What
is Fibromyalgia?
For someone who has just
been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a logical question from family
members and loved ones is often, “what is fibromyalgia?”
What is fibromyalgia going to do to your body? What is fibromyalgia
going to do to your mental health? Considering fibromyalgia was
once known as fibrositis, not many people know what fibromyalgia
is.
What is fibromyalgia? Well, it a chronic condition that causes stiffness
of the muscles, tendons and joints. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis
and systemic lupus, fibromyalgia pain isn’t caused by tissue
inflammation. Its cause is unknown. Also unlike rheumatoid arthritis
and systemic lupus, the extreme muscular body pain doesn’t
result in joint deformity or damage to internal organs.
Research has been done to find out what is causing fibromyalgia
in people. Some studies have found a low level of serotonin in fibromyalgia
suffers. Serotonin is a brain nerve chemical. Other studies have
also found a high number of the nerve chemical signal substance
P in the spinal fluid of fibromyalgia patients. It is thought that
fibromyalgia sufferers have an overly sensitive central nervous
system. This is why some researchers believe that an infection,
stress or trauma may have led to fibromyalgia in some patients.
Fibromyalgia is found mostly in women. Up to 80 percent of sufferers
are women ages 35 to 55. Still, only about 2 percent of the United
States population has fibromyalgia. The usual symptom is pain throughout
the neck, buttocks, chest, shoulders and upper back. Weather changes
and stress can worsen the pain. Fatigue is also a symptom of fibromyalgia,
since sufferers may no longer experience deep sleep, like rapid-eye-movement
(R.E.M.) sleep. This means suffers can sleep, but they don’t
wake up refreshed. Symptoms also include tension headaches, abdominal
pain and numbness in certain parts of the body.
There are no truly scientific ways for people to be diagnosed with
fibromyalgia. Usually a person is diagnosed based on a doctor’s
physical examinations and the patient’s history. If you think
you have fibromyalgia, visit your doctor today.
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