Fibromyalgia is a term that was coined a while ago by doctors. It is a combination of Greek and Latin terminology:
Fibro: fibrous tissue (Latin)Myo: muscle (Greek)Algia: pain (Greek)This is because fibromyalgia is a chronic, widespread condition that affects your fibrous tissues and muscles, causing pain. While no evidence of inflammation is present, there is a lot of tenderness, aching and stiffness that can be affected by noise, stress and environment. More women than men (80%) are affected with most of them being between 35 and 55-years-old.
The Top Ten Symptoms
The top 10 symptoms of fibromyalgia include:
? Joint and muscle pain and stiffness are the main symptoms
? Most people feel nervous, apprehensive and dejected, which can lead them to become depressed.
? Sleep disturbances - While it may be easy to fall asleep you may wake up several times throughout the night and thus only get a few good hours of sleep. This can leave you feeling fatigued the moment you wake up.
? The inability to concentrate; Forgetfulness - This is sometimes called "fibro fog" and it can make you completely unaware of your surroundings and recent conversations.
? A dry mouth, nose or dry eyes - This is really common. It may even lead you to have raging thirst.
? IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) - This is also quite common with the norm being either diarrhea or constipation.
? Headaches or migraines
? Chronic abdominal pain
? Balance problems, especially when walking (It is highly recommended that fibromyalgia patients use either a cane or a walking stick.)
? A tingling or numb feeling in your fingers and feet that is caused by hypersensitivity to the weather
?Extreme sensitivity to cold or heat that is also caused by changes in the temperature around you
Fibromyalgia Diagnosis
It is difficult to diagnose a person with fibromyalgia because this syndrome doesn't show up in x-rays, scans or blood tests since there is no inflammation involved within your body. So, a diagnosis depends upon a physical exam in which there are 18 trigger (a.k.a. tender) points located throughout your body that whenever light pressure is applied to them the patient will experience pain. In order to be given a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, you must feel pain in 11 of the 18 trigger points. You must also have experienced widespread pain for three months or longer.
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