| Fibromyalgia Syndrome is a hidden illness. If you | | | | Other fibromyalgia symptoms are disturbed sleep, |
| suffer with fibromyalgia symptoms then it is | | | | irritable bowel, chronic headaches, jaw problems |
| important for you to learn how to diagnose | | | | (TMJ), memory problems, painful menstrual cycles, |
| fibromyalgia. Unfortunately, left to the family | | | | skin sensitivity, sensitive to loud noises, chemicals |
| doctor the fibromyalgia diagnosis can take years. | | | | and odors, dizziness, low tolerance of fluorescent |
| Partly because there are just so many | | | | lighting, vision changes and impaired co-ordination. |
| symptoms it could be any illness and also many | | | | Once you have a good record of your symptoms |
| care practitioners still refuse to believe | | | | over a couple of weeks, take your journal to |
| fibromyalgia exists. | | | | your doctor or family care practitioner and give |
| The first step in getting fibromyalgia diagnosed is | | | | them your journal to read. |
| to keep a journal. Write down all your symptoms | | | | The fact you have taken the time to write daily |
| from the minute you wake up. Describe your pain | | | | in this book will help your doctor realize these |
| on waking, was there stiffness too? Does the | | | | symptoms are real and you are not just |
| pain ease after you have got up and moved | | | | someone seeking attention. Your pain is real, your |
| around a bit? Does it get worse? | | | | symptoms are real. Hopefully your doctor will take |
| Keep notes of everything and hopefully over the | | | | the necessary steps in diagnosing your |
| course of a week or two you will see a pattern | | | | fibromyalgia; if he doesn't then politely request an |
| emerge. Fibromyalgia symptoms are chronic pain, | | | | appointment to see a rheumatologist. |
| in all four quadrants of the body lasting three | | | | Rheumatologists are experts in diagnosing |
| months or more. The pain varies from mild | | | | fibromyalgia syndrome. If you do have |
| achiness to deep aches as if you have done a full | | | | fibromyalgia then you will generally be seen by a |
| body workout, a burning pain like you are being | | | | rheumatologist once or twice a year. There are |
| stabbed with a hot poker, sharp shooting pains | | | | several illnesses that share similar symptoms so |
| that really catch you off guard, throbbing pain and | | | | the final fibromyalgia diagnosis has to be made by |
| just plain agony, the worst kind of pain. | | | | your doctor. The 18 fibromyalgia trigger points or |
| Fibromyalgia syndrome also brings with it fatigue | | | | tender points are only present in fibromyalgia |
| that is so great you feel like you have been hit | | | | patients so this test is generally considered a |
| by a Mack truck. Again the fatigue varies | | | | positive fibromyalgia syndrome diagnosis. |
| throughout the day but people often describe it | | | | Bear in mind due to the wide variety of |
| as being manageable until they hit that truck, then | | | | fibromyalgia syndrome symptoms, you may not |
| they simply have to take to their beds. | | | | have fibromyalgia at all! |