Fibromyalgia Symptoms"Your fibromyalgia symptoms need expert diagnosis" Fibromyalgia symptoms vary enormously from person to person and affects different parts of the body, although the common symptoms are pain, tenderness and stiffness. Fibromyalgia was previously known as fibrositis and is also known as fibromyalgia syndrome. (FMS) is a medical, chronic condition which affects the muscles, joints and tendons causing massive pain, stiffness and tenderness to the touch. This condition is characterized by bowel function disturbance, anxiety, fatigue, depression and restless sleep, leading to waking tired and stiff. The main cause of this syndrome is not known, the affected tissues are not accompanied by inflammation. With the intense pain, the patient does not suffer any body deformity or damage. Fibromyalgia differs from other rheumatic syndrome like polymyositis, systemic lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, by the fact that, it does not cause any harm to the individual’s internal organ and the affected tissues. Fibromyalgia is referred to as a syndrome since it is a series of characteristics, signs and symptoms occurring together. To diagnose a patient, the doctors depend on the symptoms and signs which tend to differ with every patient and the syndrome intensity. More than 80% of fibromyalgia patients are women aged between 35-55 years, rarely the syndrome affects the elderly, children and men. About 4% of US citizens and 1% of UK and Swedish citizens suffer from fibromyalgia. What causes fibromyalgia? While the cause is not known, researchers have discovered low serotonin levels within the brain of the patient and elevated levels of nerve growth-factor and substance-P in the patient’s spinal fluid. Studies being done suggest that the patients CNS is extra sensitive, with diffuse-disturbance of the pain receptors. Fibromyalgia symptoms • Pain- this is the main symptom experienced by all fibromyalgia patients. This is not caused by tissue damage, but the patient has low pain-threshold and a high sensitivity to various stimuli. This pain is aggravated by emotional stress, weather change and noise. A minor stimulus that does not induce pain causes disabling. The pain is widespread through out the body; the pain affects the arms, chest, shoulders, upper back, buttocks and neck. Areas tender to a light touch are referred to as tender points. These points are located around the hips, back, knees, shoulders, head, breast bone sides and the elbow. • Fatigue- is the other common symptom experienced by 90% of fibromyalgia patients. It is mostly related to the abnormal sleeping pattern; there are many sleep depth levels and attaining these levels ensures an individuals relaxation than sleeping for specified duration of time. fibromyalgia patient's lack this restorative sleep level called non-REM (non rapid eye movement) sleep. This patient even after sleeping for an adequate amount of time wake up tired. Some wake up with muscle fatigue sensation and muscle ache as if he had worked out the whole night. • Emotional/mental disturbance occurs in over 50% of fibromyalgia patients. The symptoms for this include anxiety, depression, irritability, mood changes and forgetfulness. With no confirmatory lab test for fibromyalgia, it is often misdiagnosed for depression. • Migraine plus tension headaches. Other symptoms include • Weight gain Diagnosing Fibromyalgia With no X-ray or blood tests to specifically diagnose fibromyalgia, tests are conducted to exclude other diagnoses. Its diagnosis depends on patient’s history plus physical examination which are clinically based. For patients with chronic body pain, diagnosis is done by identifying the specific pressure points and typically he will have more 11 points out of 18 classic points. Diagnosis is done also by looking for any inflammation or tissue swelling as other syndromes resembling fibromyalgia cause tissue damage. Blood tests are done to exclude these other syndromes; tests are done to obtain levels of blood calcium and thyroid hormone level thus excluding hypercalcemia, hypothyroidism and hyperparathyroidism. Alkaline phosphatase levels are measured as high level means Paget's Disease CPT, muscles enzymes testing helps exclude Polymyolisitis and Paget’s disease as the cause of muscle and bone pains. Vitamin D tests are used to detect vitamin D deficiency. Fibromyalgia prognosis This is a chronic syndrome, whereby some individuals experience long remission, but none truly says they have been fully cured.
As the syndrome progresses, it is impossible to know if it will get better or worsen. Its course cannot be established clearly as fibromyalgia is
not degenerative. Experts predict that approximately one third of the patients will not change; one third will improve, and the remaining third
will not improve but worsen. |
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