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Fibromyalgia: 6 Signs and Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

 


Fibromyalgia is one of the difficult conditions to understand, even for the healthcare professional. It's a chronic condition affecting the muscles and soft tissue. It makes the whole body painful, also known as widespread pain. Fatigue, sleep problems, and painful tenderness are some fibromyalgia symptoms. The pain is relieved with medications, managing the stress, and changing the lifestyle.

What are the sign and symptoms of fibromyalgia?

  1. The patient with fibromyalgia will have pain and stiffness in his entire body.
  2. He or she will suffer from fatigue and tiredness.
  3. He will have disturbed sleep or sleep problems.
  4. Presence of headache. There might be migraine.
  5. The person can also have anxiety, depression, and mental problems. 
  6. Difficulty in paying attention or focusing.

What is the cause of fibromyalgia?

The exact cause is still unfound. It is believed that this problem is linked with how the brain and spinal cord interprets the signals of pain from the nerves. Following are some factors that have a high probability of developing fibromyalgia.

Infections: Several types of infection can trigger fibromyalgia, .i.e. flu, pneumonia, and GI infections. 

Genetics: If there were the case of fibromyalgia in one of the members of a family, then there are high chances that their generations can suffer from fibromyalgia. Gene mutation also acts as an essential factor in developing this condition as certain genes influence the transmission of pain signals between the nerve cells.

Emotional state: Continuous emotional and psychological stress can provoke fibromyalgia development. 

Stress: Stress has a negative effect on the body as it is associated with hormonal changes, and that can also lead to fibromyalgia.

What are the risk factors of fibromyalgia?

Aging: Although it can develop in middle age, chances are high in older adults.

Some other disorders: Already having osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus can develop this condition. 

Gender: Women have more ratio as compared to men. 

What is fibromyalgia fog?

It is the feeling of fuzziness that the person feels. The person loses his memory, can not stay alert and faces difficulty concentrating. 

How to diagnose fibromyalgia?

To diagnose the presence of fibromyalgia, there is no need to perform any lab test or imaging scan. As healthcare professionals, we can diagnose fibromyalgia in the patient if he has had widespread pain for the last 3 months or longer. Widespread pain is felt on both sides of the body, and the patient feels it above and below the waist. The examiner can not make any conclusion about what condition is causing the pain. 

Treatment of Fibromyalgia:

We can cure this condition at present, but we can lessen the symptoms and improve the quality if we take proper medications, make self-care strategies, and change the way of life. 

Medications: 

The medications are helpful in relieving the pain. We can prescribe NSAIDs .i.e. Ibuprofen, and Acetaminophen. We can also suggest antidepressants as these will help in improving sleep quality. Some antidepressants. i.e., Duloxetine and Milnacepran HCL rebalance the neurotransmitters and reduce pain and fatigue. The antiseizure drugs, .i.e. Gabapentin (Neurontin) and Pregabalin (Lyrica), are beneficial in reducing the symptoms. Pregabalin stops up the transmission of pain signals.

Physical Therapy of Fibromyalgia:

When the symptoms do not decrease with proper medications, we can go for physiotherapy. Physical therapy helps in increasing strength, flexibility, and stamina. The physiotherapist will make different programs for different patients, 

Other Therapies: 

The other therapies that help in treating the symptoms of fibromyalgia are:

  • Occupational Therapy
  • Counseling
  • Massage Therapy
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Conclusion: 

Fibromyalgia is an unrecognizable condition for the healthcare professional affecting the muscles and soft tissue. It causes widespread pain, fatigue, and sleep problems. 



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