Whoever Heard of Fibromyalgia?

Believe it or not, although the term 'fibromyalgia' was not in our vocabulary until 1976, people from as far back as the Old Testament Biblical times have reported symptoms of the condition. One of these was Job of the Old Testament, who lamented nights of sleeplessness and pain.

Another rather well-known person who may well have suffered from this condition is Florence Nightingale, when she fell ill during the Crimean war in 1854-1856. After the war, it is reported that she spent much of her life bedridden with fibromyalgia-like symptoms until her death in 1910.

This syndrome has had various names over the years. Before it was given its current moniker, it was often called 'hysterical paroxysm,' 'muscular rheumatism,' and 'fibrositis.' It was often considered to be a psychological problem rather than a physical one.

In 1976, the term was given due to the breaking down of the word parts ("fibro" meaning fibrous tissue, "my" meaning muscle, and "algia" meaning pain). However, it wasn't until 1990 that diagnostic standards were set to identify this syndrome.

Even today, fibromyalgia is a difficult syndrome to diagnose. Many doctors still do not recognize it, because it cannot be diagnosed with labwork or x-rays. The American College of Rheumatology Guidelines disagrees and says that a sufferer of the condition is a person who experiences pain above and below the waist on both sides of their bodies for three or more months. They state that these people will feel pain in 11 of the 18 designated 'tender points' when pressure is applied to them. It is also sometimes mistaken for chronic fatigue syndrome because the symptoms are very similar.

To encapsulate the history of Fibromyalgia is to find that it has been around for a very long time. Thankfully -- although there are still not cures for the condition -- there are now some treatments that will help sufferers lead active and meaningful lives.