Effects of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia syndrome, sometimes abbreviated to FMS, is a disease that consists of widespread pain in the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Patients with FMS suffer from sleep disturbances and severe body tenderness. The National Fibromyalgia Association states that seven to ten million Americans suffer from the pain of fibromyalgia. Women seem to suffer with this malady more than anyone else. It seems that fibromyalgia may be brought on by some event such as a physical injury, infection, or onset of another disorder perhaps rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.

FMS is often described as a case of the flu that goes on and on. Patients suffer with continuous pain and fatigue every single day. The pain in the muscles is a very deep ache and there can be as many as 18 trigger spots all over the body. Some sufferers complain of short-term memory loss and an inability to concentrate. Patients often complain having difficulty sleeping. This is a phenomenon called alpha-delta sleep, in which patients are unable to reach the deep delta sleep because of bursts of alpha waves, which usually only occur when they are awake.

Women with FMS report that they have problems with their reproductive health. Women are usually diagnosed with FMS between the ages of 40 and 55. Women have a higher incidence of dysmenorrhea and breast cysts when they suffer from FMS. They also seem to have more severe headaches, insomnia, back pain and abdominal cramping before their menstrual cycle.