Fibromyalgia Hurts

Fibromyalgia is the second most diagnosed disease in rheumatology. The diagnosis is difficult, which can be stressful when the pain is so real. The pain from fibromyalgia can be compared to arthritis, but instead of being in the joints, the pain is in the muscles. The pain can spread throughout the entire body and can occur at any time.

Most sufferers of fibromyalgia experience pain in tender points around their bodies. This can be felt after the slightest touch to a tender point. A positive diagnosis of fibromyalgia requires pain in at least 11 out of 18 specific tender points. Some common places to feel pain is in the neck, shoulders, lower back, ribs, buttocks and knees. The severity of the illness will determine how excruciating the pain will be. It can range from mild to severe discomfort. The pain can change in severity during times of the year where there is cold weather. Some sufferers may even be disabled from the pain, rendering them unable to work or fulfill other everyday responsibilities.

A university of Michigan study showed that fibromyalgia may stem from a central nervous system disorder. The fibromyalgia patients showed a greater sensitivity to both pressure and auditory stimuli, helping scientists determine that the pain is related to a pathophysical mechanism. Even so, many medical professionals still feel that fibromyalgia is not a real disease. But the pain is very real and continued research is being done to find ways to alleviate the pain.