack can be used on aching joints for relief.

The topical application of cayenne brings about a sweet tingling burning sensation to the aching joints. This is an easy to follow natural remedy for Arthritis.

A few alternative medications like bath based home remedies for Arthritis are:

Regular steam bath brings profound holistic health benefits to the subject. Contrary to this cold water bath should be avoided by them. Cold and damp environment are said to aggravate Arthritis. They constrict blood circulation. Similarly tight fitting garments and accessories are to be avoided by these patients.

A bath in sea or at least with sea salts, Epsom salts, is highly recommended. The iodine contained in sea water and sea salts get absorbed through the skin and correct the acid-alkaline imbalance in the body. Such a full bath at night before going to bed is a very effective natural remedy for Arthritis.

Bath water with hay flower is another natural remedy for Arthritis.

A strained infusion of yam seeds, celery seeds and willow leaves added to bath water is also helpful.

Five drops of angelica oil added to bath water controls spasms.

It is said of home that home is where the heart is. Home by itself is a home remedy for Arthritis. When you have a pharmacy at home, why step out?

Herbal Remedies for Arthritis

Arthritis can be really difficult to treat. Some Arthritis suffers retain Arthritis pain despite medications and therapy. However, arthritic patients can now find solace in herbal remedies for Arthritis. The symptomatic conditions of the problem define the remedy to be administered. Ease of procuring and administering of the herbs is another deciding factor. A few herbal remedies for Arthritis are presented below:

Oral intake of a few grams of ginger daily is a good herbal remedy for Arthritis, especially Rheumatoid.

Garlic has anti-inflammatory properties. If taken regularly it can keep Arthritis at bay. This is a simple and easy to follow herbal remedy for Arthritis.

A tablespoon of fenugreek seeds taken thrice a day daily is a preventive herbal remedy for Arthritis.

Juice of a lime diluted in a cup of water taken on empty stomach first thing in the morning is found to be very effective. The citric acid in lime dissolves the uric acid deposits around the joint afflicted with Arthritis.

Three four cups of tea made with a teaspoon of alfalfa seeds taken for a couple of weeks brings great relief to patients of Arthritis.

A teaspoon willow bark steeped in a cup of hot water for ten minutes and taken twice daily for ten days in another form of herbal remedies for Arthritis to reduce inflammation.

Thriving on just bananas, eight to nine a day, for three four days, is found to be one of the simple home remedies for Arthritis.

A tablespoon of green gram cooked with two pods of garlic in a cup of water taken twice a day brings good relief from joint pains.

Two teaspoons of warm castor oil mixed into a glass of orange juice if taken before breakfast and continued for three weeks brings relief if not cure to the afflicted. Alkaline diet is prescribed for the three weeks of treatment.

Taking Omega 3 fatty acid is another very beneficial home remedy for Arthritis. This explains why the coastal genre who thrive on fish are agile boned.

A teaspoon of black sesame seeds soaked in water overnight if taken first thing in the morning on empty stomach along with the water is a preventive measure and recurrence of Arthritis.

Potato juice diluted with equal portion of water on empty stomach first thing in the morning is a highly recommended natural remedy for Arthritis.

Equal portions of juices of a leafy green vegetable, red beetroot, carrot and celery, if mixed and taken, help clear up the mess of deposits around joints.

Fresh pineapple juice enables reducing of the inflammation around the affected joint.

Black cherry juice, a quarter cup a day, consumed regularly over a period of three to four months is said to being relief.

Turmeric, celery seeds, as a culinary additive will provide relief with its anti inflammatory properties.

Dandelion leaves help flush out the kidneys and bowels well. They also double up as a tonic for the functioning of the liver.

The herb Boswellia is a fine herbal remedy for Arthritis.

Drinking of water stored in copper vessels is found to be therapeutic to the muscles.

Arthritis invades your life

It is morning. The bell of the alarm clock on the bedside table goes off. Tom wants to switch it off but is not able to move! He feels as though his spine is stuck to the bed. He twists and turns in great pain and with great difficulty gets off the bed. He has been an athletic jockey all his life. What could have gone wrong? Could it be Arthritis?

Dick is a writer. He is one who is at his creative best after a night’s sleep. He wants to finish off his part time work before leaving home for his full time job. Try as he may, he is not able to hold his pen. His fingers have frozen stiff. By the time he flexes his fingers free it is time to leave. Why do his fingers refuse to come under his command? Is it Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Often at the end of a hard days work as a packaging assistant, Harry’s elbows ache as though he has Arthritis. They subside the next morning. He came home yesterday with pain in his elbows. The whole night the pain kept increasing and by morning the elbow had swollen to double their normal size and had turned red. The pain had become unbearable by now. He is dialling the orthopaedic to check if he has Arthritis.

Anne is in her eighth month of pregnancy. The weight of the baby is telling on her back and especially her hip joints. If she sat she remained immobile in that position for long. And if she stood up after a lot of strain she dreaded sitting back again. Surely she couldn’t be having Arthritis at such a young age. She thought of inviting her mother over for a few days to help her out. She telephones her mother.

The mother of Anne, Marie, listened patiently and pathetically at her daughter’s rhetoric.
Marie is undergoing menopause. Her body has been behaving strangely of late. Her joints feel weak at times. She feels as though someone is bolting and unbolting her joints repeatedly. Mother and daughter decide to see the orthopaedic together. They doubt they have Arthritis.

Janet has been a saleswoman for as long as she can remember. She is looking forward to her retirement. She wonders if she will be able to withstand the chronic pain in her knees till then. All these years of standing on her feet for long hours had taken their toll on her knees. The doctor had diagnosed her to be suffering from Arthritis. She has been on medication for sometime now. The medicines are giving her nausea and constipation. She wonders if she is better off with Arthritis alone and not these three together. She needs to call on the doctor again for natural remedies for Arthritis.

Six calls land up simultaneously for appointment at the clinic of the orthopaedic who is known to be a specialist in Arthritis. All the callers complained of Arthritis like symptoms.

Arthritis – Why me?

Anger and frustration are typical of a person diagnosed of Arthritis. Destiny is not in our control. Determination to overcome is. There is always a way to make the best of the situation. Take stock. Get down to analyzing the underlying cause.

Trauma on the joints is one of the main reasons for the occurrence of Arthritis, especially osteoarthritis. Trauma affects changes in the very structural construction of the joints.

Those who are in occupations wherein they have to be on their feet a lot are likely to get osteoarthritis of ankles, knees and hips. This is because these joints bear their weight all day long. Obese are also very likely candidates. Same is the case with pregnant women with the extra weight they carry on their tummy. Sports persons are likely to affect the joints which they stress a lot. Over clocking computer operators are likely to afflict their fingers with this problem.

Study on families of persons suffering from Arthritis, especially osteoarthritis, gives evidence that hereditary factors play a role, in making a person susceptible to this affliction. The bone-structure of different human race is not similar. So some are more likely and some less likely to take the brunt of this problem.

Another type of Arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, occurs more due to the constituency of blood of the subject afflicted with Arthritis. The blood pathology of some is such, like those of diabetics, those with thyroid problems, those with hormonal problems, that it triggers Arthritis. Imbalance of blood components, of thyroid hormones, other hormones, in the afflicted person’s blood bring about physiological changes in the body leading to Rheumatoid Arthritis. Women undergoing menopause face erratic hormonal changes in their body making them prone to Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The energy packets in the body fail to get carried efficiently quantitatively and qualitatively to the joints. The joints get less nourishment than they ought to. As a result they are unable to perform their functions in top form. This happens even with those who are under nourished in essential food components like calcium, manganese, magnesium, proteins and fatty acids.

Even mental and emotional trauma which bring about negative chemical changes in the body, indirectly bring about Arthritis.

Some theories even postulate that damp environment bring about Arthritis.

Research is still underway to establish that certain food allergies, especially wheat, potato, tomato, peppers and animal products, are catalysts bringing about Arthritis.

Less stressful but regular movement of the joints is said to trigger the body into secreting the lubricating fluids around the joints. Sedentary and near immobile persons fail to bring about extraction of these fluids. The joints, the muscles around, become stiff as a result. This is the reason why those having Rheumatoid Arthritis experience symptoms of Arthritis soon after waking up but begin to feel normal as the day progresses. This is precisely why Arthritis patients, and just about everyone in general, are advised to keep moving.

Now you know why you suffer. Having been able to successfully pin-point the cause of Arthritis, the next step is to find relief, a remedy, a cure, for Arthritis. Non-invasive and non-allopathic medications like herbal remedies for Arthritis, natural remedies for Arthritis and home remedies for Arthritis are the craze of the day. Shun Arthritis and have fun.

Understanding Back Pain and the Reasons Why They Happen

Back pain affects a majority of people in the population, whether they are old or young, none is exempt. This can happen in many parts of the vertebral column; at the middle back, upper back or lower back areas. The pain can be sudden or gradual; it can be permanent or can move form one portion of the vertebrae to another. Sometimes, it could even affect proximal areas such as the neck and the arms.

There are several reasons why people experience back pain. One of are the muscles surrounding the back are itself. Muscles strains are due to bad posture; this could also be caused by overuse of the muscles and too much activity. Muscle strains are most common in the lower back area. Low back pain or lumbago is triggered most frequently when people pick up heavy object without using the correct posture of doing so.

Other reason for back pain is a ruptured disc. This sometimes happen with accidents or due to weak bone structure.

The third reason why back pains occur is spinal stenosis. This is the common back pain experienced by the ageing population. As the fluid between each joint dry up during ageing, the spinal canal becomes too tight. This pressure can then lead to the occurrence of chronic pain in older men and women.

The fourth reason for back pain is osteoporosis. Most women are the targets of this disease, but men are not exempt also. Osteoporosis happens when the normal structure of the vertebral column is compressed to a shorter height due to the thinning and the degeneration of the bone. As the bones grow weaker and weaker, the possibility of fractures increases making them very vulnerable under this condition.

The fifth cause of back pain is spondylolisthesis. This happens when the stabilizing structure of the spine starts to degenerate causing one of its discs to slip down. And because of this instability, pain occurs in the back area.

When people have back pains, it is very difficult to pinpoint the specific underlying reason unless you are subjected to medical tests and examinations. Sometimes, back pains could even be caused by a simply sleeping on a wrong position of by just carrying too much heavy load, so we can never tell for ourselves.

People treat back pain in many ways. Some may find relief in cold compress, hot compress or even pain relievers. But these treatments may just be superficial and are just targeting only pain relief and not the real reason for the pain. So to patients, always be aware of your condition. If the back pains are becoming more and more frequent, persists for several days, gives you difficulty in movement, gives you fever or chills and any other suspicious symptoms, then it is time to seek help from a doctor.

Back pains may be the most natural thing but you should never ignore this condition as it could possible lead to serious and more complicated problems if the pain and the condition is allowed to be prolonged and remains untreated.

Serious Back Pains – Ways to Relieve It

Generally, when we have back pains, what we usually do is run to the pharmacy to buy a couple of those pain relievers and take them as fast as we can. Some people opt for the more “natural” way and turn to hot or cold compress or even a massage for relief. But sometimes, when the pain gets more persistent and occurs for more than a couple of days, then maybe it is time to go to your doctor to seek medical advice and get the proper treatment.

Understanding the underlying reason for you back pain is very important. This information could lead to proper treatment and intervention for your condition. There are several reasons why back pains occur and each has a different kind of treatment. So read on and educate yourself on the possible treatments that you can undergo, depending on the type of condition that you are in.

1. Physical therapy
A physical therapy can come in various forms; from muscle stimulation, hot and cold compress and massage to target soft tissues and relieve lower back pain. Back pain exercises would usually consist of stretching exercises, movements to strengthen your back muscles and some aerobic conditioning. Physical therapy is more of a long term cure and prevention as well. As the pain disappears, patients are usually advised to continue the exercise at least once a day to keep back pains from coming back. Physical exercise is much recommended for chronic back pain treatment.

2. Epidural Steroid Injections
This kind of treatment delivers steroids to the epidural part of the vertebral column to help remove or “flush out” substances that may trigger the pain in the area. A steroid is an anti-inflammatory substance. Inflammation of the epidural spaces in one of the major components for back pains and eliminating this inflammation also eliminates the pain. Some injections also contain pain relievers that will be directly delivered to the area for immediate relief.

3. Surgery
A very few people need surgery for back pains. Even a herniated disc can be treated without having to go under the knife and is regarded as the last resort for treating back pains. Surgery is only necessary for pain caused by a compression of a nerve, a progressive muscle weakness or when the pain is already radiating to your legs hitting your sciatic nerve. A patient can go into different types of surgeries for back pain. It may require the insertion of a metal plate to your vertebral column, an artificial disk or a removal of a vertebral disk fro your spine. Trauma to your spine which causes a ruptured disc may also require surgery.

Although back pains are one of the most normal physical complaints, the pain itself may just be a sign of a more serious health condition. So if you experience pain for several days now or you experience limitations to your movement because of the pain, it is very important that you stop relying on medication and seek immediate medial help. The more you delay proper treatment, the worse your condition may become.

Fibromyalgia – The Pain Within

Have you experienced a continuous amount of moderate to severe pain and fatigue at the same time? Have you tried consulting with the physician regarding this predicament and he hasn’t found anything that resembles what you’re experiencing to a specific disease or condition? If you’ve answered yes, then maybe you are experiencing Fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by chronic pain in certain parts of your body. Widespread pain in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments are the main implications of the said disorder. This is usually partnered with moderate to severe fatigue, disturbance in sleeping patterns, and most of the time, joint stuffiness.

Besides the ones stated above, some persons experience other symptoms which are more likely related to other systemic functions. These include difficulty in swallowing, difficulty in breathing, numbness sensations, functional bowel abnormalities, abnormal motor activity and cognitive dysfunction. Presence of systemic dysfunctions and abnormalities, besides the concurrent pain, is often defined as the Fibromyalgia Syndrome.

Although some health experts find this disorder controversial and at times debatable in terms of diagnosis, fibromyalgia has been present in the society for a long time already. Others still consider this disorder as non-existent due to the lack of objective data from laboratory exams or even advanced medical imaging systems to confirm the presence of this condition.

At times, symptoms of this disorder would be the same as that of those with rheumatic conditions. Because of this, the American College of Rheumatology developed the “ACR 1990”. It was created to define specific categories with regards to fibromyalgia. According to this, a certain criteria were created and were as follows – There must be a history of pain that is widespread on the four quadrants of the body and must occur within 3 months duration. Second, there are astoundingly 18 trigger or tender points for this condition. According to this, when exerted with a certain level force at each of these fibromyalgia trigger points, the patient must feel pain in at least 11 or more trigger or tender points for it to be considered fibromyalgia. However, this criteria was made for research purposes only and not for clinical diagnosis.

Due to the unavailability of a certain standards on laboratory exams to diagnose fibromyalgia syndrome except for the outlines of ACR 1990, doctors and physicians must rely mainly on an extensive physical examination and subjective cues. Indeed, this disorder is difficult to rule out. Doctors may need to ask for certain laboratory tests such as complete blood count and some chemical tests just to rule out the possibilities. Doctors would also note the other symptoms such as headache, fatigue, mood swings and the like to link with the disorder. After confirming, it is then wherein health professionals can be able to begin the possible fibromyalgia treatment therapy.

Fibromyalgia might not be a very specific disorder which is aimed at a certain system function, but having an understanding on its signs and symptoms would help us narrow it down on what it is and what it can do to our body.

Next Page »