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