| Fibromyalgia feels like a severe case of the flu | | | | muscles, ligaments and tendons. |
| but it does not go away in 24 hours, 48 hours or | | | | Some experts suspect fibromyalgia being caused |
| even 48 days and every muscle in the body | | | | by viral or bacterial infection, an autonomic |
| aches. A person who has fibromyalgia doesn't | | | | nervous system dysfunction, upper spinal cord |
| have the energy to lift the head, much less do | | | | injury, emotional stress or trauma, immune or |
| the dishes, drive to work or walk up a flight of | | | | endocrine system dysfunction or chronic sleep |
| stairs. The symptoms of fibromyalgia are similar | | | | disorders. Because resemble a post-viral state |
| to ordinary illness such as the flu. | | | | fibromyalgia is the same as chronic fatigue |
| Recent medical studies have confirmed | | | | syndrome. Some of the old names used for |
| fibromyalgia is real even some doctors often | | | | fibromyalgia are: fibrositis, chronic psychogenic |
| write about fibromyalgia as hypochondria or an | | | | rheumatism and muscle pain syndrome. |
| active imagination. 3 to 6 percent of the | | | | In 1990, the American College of Rheumatology |
| population of the U.S. has fibromyalgia. 80 to 90 | | | | put the term fibromyalgia on the map by giving |
| percent of those with fibromyalgia are women. | | | | its official criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. |
| The highest incidence occurs among women 20 to | | | | A person is classified with fibromyalgia if he or |
| 40 years of age. | | | | she feels pain under pressure in at least 11 of 18 |
| Fibromyalgia is referred as a syndrome of signs | | | | specific areas of the body. Patients with |
| and symptoms that characterize it such as soft | | | | fibromyalgia must exhibit widespread pain on both |
| tissue tenderness, sleep disturbances, general | | | | sides of the body and above and below the waist |
| fatigue, aches, pain and stiffness in the back, | | | | for at least a three month duration of time. |
| neck, hands and other parts of the body. | | | | Fibromyalgia feels similar to rheumatism but the |
| Fibromyalgia is also characterized as a chronic, | | | | two differ in two ways. Fibromyalgia affects |
| arthritis-related condition. Because the symptoms | | | | muscles and their attachments to bones rather |
| are common in other conditions diagnosing | | | | than arthritis of a joint. Rheumatism is associated |
| fibromyalgia is confusing for those in the medical | | | | with arthritis and related disorders of the muscles, |
| profession. | | | | bones and joints. Although fibromyalgia feel like a |
| Symptoms of fibromyalgia may include: chronic | | | | joint disease, it does not cause deformities of the |
| headaches, fatigue, cognitive or memory | | | | joints. People with fibromyalgia do not feel the |
| impairment, jaw pain, chemicals sensitivities, | | | | sympathy of friends, family members or their |
| lighteadedness, menstrual cramping, irritable bowel | | | | co-workers and bosses. |
| syndrome, disturbed sleep, muscle pain, morning | | | | In many cases the pain of fibromyalgia is |
| stiffness, numbness and tingling sensations and | | | | imagined. Treatments and alternative therapies |
| dizziness. Fibromyalgia is influenced by gender, age, | | | | are available for people with fibromyalgia to ease |
| sleep disorders and genetic disposition. Other | | | | the pain and stress. |
| symptoms of fibromyalgia are: pain in the | | | | |