Fibromyalgia: A Painful Condition

Fibromyalgia is a cruel disease, which delivers invariable pain to million of people daily. There is no cure for this condition, and sometimes medications do not work. Many people who suffer with this condition deal with the pain in silence and it does limit their daily lived.

The symptoms of Fibromyalgia vary from person to person but it can affect up to 18 different areas in the body. These areas range from the tips of toes to the neck, in the muscles as well as the soft connective tissue surrounding them.

It's the overwhelming tiredness, broken sleep and stiff joints that some feel is the worst part of having a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. However, difficulties within the bladder or bowels, and throat are also common. Some patients are experience numbness and tingling in their extremities during a flare up.

Patients experience muscle spasms, which seem to last a long time even though these spasms are being treated. Nerve pain as well as twitches and weakness in the muscles are common for patients.

What begins these flare fibromyalgia ups? It's the weather, exercise, stress, not being active and in general, it is life events, which bring on the pain. It is different for each patient and an activity, which brings pain to one patient, may bring relief to another.

With some patients the pain remains in one area such as the legs or back and the whole area is involved. Still with other patients, the pain is spread through the body and delivers pain to multiple areas including facial pain. Estimates ranges from 20-30% of those with Fibro also have rheumatoid arthritis, which is also very painful.

Fibromyalgia is thought to affect 2 to 4 percent of the world's population. One study by the government reveals that women get fibro more often than men, 9 out of 10 people afflicted with this condition are women. This condition could also be genetic, environmental, or hormonal, as it does seem to afflict the women in some families.

There seems to be a link between fibromyalgia, and stress. Stress can make the symptoms of this condition much worse. Exercise can also make the condition more painful so water-based activities, which lessen the impact on joints, and muscles seem to be the best form of exercise.

Fibromyalgia Resources:

http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/fibromyalgia.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibromyalgia

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19954696