What Exactly is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia, also known as non-articular rheumatism, soft tissue rheumatism and fibrositis, is a disorder that affects muscles, tendons and ligaments. It gives a widespread pain in all joints that connect the bones. Fibromyalgia causes people to have difficulty with sleeping and experience regular fatigue.

While fibromyalgia is a recent term, it is a very common disease, affecting over three percent of the population. But, this disease is more likely to be diagnosed in women rather than men. The chance of being diagnosed with fibromyalgia also increases with age.

Individuals with this disorder normally feel stiffness and pain of muscles, joints or their entire body, particularly in the morning. A few people have reported numbness in their joints and muscles, trouble with concentration and memory. Additional warning signs of this disorder include migraines, depression, headaches and jaw pain.

The most common symptoms of fibromyalgia include pain or swelling of joints and tissues. Because of this, some people might have problems with sleeping or easily become fatigued and generally feel weak on a daily basis. Some individuals experience dryness in their eyes, develop sensitivities to medications and certain foods or become vulnerable to the cold. There are also a few people who have reported pain in the abdomen and joint dysfunction.

Fibromyalgia might occur because of illness, infections, accidents, injuries, stress, emotional and physical trauma or surgery. But, at this time, the precise cause of this disorder is still unknown.

Treating And Preventing Fibromyalgia

When your physician diagnoses you with fibromyalgia, he or she may refer you to a licensed rheumatologist since these professionals specialize in the diagnosis and treatments of disorders that pertain to bones, muscles and joints. Ordinarily, a patient with this disorder can experience widespread pain for three months or more.

Regrettably, at this time, there are no known cures for fibromyalgia. Nevertheless, patients can execute a couple of things to manage their condition and decrease the symptoms linked with it. There are some drugs available to reduce the pain from fibromyalgia. These include drugs that increase serotonin levels, such as tetracyclic and tricyclic antidepressant medications as well as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).

Doctors frequently prescribe to patients with this disorder to adopt a regular physical exercise program to reduce overall pain and strengthen bones, joints and muscles. Patients need to begin with gentle exercises to prevent muscle straining and encourage strengthening of muscles.

It has been proven that the symptoms of fibromyalgia can often be reduced when heat is applied. It also assists in relaxing stressed muscles and reducing swelling or pain. Using a hot compress or taking a hot shower can bring patients temporary relief from widespread pain. Although fibromyalgia can negatively affect the lives of the patients significantly, some patients can live a healthy and normal life when treated early.