| Fibromyalgia Syndrome is an illness that has been | | | | an active flare. |
| talked about for at least the last twenty years, | | | | Remember: Don't think you're a baby for |
| but that doesn't mean it's a new problem at all. In | | | | expressing your displeasure during this part of the |
| our grandmothers' day, it simply was called | | | | doctor visit. The natural reaction of most people |
| rheumatism. Fibromyalgia has been around for | | | | with Fibromyalgia is to jump around the exam |
| decades in its more-or-less current form and | | | | table trying to avoid this tender points testing. |
| certainly for hundreds of years, remembered | | | | However, this is a critical testing measurement if |
| more as chronic pain, aching, hurting necks, backs | | | | your doctor is to document this important |
| and so forth. | | | | symptom in you correctly. Usually on a scale of 1 |
| Doctors often associate it with the condition that | | | | to 10 (10 being the highest degree of pain), simply |
| we recognize as Arthritis, because of their many | | | | let him or her know how much each tender point |
| closely related symptoms. Maybe that's why | | | | hurts. During this exercise, your doctor also may |
| Rheumatologists see Fibromyalgia patients even | | | | be determining your degree of impairment and |
| though the illness doesn't fit neatly into the | | | | what types of treatment might be best for you |
| medical classification category covered by | | | | (e.g. some type of physical therapy, stretching, |
| Rheumatology. (Think non-joint swelling and | | | | massage, etc.). |
| disfigurement and you'll see why.) | | | | 3) Other symptoms. There are tons of |
| If you're going to understand Fibromyalgia to (a) | | | | symptoms associated with having Fibromyalgia, |
| determine if you or someone you know has it, | | | | but the most talked about are chronic pain (in the |
| and to (b) decide what your next step is in | | | | muscles), morning stiffness, cognitive dysfunction |
| getting rid of it, you must learn the basics and | | | | or memory impairment (a.k.a. Fibro Fog), fatigue |
| then further your knowledge from there. So let's | | | | and sleep dysfunction. |
| take a close look at the most accepted | | | | Others can be irritable bowel syndrome (both |
| symptoms. | | | | over- and underactive), headaches, dizziness or |
| Fibromyalgia Symptoms for Diagnostic Purposes: | | | | balance problems, fainting, skin sensitivities, light |
| 1) Widespread body pain. You must have | | | | sensitivity, intolerance to heat, cold, or damp |
| widespread body pain in all four quadrants of your | | | | weather, relapse after prolonged exertion, |
| body for a minimum of three months in duration. | | | | occurrences of stress-related conditions (like |
| (That's pain located in the left and right sides of | | | | Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome TMJ), |
| the body, above the waist and below it. Most | | | | inflammation, autoimmune symptoms, depression |
| people experience pain at least in the neck, front | | | | and various hormonal imbalances. |
| of the chest, shoulders and upper back, mid-back | | | | Also some people express an overlap of |
| and lower back. It can be sharp, stabbing pains or | | | | symptoms with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and |
| chronic pain that is more dull, aching or throbbing | | | | exhibit more immune system irregularities, such as |
| in nature. Also, you can experience these | | | | recurring infections or not being able to fight off |
| symptoms in the face, head, arms, trunk, legs | | | | opportunistic infections (a.k.a., most any infectious |
| and feet.) | | | | agent that comes along). Other times the immune |
| 2) Tender points. You must experience a fairly | | | | system problem may express itself more as an |
| high degree of pain when pressure is applied to at | | | | allergy problem with chronic sinusitis symptoms or |
| least 11 of 18 designated tender points scattered | | | | Rhinitis. |
| throughout those same four quadrants. Most | | | | But no matter what your symptoms are, no part |
| doctors know how to locate these tender points | | | | of having Fibromyalgia really seems to get better |
| and can push a finger with an approximate force | | | | until you have your sleep problems under control. |
| of 4kg or roughly the amount of pressure | | | | All notable health professionals agree on that fact. |
| needed to blanche the skin color. They gauge | | | | Good quality, restorative sleep seems to be a |
| your reaction to this pushing. The stimulus often | | | | critical key to turning around your health and |
| elicits a marked degree of body discomfort in | | | | getting well from this tough chronic illness called |
| someone who has that particular tender point in | | | | Fibromyalgia. |