| Fibromyalgia can develop on its own or along | | | | points are distinct from trigger points seen in |
| with other musculoskeletal conditions such as | | | | other pain syndromes. Unlike tender points, trigger |
| rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. The most common | | | | points can occur in isolation and represent a |
| sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, | | | | source of radiating pain, even in the absence of |
| pelvic girdle, and hands, but any body part can be | | | | direct pressure. |
| affected. | | | | Fibromyalgia patients have abnormal pain |
| Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain illness. It is | | | | transmission responses. Fibromyalgia may be |
| characterized by long-term, body-wide pain and | | | | caused by a problem with the brain’s |
| tender points in joints, muscles, tendons, and | | | | autonomic nervous system. This system helps to |
| other soft tissues. It is also called is Central | | | | control a number of bodily processes, including |
| Nervous System-myalgia. In FMS, there is a | | | | digestion, reaction to stress, and metabolism. |
| generalized disturbance of the way pain is | | | | Some people with FMS also have mental illness. |
| processed by the body. Fibromyalgia patients | | | | Some people with sniffles have mental illness too, |
| experience a range of symptoms of varying | | | | but that doesn’t mean that sniffles are |
| intensities that wax and wane over time. Most | | | | caused by mental illness. Problems with the |
| patients with fibromyalgia say that they ache all | | | | hormones and neurotransmitters used by the |
| over. Their muscles may feel like they were pulled | | | | autonomic nervous system can interrupt certain |
| or overworked. Sometimes fibromyalgia | | | | bodily processes, causing a number of |
| symptoms include muscle twitches and burning | | | | fibromyalgia symptoms. Infectious illnesses, |
| sensations. More women than men are afflicted | | | | including certain viruses, may be at the root of |
| with fibromyalgia, and it shows up in people of all | | | | fibromyalgia. Certain infections attack the central |
| ages. A conservative estimate of its prevalence is | | | | nervous system, inhibiting the production of |
| 2% of the general population, but it may be as | | | | neurotransmitters. Many fibromyalgia sufferers |
| high as 3-5%. It is estimated that approximately | | | | have close family members with the disorder. This |
| 5-7% of the U.S. population has FM. Although a | | | | may indicate that fibromyalgia has a genetic |
| higher percentage of women of all ages and races | | | | component. Fibromyalgia also tends to affect |
| are affected, it does strike men and children. | | | | more women, which also supports the theory |
| Because of its debilitating nature, fibromyalgia has | | | | that fibromyalgia is a genetic illness. |
| a serious impact on patients' families, friends and | | | | There are several drugs that are being evaluated |
| employers, as well as society at large. | | | | for their effectiveness in treating fibromyalgia. |
| Physical or emotional trauma may play a role in | | | | Ultram may help with the treatment of |
| development of the syndrome. Fibromyalgia | | | | fibromyalgia pain. Muscle relaxants can decrease |
| sufferers tend to wake up with body aches and | | | | pain in people with fibromyalgia. Medicines in this |
| stiffness. Many fibromyalgia patients have an | | | | family include Flexeril, Soma, Skelaxin, and |
| associated sleep disorder that prevents them | | | | Robaxin. Acupuncture may be an extremely |
| from getting deep, restful, restorative sleep. | | | | useful addition to fibromyalgia. Aerobic exercise |
| Musculoskeletal pain and fatigue experienced by | | | | and strength-training activities have been |
| FMS patients is a chronic problem which tends to | | | | associated with significant improvement in pain, |
| have a waxing and waning intensity. Constipation, | | | | tender point counts and disturbed |
| diarrhea, frequent abdominal pain, abdominal gas, | | | | sleep.Cardiovascular exercise is stated to be |
| and nausea represent symptoms frequently found | | | | helpful in rehabilitation from Fibromyalgia. |
| in roughly 40 to 70% of fibromyalgia patients. | | | | Traditional treatment of fibromyalgia is geared |
| Muscle pain forces many FMS patients severely to | | | | toward improving the quality of sleep and reducing |
| limit their activities, including exercise routines. This | | | | pain, which means that a sleep study may aid |
| inactivity results in their becoming physically unfit, | | | | with individualizing your therapy.Anti-Anxiety |
| which eventually makes their FMS worse. Many | | | | Medicines-Benzodiazepines such as Klonopin, |
| patients depict this situation by saying that they | | | | Ativan, and Xanax, are commonly used medicines. |
| feel as though their arms and legs are tied to | | | | These medicines also cause sedation and thus can |
| concrete blocks, and they have difficulty | | | | improve sleep. Behavior modification training, |
| concentrating, e.g., brain fog.The overwhelming | | | | including coping skills, relaxation exercises and |
| characteristic of fibromyalgia is long-standing, | | | | self-hypnosis may provide relief for some |
| body-wide pain with defined tender points. Tender | | | | patients. |