Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain encompassing the majority of the body that is defined by specific tender points throughout, often involving the upper and lower back with all four extremities. It may be seen along with arthritis or other auto-immune conditions like lupus. For many patients, the full-body pain is felt most deeply in the morning and in the evening with a more mild pain throughout the day. However, some patients are affected with consistent pain throughout the day. This sort of unrelenting pain is linked to sleeping problems, depression, anxiety and gastrointestinal complaints.

Symptoms:

• Aches all over the body
• Pain and aching in the facial muscles
• Fatigue and weakness
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Memory and cognitive problems
• Muscle and joint pain (tender points) on the back of the neck, shoulders, sternum, lower back, hips, shins, elbows, knees
• Numbness and tingling throughout the body
• Palpitations and spasms
• Difficulty with physical activity and endurance
• Sleeping troubles
• Migraine and/or headaches

Fibromyalgia is often thought to be another condition before diagnosis. Other conditions that may mimic the symptoms of fibromyalgia and will need to be ruled out by a physician are:

• Cancer
• Cervical and low-back degenerative disease
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Depression
• HIV infection
• Hypothyroidism
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Lyme Disease
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Sleep disorders
• Vitamin or metabolic abnormalities