Sufferers of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia, formerly known as fibrositis, chronic muscle pain syndrome, psychogenic rheumatism and tension myalgias is a syndrome that affects muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Patients with fibromyalgia do not develop body damage or deformity. Fibromyalgia also does not cause damage to internal body organs One of the problems is that the central nervous system has trouble deciphering signals sent to it and in turn thinks it is pain. Normal blood tests do not show fibromyalgia so doctors have a hard time diagnosing the condition.

Fibromyalgia can be diagnosed by having pain in 11 of 18 pressure points located in various places around the body. There has to be pain above and below the waist as well as on the right and left sides of the body. People with fibromyalgia often feel fatigued but have trouble sleeping. There are several other symptoms that have been reported such as depression, mood changes, chest pain, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, and numbness or tingling in limbs.
Although fibromyalgia is not life threatening, the symptoms will most likely never disappear and may affect everyday activities.

Experts do not know what causes fibromyalgia and there is no cure for it or prevention. Experts and researchers say the best thing you can do for fibromyalgia is treat the symptoms as soon as you can and have a good self treatment plan. There is currently a few medications that can help the pain and improve sleeping such as muscle relaxers, antidepressants, analgesics, and sleeping pills. Lyrica has also has been shown to help people suffering from fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia affects more women than men and about 2% of the population in the United States have fibromyalgia.