| Fibromyalgia is often referred to as the | | | | • cognitive and memory problems |
| “Invisible” illness or “Imaginary” | | | | (sometimes referred to as “fibro fog”) |
| disease. It was not until 1992 that it became | | | | • a variety of other symptoms |
| recognized as a true medical problem by the | | | | Fibromyalgia is a syndrome rather than a disease. |
| World Health Organization. There are a few | | | | Unlike a disease, which is a medical condition with |
| reasons for this. Some say it’s because it is | | | | a specific cause or causes and recognizable signs |
| often very hard to diagnose since | | | | and symptoms, a syndrome is a collection of |
| Fibromyalgia’s symptoms often mimic those | | | | signs, symptoms, and medical problems that tend |
| of other diseases and illnesses. Others say that it | | | | to occur together but are not related to a |
| took so long for the medical community to | | | | specific, identifiable cause. |
| recognize the syndrome because over 80% of | | | | How Is Fibromyalgia Diagnosed? |
| the people affected have been women. For | | | | Research shows that people with fibromyalgia |
| decades doctors have been telling patients with | | | | typically see many doctors before receiving the |
| Fibromyalgia that they are just hypochondriacs. | | | | diagnosis. One reason for this may be that pain |
| What is Fibromyalgia? | | | | and fatigue, the main symptoms of fibromyalgia, |
| Fibromyalgia syndrome is a common and chronic | | | | overlap with many other conditions. Therefore, |
| disorder characterized by widespread muscle pain, | | | | doctors often have to rule out other potential |
| fatigue, and multiple tender points. The word | | | | causes of these symptoms before making a |
| fibromyalgia comes from the Latin term for | | | | diagnosis of fibromyalgia. |
| fibrous tissue (fibro) and the Greek ones for | | | | Another reason is that there are currently no |
| muscle (myo) and pain (algia). Tender points are | | | | diagnostic laboratory tests for fibromyalgia; |
| specific places on the body – on the neck, | | | | standard laboratory tests fail to reveal a |
| shoulders, back, hips, and upper and lower | | | | physiologic reason for pain. Because there is no |
| extremities – where people with fibromyalgia | | | | generally accepted, objective test for |
| feel pain in response to slight pressure. Although | | | | fibromyalgia, some doctors unfortunately may |
| fibromyalgia is often considered an | | | | conclude a patient’s pain is not real, or they |
| arthritis-related condition, it is not truly a form of | | | | may tell the patient there is little they can do. A |
| arthritis (a disease of the joints) because it does | | | | doctor familiar with fibromyalgia can make a |
| not cause inflammation or damage to the joints, | | | | diagnosis based on two criteria established by the |
| muscles, or other tissues. Like arthritis, however, | | | | American College of Rheumatology (ACR). The |
| fibromyalgia can cause significant pain and fatigue, | | | | criteria include |
| and it can interfere with a person’s ability to | | | | 1. A history of widespread pain lasting more than |
| carry on daily activities. Also like arthritis, | | | | 3 months |
| fibromyalgia is considered a rheumatic condition. | | | | 2. The presence of tender points |
| You may wonder what exactly rheumatic means. | | | | Pain is considered to be widespread when it |
| Even physicians do not always agree on whether | | | | affects all four quadrants of the body; that is, |
| a disease is considered rheumatic. If you look up | | | | you must have pain in both your right and left |
| the word in the dictionary, you’ll find it comes | | | | sides as well as above and below the waist to be |
| from the Greek word rheum, which means flux | | | | diagnosed with fibromyalgia. ACR also has |
| – not an explanation that gives you a better | | | | designated 18 sites on the body as possible |
| understanding. In medicine, however, the term | | | | tender points. |
| rheumatic means a medical condition that impairs | | | | For a fibromyalgia diagnosis, a person must have |
| the joints and/or soft tissues and causes chronic | | | | 11 or more tender points. One of these |
| pain. | | | | predesignated sites is considered a true tender |
| In addition to pain and fatigue, people who have | | | | point only if the person feels pain upon the |
| fibromyalgia may experience: | | | | application of 4 kilograms of pressure to the site. |
| • sleep disturbances | | | | People who have fibromyalgia certainly may feel |
| • morning stiffness | | | | pain at other sites, too, but those 18 standard |
| • headaches | | | | possible sites on the body are the criteria used |
| • irritable bowel syndrome | | | | for classification. |
| • painful menstrual periods | | | | To read more stories like this visit the Flexcin Blog |
| • numbness or tingling of the extremities | | | | for health advice, exercise tips, healthy recipes, |
| • restless legs syndrome | | | | stories from customers and even Flexcin special |
| • temperature sensitivity | | | | offers. |