Fibromyalgia – Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Fibromyalgia – Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues.

If you have chronic pain throughout your whole body accompanied by fatigue, it’s possible that you may have fibromyalgia. Also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), the condition is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain and fatigue accompanied by sleep disturbances, depression, cognitive impairment, and digestive and urinary symptoms. Fibromyalgia pain is believed to be caused by abnormal levels of certain chemicals in the brain and the way the brain processes pain signals. For this reason, even mild changes in temperature or pressure (including touch) may trigger a lot of discomfort.

Women are more likely to develop fibromyalgia than men. Leading multispecialty healthcare centers in Brooklyn, NYC offer a combination of pain management treatment modalities aimed at improving symptoms, and restoring mobility and function.

Here are some common facts about this musculoskeletal pain disorder –

Causes While it not known what triggers fibromyalgia, it is most likely caused by a combination of factors. These include - genetics, infections, physical and emotional trauma and stress, chemical imbalances, abnormal pain messages and sleep problems. In addition, conditions like osteoarthritis; ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, temporomandibular disorder (TMD), and rheumatoid arthritis can cause this painful musculoskeletal disorder.

Signs and symptoms Symptoms of this condition generally begin after a physical or emotionally traumatic event, infection, or surgery. In some cases, symptoms gradually build up over time with no single triggering event. The type and severity of symptoms may differ from one person to another and include – Widespread pain Poor sleep Painful bowel disturbances

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Muscle stiffness Multiple points of tenderness Morning stiffness Itchy/burning skin Headaches Fatigue (extreme tiredness) Digestive disorders Cognitive difficulties Balance problems

Fibromyalgia “tender points�

Fibromyalgia is often associated with areas of tenderness called trigger points or tender points. Trigger points are places on your body where even light pressure can cause pain. The pain caused by the same can be consistent, dull ache affecting many specific areas of your body. A person will be diagnosed with FMS if they experience widespread pain and tenderness in any of the common trigger points which include – hips, outer elbows, knees, back of the head, upper chest and top of shoulders. However, trigger points are no longer the focus of diagnosis of FMS. Instead, pain management doctors will make a diagnosis if widespread pain is reported for more than three months and have no diagnosable medical condition that can explain the pain.

Diagnosis and Treatment There is no single lab test that can correctly diagnose fibromyalgia. As per updated guidelines, a fibromyalgia diagnosis will be made if a person experiences ongoing, widespread pain (without any underlying medical condition) for 3 months or longer. In addition, blood testing may be used to rule out other potential causes of your chronic pain.

There is no single, established treatment for fibromyalgia. But a multi-disciplinary approach using various proven therapies can help minimize symptoms and improve general health. Established pain management and rehabilitation centers in Brooklyn, NYC offer treatment programs that combine modalities such as physical therapy, TENS, chiropractic manipulation and pain management injections to patients better manage their symptoms.

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Physical therapy is a vital part of fibromyalgia pain management. Physical therapy involves therapeutic exercise programs like stretching, and strengthening and aerobic exercises that reduce pain and fatigue, strengthen the muscles, and enhance flexibility. Administered by trained chiropractors, chiropractic treatment involves spinal manipulation and realignment techniques aimed at reducing pain symptoms, improving function, and promoting natural healing. Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) uses low electrical simulation that interacts with the sensory nervous system to reduce muscle stiffness and pain. Over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others), ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve, others) can address muscle spasm.

Self-care Strategies to Lessen the Impact of FMS Living with fibromyalgia can be challenging as the pain and fatigue associated with the condition can significantly impact your daily life. A systematic self-care plan is critical in the management of FMS symptoms. Integrating small, but visible lifestyle changes like doing gentle movement and stretching exercises, reducing stress and depression, getting sufficient sleep and following a healthy diet along with medications, can help reduce pain in the long run.