Fibromyalgia (FM)
What is it?
Fibromyalgia (FM) is the most common cause of chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain, often accompanied by fatigue, cognitive disturbance, psychiatric symptoms, and other somatic symptoms. The etiology of the syndrome is unknown, and the pathophysiology is uncertain. Despite symptoms of soft tissue pain affecting the muscles, ligaments, and tendons, there is no evidence of inflammation in these tissues.
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Additional names
This group contains additional names:
- Muscular rheumatism
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- Myalgia and Myositis
- Myofascial Pain Syndrome
- Fibromyositis
Signs & symptoms
The core symptoms are generalized pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbances, present for at least three months and not explained by any other medical condition
- Widespread pain that is often described as a constant dull ache that has lasted for at least three months. To be considered widespread, the pain must occur on both sides of your body and above and below your waist.
- Fatigue that can be described as awaken tired, even though sleeping for long periods of time. Sleep is often disrupted by pain, and many patients with fibromyalgia have other sleep disorders, such as restless legs syndrome and sleep apnea.
- Cognitive difficulties that are referred to as "fibro fog" impairs the ability to focus, pay attention and concentrate on mental tasks.
Diagnosis
If you think you have fibromyalgia, visit your family physician. Diagnosing fibromyalgia can be difficult, as there's no specific test to diagnose the condition. The symptoms of fibromyalgia can vary and are similar to those of several other conditions. For fibromyalgia to be diagnosed, certain criteria usually have to be met. The most widely used criteria for diagnosis are:
- You either have severe pain in 3 to 6 different areas of your body, or you have milder pain in 7 or more different areas
- Your symptoms have stayed at a similar level for at least 3 months
- No other reason for your symptoms has been found
The extent of the pain used to be assessed by applying gentle pressure to certain "tender points", where any pain is likely to be at its worst. But this is less common nowadays.
Treatment
Treatments for fibromyalgia include both medication and self-care strategies. The emphasis is on minimizing symptoms and improving general health. No one treatment works for all symptoms, but trying a variety of treatment strategies can have a cumulative effect.
- Medications can help reduce the pain of fibromyalgia and improve sleep. Common choices include: Pain relievers, Antidepressants, Anti-seizures drugs.
- Physical therapy: A physical therapist can teach you exercises that will improve your strength, flexibility and stamina. Water-based exercises might be particularly helpful.
- Counseling: Talking with a counselor can help strengthen your belief in your abilities and teach you strategies for dealing with stressful situations.
- Self-care is critical in the management of fibromyalgia.(Stress management, Sleep hygiene, Exercise regularly, Pace yourself and Maintain a healthy lifestyle)
☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.
Learn more about our editorial process for content accuracy.
Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:
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☝ The content of this answer is based solely on historical posts and comments generated by users on Alike. This tool is not a substitute for professional medical advice, and you should always consult with your physicians before making any changes to your medical care or treatment plan.
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