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 Signs and Symptoms of Fibromyalgia
There are a variety of signs and symptoms that are
associated with fibromyalgia. Some people with fibromyalgia may
experience all the symptoms, while others only experience a select
few. The severity of the symptoms also varies greatly from person
to person, making fibromyalgia a highly individualized
condition.
Pain
As the name
suggests, the main symptom of fibromyalgia is pain in the soft
fibrous tissue found in the muscles, ligaments and tendons. For the
pain to be linked to fibromyalgia it must be considered chronic,
meaning it has lasted for over a period of three months. This
all-over pain may be worse at particular parts of the day, or get
worse with increased activity, anxiety or stress.
The most common adjectives used to describe the pain
felt are: nagging, burning, radiating, exhausting, gnawing, and
shooting.
Tender Points
Those
with fibromyalgia most often complain of pain in the front and back
of the neck, the mid to upper back and shoulders, the upper chest,
elbows, upper buttocks, hips and knees.
With proper treatment the pain can be managed,
although it cannot be cured.
Additional Symptoms
-
Fatigue – In addition to the constant pain, up to
90% of those with fibromyalgia also complain of extreme fatigue. It
is possible that the fatigue is a result of the pain, although
since not all experience fatigue it is possible it is connected to
something else, perhaps the inability to sleep or light sleep that
also plagues people with fibromyalgia.
- Interrupted Sleep Patterns – The disturbed sleep experienced by
those with fibromyalgia can be associated with a number of
different sleep disorders. The fact of the matter is that
fibromyalgia and sleeping disorders go hand in hand. People with
fibromyalgia complain of sleeping lightly and waking up often and
feeling tired even after a full night’s sleep.
- Chronic Headaches – Many with fibromyalgia report that they
suffer from more headaches or migraines than they did previously.
They can add to the pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances.
- Changes in Mood – Fibromyalgia sufferers often report feeling
slight depression and anxiety. A lot of these dips in mood are
attributed to the pain, the interrupted sleep and the chronic
headaches that are a daily part of life for those with
fibromyalgia.
- Memory Loss/Trouble Thinking – This symptom has earned the
nickname “fibro fog” because many complain of difficulty
remembering things, performing simple tasks, and
concentrating.
- Urinary and Pelvic Problems – Fibromyalgia sufferers sometimes
report nausea, bloating, abdominal pain and irritable bowel
syndrome. They may also experience the increased urgency and
frequency to urinate.
- Hypersensitivity – Many with fibromyalgia also complain of a
heightened sensitivity to noise, bright lights, odors, changes in
temperature (especially the cold), and certain foods and
medications
While fibromyalgia isn’t life threatening without
proper treatment the condition and the symptoms can be quite
debilitating.
Fibromyalgia is felt differently from person to
person. Just what causes some to experience different symptoms than
others isn’t entirely known. In all actuality, the cause of
fibromyalgia is still up for debate.
Continue with: What Causes
Fibromyalgia
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