Living with Fybromyalgia and Sciatica: Two Puzzling Diseases

Fibromyalgia is a mysterious condition. It is widespread throughout the body with characteristic symptoms like joint pain, muscle pain, pain in the tendons and soft tissues, fatigue, morning stiffness, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, headaches and numbness in hands and feet. Fibromyalgia is know to develop alone and also in conjunction with other musculoskeletal conditions like forms of arthritis or lupus. Some studies suggest that it may have genetic links. It is unknown what causes fibromyalgia. It effects more women than men between the ages of 20 to 50.

What is fybromyalgia?

Fybromyalgia is a body wide pain with various tender spots accompanied by fatigue and other symptoms.
What are the symptoms of fybromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is diagnosed after at least three full months of wide spread body pain in the joints and muscles with various tender spots. The tender spots must include 11 of 18 predetermined by specialists as those that are always present in the condition. The tender points are those of fibrous tissue.

These are usually muscle areas in the buttocks, shoulders, rib cage, neck, chest, thighs, knees and arms near the elbows. It is possible to mistake fybromyalgia symptoms with those of arthritis. However, arthritis carries with it marked disfigurement of joints and swelling in affected areas that fybromyalgia alone does not.

The pain in these tender spots especially is described as a deep and gnawing pain that radiated through out the body from the tender spots. The pain tends to be worse upon awakening and then again before bed.

Causes of fibromyalgia

The cause of this ailment is so far unknown. It is suggested from studies that past emotional and physical trauma may have a hand in the development of the condition. Some evidence has suggested the fibromyalgia patients have abnormal pain reception transmitters. This condition causes nerve endings to tell the brain there is pain when there is no reason for pain.

Other studies have found that sleep troubles, which are common among fibromyalgia patients, are actually key in the development of the condition. There is also preliminary evidence that introduces the theory that a virus or germ may be the cause. There may be some evidence that fibromyalgia is hereditary.Research is on going as to the exact cause of fibromyalgia.

Treatments for fibromyalgia

The symptoms of fibromyalgia often subside when the stress and trauma of the original circumstances go away. Treatments administered by health professionals include but are not limited to medications like antidepressants, counseling such as group therapy and support groups.

It is always recommended that sufferers begin a strict well balanced diet and avoid caffeine. Some reports indicate that fish oil and certain vitamins have been helpful in the treatment of fibromyalgia.

Sciatica is actually a word used to describe a set of symptoms arising from the irritation of the sciatic nerve. The cause of the irritation, however can be any combination of several things. The pain caused by sciatica is most often in the hip extending to calf of one leg or the other.

It can reach as high up as the lower back and as low as the foot. The pain can also be joined by trouble controlling the leg and/or a numbness in the leg or foot. Sciatica is most often seen in people ranging in age from 30 to 50 years. It is usually the result of normal wear and tear of sporting or work activities after a number of years. It does not usually result in the need of surgery and can be treated successfully otherwise.
What is sciatica?

Sciatica is pain and discomfort resulting from an irritation to the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the entire body. It begins in the lumbar spinal cord where it's roots are located and travels all the way down to the buttocks region.

The pain of sciatica comes when a root of the nerve is somehow pinched or otherwise irritated. Most often this is caused by a disc in the spine has slipped out of it's normal position in the spinal column of the vertebrae and is putting pressure or pinching the root of the nerve in the lower back. The nerve is responsible for the feeling of that leg.
What are the symptoms of sciatica?

The most prevalent symptom of sciatica is a constant pain on one side of the buttock and extending down one leg. The pain is a sharp, shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand or sit. There may also be a weakness or numbness to the affected leg and/or foot.

What are the causes of sciatica?

Sciatica is most often the result of an injury to the sciatic nerve. It can be a puncture wound of any kind in the buttocks or upper thigh. Spending a long time sitting or standing where pressure is applied to the nerve root can also be a cause of sciatica. It is also possible to cause irritation or inflamation to the sciatic nerve from a tumor in other foreign entity in the body.

It is possible to be tested for sciatica by having an EMG, which is a recording of electrical activity in the muscles or a nerve conduction test.

Certain anti-inflammatory drugs may be used or it may be necessary to surgically remove a tumor or other lesion. Simple bed rest is often prescribed for sciatica patients of the less severe nature. Treatment for sciatica is varied and dependent upon the reason for the condition