How Does a Person Get Fibromyalgia?

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WHAT IS FIBROMYALGIA?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes pain all the body. It causes the following:

• Pain in the body and bones
• Areas of tenderness
• genal fatigue
• sleep and cognitive disturbances

Fibromyalgia affects more women than men. There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but its symptoms can be controlled.

CAUSES

The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but risk factors include traumatic injury, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune disorders, which include lupus and genetic factors. 

Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals. Also, the brain’s pain receptors appear to develop a sort of memory of the pain and become sensitized, which means they can overreact to painful and nonpainful signals. 

Many factors may lead to these changes. They include:

• Genetic:  Fibromyalgia tends to run in families, there may be certain genetic mutations that may make someone more susceptible to having the disorder.
• Infections:  Some sickness is seen to trigger or aggravates fibromyalgia.
• Physical or emotional events:  Physical events like accidents. Prolonged psychological stress can cause fibromyalgia.

RISK FACTORS

There are certain groups of people who are more prone to or more likely to develop fibromyalgia, and so fall into the risky groups. These risk factors include:

• Other Disorders:  People with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, may be more likely online to develop fibromyalgia.
• Sex Group: Women have more potential to develop fibromyalgia than men. Fibromyalgia is diagnosed more often in women than men.
• Family History: People whose parents or siblings develop fibromyalgia may be more likely to develop this disorder.
• Prolong Emotional Injury: People who have undergone prolong stress and emotional injury may more likely develop fibromyalgia.

SYMPTOMS

Widespread pain in the body and mood swings. Common symptoms include:

• Pains in the muscles, abdomen, back, or neck
• Pain can be chronic, diffuse, sharp, or severe
• Pain occurs every time, mostly at night
• Muscle tenderness, muscle spasms, delayed onset muscle soreness
• Fatigue, the feeling of tiredness, or malaise
• Constipation
• Nausea
• Excessive passing out of gas
• Anxiety and mood swings
• Nervousness
• Forgetfulness and lack of concentration (fibro-fog)
• A sensation of coolness in the hand
• A tingling sensation (pins and needles), both hands and feet
• Sleeping inability
• Depression
• Menstrual cramps
• Joint stiffness
• Irritability
• Headache
• Bladder problems, such as intestinal cystitis
• Sleeping for long periods without feeling rested
• Vision problem.

COMPLICATIONS

Complications may arise if a fibromyalgia patient is confronted with other health-related conditions. Exposure to strenuous labor can lead to pains in the muscle, abdomen, back, or neck. So someone’s nature of employment can lead to complications of fibromyalgia condition. 

When these pains continue, they become chronic. Nerves are affected, sleeping inability, fatigue and tiredness, and other health complications will set in. Anxiety and worries, mood swings, and depression become the order of the day. 

This development will grossly affect your ability to function both at home or on the job. The frustration arising thereby can result in depression and serious emotional defects and extreme cases of mental disorders and even death.

DIAGNOSIS

Contrary to the former 18 specific points (tender points) check, newer guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology don’t require a tender point examination. Instead, the main factor needed for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia is widespread pain throughout your body for at least three months. 

For the criteria to be met, you must have pain in at least 4 out of these 5 areas:

• Right upper region, including shoulder, arm, or jaw
• Left upper region, including shoulder, arm, or jaw
• Right lower region, including hip, buttock, or leg
• Left lower region, including hip, buttock, or leg
• The axial region, which includes the neck, back, chest, or abdomen

Tests

Some disorders may have similar symptoms to those of fibromyalgia. With these tests, your doctor may rule out other conditions with similar symptoms.

Blood Tests may include:

• Complete blood count
• Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Detects inflammation.
• Rheumatoid factor
• Celiac serology
• Cyclic citrullinated  peptide test
• Thyroid function test
• Anti-Nuclear antibody
• Vitamin D
• Overnight Sleep Study

For those patients who may be suffering from sleep apnea, the doctor may recommend an overnight sleep study. Performed in the hospital beds, you may have to spend a night.

TREATMENT

Fibromyalgia has no cure. Treatment is focused on minimizing symptoms and improving general health. Treatment includes both medication and self-care methods. No one treatment works for all symptoms.

Medications

Aim at reducing pain and improving sleep. They include:

1. Pain relievers: Over-the-counter pain relievers may include the following:

• Acetaminophen(Tylenol, others)
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others)
• Naproxen sodium (Aleve, others)

(Note; Opioid medications are not recommended because of their significant side effects).

Anti-depressants: Ease pain and fatigue, promotes sleep. They include:

• Duloxetine (Cymbalta)
• Milnacipran (Savella)
• Amitriptyline
• Cyclobenzaprine

Anti-seizure drugs:

• Gabapentin (Neurontin)
• Pregabalin (Lyrica)

Therapies

A variety of different therapies do help reduce the effectiveness of fibromyalgia on your body and life. Such therapies include:

• Physical Therapy: Teaches you the exercise that will improve your health, strength, flexibility, and stamina. Water-based exercise seems to be the best.
• Occupational Therapy. Adjustments to your work area or the way you perform certain tasks will cause less stress on your body.
• Counseling: Good counsel can help strengthen your belief in your abilities and expose you to strategies for dealing with a stressful situation. 

Lifestyle And Home Remedies

Self-care is important in the management of fibromyalgia.

• Stress control: Avoiding or limiting overexertion and emotional stress is important in managing fibromyalgia. Create time for each day. Don’t fall into anger or guilt. Try stress management techniques, such as deep-breathing exercises or meditation.
• Regular exercise: Initially, exercise may increase your pains, but gradual and regular exercise often decreases symptoms.  Correct may include swimming, riding, walking, and water aerobics. A physical therapist can develop a home exercise program for you. Good posture and relaxation exercises may be very helpful.
• Moderation:  Keep activity on an even level. Don’t overdo in your good days, and don’t self-limit or do too little on days that symptoms flare.
• Quality sleep: Fatigue is one of the main components of fibromyalgia. Having good quality sleeping habits, such as going to bed and waking up at the same time each day.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle: Eat healthy foods, reduce your caffeine intake. Don’t use tobacco or hard drugs. Do contentable things that you find enjoyable and fulfilling every day.

Alternative Medicine

Complementary and alternative therapies for pain and stress relief are not new. Their use has become more popular in recent years, especially with people suffering from chronic diseases, such as fibromyalgia. 

Some of these therapies include:

• Acupuncture: A Chinese medical system based on restoring the normal balance of life forces. Causes changes in the blood flow and transmission to the brain.
• Massage Therapy: Using different manipulation techniques to move your body’s muscles and soft tissues.
• Yoga and Tai-chi: This practice combines meditation, slow movements, deep breathing, and relaxation.

FAQS

• How does a person get fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is often triggered by a stressful event, which includes physical stress or emotional stress, injury, or viral infection.

• What kind of disease is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread muscular-skeletal pain, accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal process painful and non-painful signals.

• What kind of disease is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that is a lifelong condition. It is not a progressive disease, meaning that it will not get worse over time. It also does not cause damage to your joints, muscles, or organs. Taking steps to treat fibromyalgia can help relieve your symptoms.  

• What is a cognitive disturbance? 

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is the stage between the expected cognitive decline of normal aging and the more serious decline of dementia. It’s characterized by problems with memory, language, thinking, or judgment.

• What is the most common cause of Fatigue?

Fatigue can be traced to one or more of your habits or routines, particularly lack of exercise. It’s also commonly related to depression. On occasion, fatigue is a symptom of other underlying conditions that require medical treatment.