Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that the disorder amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals.

Symptoms

Main signs and symptoms include:

• fatigue
• lack of energy
• trouble sleeping
• depression or anxiety
• memory problems and trouble concentrating (sometimes called “fibro fog”)
• headaches
• muscle twitches or cramps
• numbness or tingling in the hands and feet

Causes

• Genes. Fibromyalgia seems to run in families
• Other diseases. A painful disease like arthritis or an infection raises your chances of getting fibromyalgia
• Emotional or physical abuse
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Gender
• Anxiety and depression
• Not moving enough

Types of Fibromyalgia

How this disorder feels like can be quite different from person to person due to the fact that there are so many different types of fibromyalgia pain. Some break it down into seven varieties: hyperalgesia, allodynia, paresthesia, muscle pain, joint pain, headaches, and abdominal pain.

Diagnosis

There is no specific diagnostic test for fibromyalgia, so your doctor must rely solely on your group of symptoms to make a diagnosis. According to the American College of Rheumatology guidelines for diagnosing fibromyalgia, one of the criteria is widespread pain throughout your body for at least three months.

Fibromyalgia symptoms often mimic those of other conditions. Determining the true cause of your symptoms is key to receiving proper treatment. Severe symptoms include:

• muscles spasms
• extreme tiredness
• poor quality sleep
• fatigue
• trouble remembering, learning, paying attention, and concentrating, also referred to as “fibro fog”
• slow or confused speech
• frequent headaches or migraines
• irritable bowel syndrome

Treatment

FDA has approved three drugs to treat fibromyalgia: antidepressants duloxetine (Cymbalta) and milnacipran (Savella), plus the anti-seizure medicine pregabalin (Lyrica). However, your doctor may prescribe other drugs that aren’t specifically approved for fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia can’t be easily confirmed or ruled out through a simple laboratory test. Your doctor can’t detect it in your blood or see it on an X-Ray. Instead, it appears to be linked to changes in how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals.

Since there is no test for fibromyalgia, your doctor must rely solely on your group of symptoms to make a diagnosis.

According to the American College of Rheumatology guidelines for diagnosing fibromyalgia, one of the criteria is widespread pain throughout your body for at least three months. Sleep disorders are also another issue, so knowing when to take time out to rest may help people manage the symptoms better.

1. Rest
2. Diet and supplements
3. Reducing stress
4. Acupuncture
5. Massage
6. Yoga and tai chi

If you or a loved one is suffering from fibromyalgia, you need to consult a healthcare professional. You will also need to get medical or non-medical assistance to make it easy for the patient to do their daily chores easily. We have trained and qualified nurses, caregivers, and attendants who can take care of patients in the comfort of their homes. Call Holistic Healthcare Services at UAN: 03 111 678 679 to discuss if you need any of our services.