Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is chronic illness characterised by a
number of debilitating symptoms including non-specific
and specific muscle, joint and bone pain, and a feeling
of constantly being tired and fatigued. The condition is
not contagious, nor is it completely curable; however a
number of treatments can relieve the symptoms making
life more bearable.
Fibromyalgia affects between
3 and 9% of the general population, with females being much more likely to
suffer from the disease than men. It is most commonly diagnosed between the ages
of 25 and 50 however the symptoms can start at any age without initially being
associated with Fibromyalgia. Many people believe they have a simple back ache
or other muscle ache until the pain increases and other areas of the body become
affected. It is only then that the condition is diagnosed.
The symptoms associated with
Fibromyalgia are numerous and they can vary greatly between sufferers however
some are common to all patients. These include:
·
Widespread pain
in the muscles, joints and bones that are affected by the disease. This pain
worsens when even the lightest pressure is applied and unfortunately it is often
chronic i.e. it lasts for months before abating. Stiffness and thus problems
with movement also accompany the pain so that overall quality of life is
seriously affected.
·
A feeling of
tiredness and fatigue even after a good nights sleep. This is thought to be
caused by a sleep disorder in which the deep sleep needed to restore health and
energy is regularly interrupted by uncontrollable bursts of brain activity. As
yet, doctors are at a loss as to why this occurs in patients with Fibromyalgia.
·
Headaches
unlike normal headaches. These are thought to be a form of tension headaches
caused by stiffness in the neck, shoulders and back muscles. Facial pain,
especially around the jaw is also common to many sufferers.
·
Sensitivity to
touch, light, loud sounds and strong odours. The nervous system is obviously
involved in causing the symptoms of Fibromyalgia and so it is understandable
that the senses also become affected.
Numerous patients also
complain of anxiety attacks, alternating numbness and ‘pins and needles’ in the
extremities, dizziness, chest pain, an irritable bowel and bladder, mood swings
and dryness of the mouth, eyes and skin. While these last symptoms are regularly
associated with Fibromyalgia, they are not often used as diagnostic symptoms.
Diagnosing Fibromyalgia is
difficult as there are no visible changes in the body that can be detected with
medical tests. Most doctors diagnose the condition simply by ruling out the
possibility that it may be something else, such as multiple sclerosis or
rheumatoid arthritis. When blood tests and x-rays are done, these other diseases
show abnormalities but in the majority of cases of Fibromyalgia all test results
come back normal.
Fibromyalgia is not a
life-threatening disease however it can be severe and very painful for the
sufferer. Luckily it is also not a progressive disease and so the sites that are
painful at diagnosis will be the only sites that are ever painful; it is very
uncommon for the pain to spread to other parts of the body.
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