Fibromyalgia is a disease which manifests very much alike with flu. It gives muscular pains and tiredness, and can disturb the sleep. It can also be characterized by tender spots which are felt mostly in the neck, spine, shoulders and hips. The attachments of muscles to bones are also affected by this disease. Joints seem to be left unaffected by it. Besides muscles, pain in tendons and ligaments appear also.
Until now there has not been discovered any laboratory test to help the doctor diagnose the patient with fibromyalgia more easily. The doctor is mostly guided by what the patient describes and by the presence of the tender points. The symptoms the patient tells the doctor about can help the doctor to eliminate any possibility of rheumatic disorders in that patient.
General symptoms of fibromyalgia are: muscle pain that lasts more than three months, tenderness in the 18 points, sleeping problems, fatigue, headaches, memory problems, abdominal pain associated with diarrhea or constipation and bloating. People describe the muscle pain in different ways: some can feel burnings, radiating, others gnawing, sore, stiff, and aching. Patients say that the pain is always present but with different intensities depending on the activity they perform or on the weather, the stress level and the sleep patterns.
The exact causes of fibromyalgia have not been yet discovered and until now scientists found out that in patients who have fibromyalgia, the level of P substance is increased in the spinal fluid. The P substance is responsible for transmitting and amplifying pain signals to and from the brain. Another role in triggering fibromyalgia has the genetics and exposure to physical, emotional or environmental stressors.
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease and must be treated with medication and non-medication methods. Some of the used drugs in treating fibromyalgia are: cyclobenzaprine, amitriptyline and dual reuptake inhibitors. In case a patient does not respond well to this kind of treatment, long-acting opioids can be tried but with extreme precaution. Sometimes the pain can be managed with analgesics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. In some cases antidepressant drugs and antiepileptic drugs can be used with success.
Patients suffering of fibromyalgia can follow a few sessions of therapeutic massage and myofascial release therapy which will help them manage the pain this illness gives them.
Patients have to make a change in their lifestyle and consider the fact that they need every day a moment for relaxation and they have to learn how to perform deep-breathing exercises and meditation in order to manage the daily stress. They also have to create a schedule for going to bed and waking up. A diet is also recommended, avoiding coffee, alcohol and spicy foods before bedtime. An active lifestyle can help a lot the fibromyalgia patients. Walking, swimming, water aerobics and stretching exercises can do a lot in the process of treating fibromyalgia.
By: Groshan Fabiola