Fibromyalgia: What You Need to Know

Fibromyalgia is a chronic medical condition that causes widespread body pain and fatigue. The pain usually occurs on both sides of the body above and below the waist. It may be described as a deep and persistent ache. The pain may also be described by many as a shooting, throbbing, and stabbing pain in the muscle that can be quite excruciating. There are usually tender areas on their body where even mild pressure is painful. The fatigue can range from feeling moderately tired to being completely exhausted.

Other symptoms include:

• mental fogginess and difficulty concentrating
• problems with short-term memory and multitasking
• muscle stiffness, especially in the morning
• sleep problems (poor sleep quality, difficulty sleeping)
• headaches or jaw pain
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• nausea, diarrhea, constipation, gas, or bloating
• sensitivity to temperature changes
• sensitivity to bright lights or sounds
• weight gain or loss
• feeling anxious or depressed
• painful menstrual periods (women only)

Symptoms vary from day to day and from person to person.

Fibromyalgia can have a major impact on your life. Some people with fibromyalgia are unable to work because of pain, exhaustion, and difficulty concentrating. The strain of dealing with these symptoms can affect your personal relationships and social life. People with fibromyalgia are also more prone to depression.

Fibromyalgia affects approximately 2% of Canadians. Risk factors for fibromyalgia include:

• gender: about 80% to 90% of people with fibromyalgia are women
• age: fibromyalgia usually appears between ages 20 and 50
• certain medical conditions: people with arthritis or lupus have a higher risk of fibromyalgia
• family history of fibromyalgia

We don't know exactly what causes fibromyalgia. Researchers believe it may have something to do with the way the brain handles pain. The brain's pain receptors may overreact to pain, or there may be higher levels of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers in the brain) that send pain signals.

Genetic factors may also play a role, such as having a gene that causes the body to react more strongly to pain. It's also possible that a physically or emotionally traumatic event (such as a car accident), repetitive injuries, or an infection may trigger fibromyalgia. In other cases, though, fibromyalgia develops without any of these triggers.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Fibromyalgia-What-You-Need-to-Know

If you think you might have fibromyalgia, it's important to see your doctor for a diagnosis. Symptoms of fibromyalgia include:

• widespread pain in the body (usually on both sides of the body above and below the waist)
• fatigue
• tender areas (places where even mild pressure causes pain)
• mental fogginess, difficulty concentrating, or problems with short-term memory and multitasking
• muscle stiffness, especially in the morning
• sleep problems (poor sleep quality, difficulty sleeping)
• headaches or jaw pain
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• nausea, diarrhea, constipation, gas, or bloating
• painful menstrual periods (women only)
• sensitivity to temperature changes
• sensitivity to bright lights or sounds
• weight gain or loss
• feeling anxious or depressed

If you think you might have fibromyalgia, see your doctor for a diagnosis. When you visit your doctor, your doctor will do a physical examination and ask you some questions about your medical history and symptoms. Your doctor may apply mild pressure to different areas of your body to check for tenderness.

Because the symptoms of fibromyalgia may overlap with many other conditions, your doctor may do additional tests to rule out other possible causes. Common tests your doctor may order include a complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR; a test that looks for inflammation in the body), or thyroid function tests.

If you are diagnosed with fibromyalgia, your doctor may refer you to a rheumatologist. A rheumatologist is a doctor who specializes in conditions that affect the joints and soft tissues, such as arthritis and fibromyalgia.

To help you prepare for your doctor's visit, see "Talking to your doctor about fibromyalgia."

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Fibromyalgia-What-You-Need-to-Know

Suffering from fatigue and widespread pain and wondering if you may have fibromyalgia? Talk to your doctor. Your doctor can help you find out the cause of your symptoms, offer treatment options, and refer you to specialists and support groups for additional support and care.

At your visit, your doctor will ask some questions about your symptoms and your health, and examine you physically. See "Diagnosing fibromyalgia" for details on how fibromyalgia is diagnosed. Depending on what your doctor finds, your doctor may give you a diagnosis or you may need more medical tests.

Being prepared for your doctor's visit will help you get the most out of the visit and help your doctor diagnose and manage your symptoms more efficiently. Before you visit your doctor, be prepared to discuss your symptoms, your other medical conditions and medications, and your family history. If you have many medical conditions or medications, make a written list to give your doctor.

You can use this checklist to list the symptoms you have experienced:

chronic, widespread body pain
fatigue
sleep problems (poor sleep quality, difficulty sleeping)
morning stiffness
mental fogginess, difficulty concentrating, or problems with short-term memory and multitasking
headaches or jaw pain
dizziness or lightheadedness
nausea, diarrhea, constipation, gas, or bloating
painful menstrual periods (women only)
sensitivity to temperature changes
sensitivity to bright lights or sounds
weight gain or loss
feeling anxious or depressed
other: ________________________

Before your visit, you should also make a list of questions you'd like to ask your doctor. Here are some to get you started:

1. Do I have fibromyalgia?
2. Do you recommend any other medical tests?
3. Is there anything I need to know about how fibromyalgia could affect my other health conditions?
4. What are my treatment options?
5. Which options do you recommend and why?
6. Should I make any lifestyle changes?
7. Do I need to start any medications?
8. What else can I do to cope? (e.g., local support groups)
9. Do I need to see a specialist?
10. Other: ________________________
11. Other: ________________________

If your doctor recommends medication, here are a few questions to ask:

1. What is the medication called?
2. How does it work?
3. How do I use it?
4. What side effects may happen, and what should I do about them?
5. Is the medication safe to take with my other medications and medical conditions?
6. When will it start working?
7. How long will I need to take it?
8. What should I do if I miss a dose?
9. Other: ________________________
10. Other: ________________________

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Fibromyalgia-What-You-Need-to-Know

There are many treatment options for fibromyalgia, including medications, lifestyle changes, non-medication pain relief techniques, and counselling. People with fibromyalgia should use a combination of different treatment options to control their symptoms and improve their quality of life.

Medications

Your doctor may recommend one or more medications to help you manage your fibromyalgia symptoms:

Medications for fibromyalgia pain: Antidepressants and anti-seizure medications are used to manage fibromyalgia pain. They are believed to work by affecting the neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) that send pain messages in the brain.

Medications to help with sleep: If you are having difficulty sleeping, your doctor may recommend a sleeping pill. These pills are not used to manage fibromyalgia – only to help you sleep. Some antidepressants have sedating effects to help with this as well.

Medications to help with depression: Some people with fibromyalgia may also suffer from depression. If this occurs, your doctor may recommend an antidepressant medication. Some antidepressants can help to manage both fibromyalgia pain and depression.

Non-medication options

There are many non-medication options to help you cope with fibromyalgia, including:

• aerobic exercise (such as walking or swimming), stretching, and strength training
• non-medication pain relief techniques such as heating pads or cold packs, acupuncture, massage, and TENS (a machine that provides mild electrical pulses to help relieve pain)
• physical therapy
• stress management techniques such as deep breathing, yoga, and meditation
• "pacing yourself" so that you don't try to do too much in one day
• healthy diet
• sleep techniques such as having a consistent bedtime, having a warm bath before bed, making the bedroom dark and quiet, and using your bed only for sleep and intimacy

Counselling and support

Coping with fibromyalgia can put a strain on your mental health, and it helps to get support from people who understand. Counsellors can help you find new strength and ways to cope with stress. Support groups can give you access to a community of people who understand your challenges because they have "been there."

Ask your doctor to refer you to a counsellor who is knowledgeable about fibromyalgia.

All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2024. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/healthfeature/gethealthfeature/Fibromyalgia-What-You-Need-to-Know