May 12th is Fibromyalgia Syndrome Awareness Day. I have had this for 18+ years and I can vouch for most of the symptoms especially the pain. I looked up one of the sites listed on here and got a brief list of what it consists of so the next time someone tell you they have it you'll have an idea of what they go through.
SYMPTOMS AND ASSOCIATED SYNDROMES
Pain - The pain of fibromyalgia has no boundaries. Quite often, the pain and stiffness are worse in the morning and you may hurt more in muscle groups that are used repetitively. People with FMS suffer chronic widespread pain, which can be described as burning,
throbbing, shooting, or stabbing, Painful areas often include the upper back, shoulders, neck, the low back, and other areas around the joints. Many people will say, "I hurt all over."
Fatigue - This symptom can be mild in some patients and yet incapacitating in others. The fatigue has been described as "brain fatigue" in which patients feel totally drained of energy. Many patients depict this situation by saying that they feel as though their arms and legs are tied to concrete blocks, and they have difficulty concentrating. Most people with FMS complain of fatigue. It can be profound, interfering with all daily activities.
Sleep disorder - Most fibromyalgia patients have an associated sleep disorder called the alpha-EEG anomaly. This condition was uncovered in a sleep lab with the aid of a machine which recorded the brain waves of patients during sleep. Researchers found that fibromyalgia syndrome patients could fall asleep without much trouble, but their deep level (or stage 4) sleep was constantly interrupted by bursts of awake-like brain activity.). The sleep pattern for clinically depressed patients is distinctly different from that found in FMS or CFS.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Constipation, diarrhoea, frequent abdominal pain, abdominal gas and nausea represents symptoms frequently found in roughly 40% to 70% of fibromyalgia patients.
Chronic headaches - Recurrent migraine or tension-type headaches are seen in about 50% of fibromyalgia patients and can pose as a major problem in coping for this patient group.
Temporo-mandibular Joint Dysfunction Syndrome - This syndrome, sometimes referred to
as TMJD, causes tremendous face and head pain in one quarter of FMS patients. However, a
1997 report indicates that as many as 90% of fibromyalgia patients may have jaw and facial tenderness that could produce, at least intermittently, symptoms of TMJD. Most of the problems associated with this condition are thought to be related to the muscles and ligaments surrounding the joint and not necessarily the joint itself.
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome - Sensitivities to odours, noise, bright lights, medications and various foods is common in roughly 50% of FMS or CFS patients.
Other common symptoms - Painful menstrual periods (dysmenorrhea), chest pain, morning stiffness, cognitive or memory impairment, numbness and tingling sensations, muscle twitching, irritable bladder, the feeling of swollen extremities, skin sensitivities, dry eyes and mouth, frequent changes in eye prescription, dizziness, and impaired coordination can occur.
Thank you for taking time to read this.
*HUGS* Babs
