What is FIBROMYLGIA

Fibromyalgia syndrome is a chronic disorder characterized by severe body pain and fatigue. The pain originates from tender points in muscles, tendons and other soft tissues, and radiates throughout the body, and lasts for several months or years.

Among the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia:

- Depression
- Numbness
- Memory problems
- Sleep disorder
- Muscle stiffness
- Headaches
- Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Fibromyalgia derives its meaning from Latin words “fibro,” fibrous tissue, “my,” muscles, and “algia,” pain.

Fibromyalgia symptoms are often mistakenly associated with other conditions such as arthritis (disease of the joints), making diagnosis difficult. But unlike arthritis, fibromyalgia does not cause inflammation or damage to muscles, joints and soft tissues.

The definition of fibromyalgia as a complex disorder was only done recently, though it is not a recent discovery. Clinical features of fibromyalgia have appeared in medical journals in the 17th century. In 1987, the American Medical Association (AMA) recognized the existence of fibromyalgia as “an illness and a potential cause of disability.”

Causes and Risk factors

The causes of fibromyalgia remain unknown. Some scientists theorize it as the result of abnormal body responses to stress, particularly increased sensitivity to pain. The theory purports people with fibromyalgia may have genes that make them react rather intensely to stimuli that most people would hardly regard as painful. And researchers have identified genes that typically pertain to fibromyalgia patients.

Fibromyalgia affects 1 in 20 persons around the world in all ages, and 6 million people in the United States alone. A large percentage of sufferers are women (ages 20 to 50) than men, though the illness has been diagnosed in children and the elderly.

Events or illness such physical stress or injury, emotional stress, impaired immune system, weather changes, are factors that may trigger spontaneous flare up of the disorder.

Also at risk are people with certain rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and spinal arthritis.

Prognosis

Fibromyalgia is a chronic and long-term condition, and there is no known cure. Fibromyalgia symptoms may be mild or severe. People with fibromyalgia may appear “normal” at home or at work, but live in constant pain and exhaustion, and frustrating physical limitations.

Yet fibromyalgia is not a degenerative disease, meaning it will not damage the soft-tissues in your body such as muscles, joints and tendons. For some people, symptoms have stabilized and conditions have seen improvement over the years.

Diagnosis

In 1990, the American College of Rheumatology launched the Criteria for the Classification of Fibromyalgia. 1) History of pain. Widespread pain must have occurred in the last 3 months. When pain affects all of the 4 quadrants of the body, such as pain in the left side and right side of the body, pain above and below the waist, it considered widespread. Additionally, axial skeletal pain must be present.
2) Pain in 11 of the 18 tender points. On digital palpitation, 4 kilograms of force is applied directly on tender points, and the patient must say there was ‘pain’ in every palpitation. The prevalence of a secondary disorder condition does not exclude Fibromyalgia diagnosis.

Modern research points to abnormalities in the body contributory to fibromyalgia
that form part of diagnostic tests:
- biochemical
- metabolic
- immunoregulatory

Treatment

Treatments:

1. Prescription medications
2. Proper Nutrition
3. Patient counseling
4. Physical rehabilitation and exercises
5. Lifestyle changes