Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder where your entire body is in pain. Though the exact cause of this condition is not clear, doctors and researchers have narrowed down genetic factors and injuries caused by traumatic events as the most common causes of fibromyalgia.
Unfortunately, identifying a case of fibromyalgia is not a cakewalk as the signs and symptoms of this complicated condition clash with that of many other joint and muscle related disorders.
Read this article to get a brief overview of the signs and symptoms of fibromyalgia that will help in early detection of the ailment.
- Chronic body ache and tender points
One of the most prominent symptoms of fibromyalgia is feeling pain throughout your body. You will notice that without any evident injury you are suffering from an ache that is felt by every muscle, ligament, and tendon in your body. In fibromyalgia, you might also develop certain tender points or trigger points in your body like your neck, shoulders or knee area. If you press these trigger points or in some cases, even a slight poking will make you jump and scream. - Fatigue
Patients who suffer from fibromyalgia often complain about chronic tiredness. The surprising thing is that they feel tired even after a good night’s sleep. There is a lingering tiredness these patients feel which can be compared to the tiredness a normal person might experience after coming back from a hiking trip or if they work non-stop for days with bare minimum sleep. - Sleep troubles
It is not surprising that with all the pain that this disorder brings along, fibromyalgia patients have trouble sleeping too. It is observed that people suffering from this disorder are light sleepers and get easily disturbed while sleeping. The brain restores itself while you sleep, but in case of fibromyalgia patients, the brain is constantly experiencing random bursts of brain activities. This makes it difficult for the person to get deep, sound sleep. - Headache
Managing and living with fibromyalgia becomes even more daunting with the frequent migraine attacks and headaches that some fibromyalgia sufferers experience. These tension headaches are mostly caused by the pain in the back of the head and neck. - Morning stiffness
Another common symptom of fibromyalgia is morning stiffness. People suffering from this disorder experience stiffness in the muscles and the joints of their back, neck, shoulder, and legs. The sad part is that it is not just a regular stiffness that goes away with just a few stretches. This kind of stiffness could last for some couple of minutes or for an entire day.
Besides these symptoms, some of the other common symptoms of fibromyalgia are irritable bowel syndrome, tingling sensation or numbness in hands and legs, painful menstrual cramps and mood-related disorders.
When it comes to treating fibromyalgia, most of the treatment options revolve around managing the pain caused by the disorder. Doctors might recommend non-narcotic painkillers and antidepressants to numb the pain and to seek temporary relief.
Today, many people are seeking the help of complementary therapies like acupuncture, yoga, massages, cognitive therapy, and chiropractic care to manage fibromyalgia.
