Living With Fibromyalgia: Part One

14 Years of Aches and Pains

It was a couple of years of fatigue, joint and muscle pain, IBS, swollen joints, occasional migraines ect ect before I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia was a fairly new idea then and not many doctors would even accept it as a real thing. Please be clear that I am NOT a doctor and nothing in my blogs are to be considered medical advice, but needless to say that I do pour tons of hours into research and am considered the non-medical expert amongst my family and friends. I have enjoyed success in relieving my symptoms through different methods and I thought it would be useful to share options outside of pills to others who may be suffering from fibromyalgia as well. I have had fibromyalgia for 14+ years now. Some may value information on how to manage fibromyalgia simply and naturally.

What Is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a disease that is characterized by widespread joint and muscle pain and fatigue. It implies pain in muscles, ligaments, and tendons that are the soft fibrous tissues of the body. It is a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue. Fibromyalgia as a diagnosable disorder has been recognized by the US National Institutes of Health and the American College of Rheumatology. People with fibromyalgia have "tender points" and these tender points are on specific parts like the neck, shoulders, arms, back, hips, and legs. These points hurt when moved or when pressure is put upon them. Reportedly 5 million Americans 18 or above suffer from fibromyalgia. Out of aa the fibromyalgia patients in America, 80% to 90% are women. So this disease is disproportionately common among middle-aged women. Furthermore, it has been estimated that people with specific diseases like systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus), Ankylosing spondylitis (spinal arthritis) or Rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to suffer from fibromyalgia. The probability of suffering from fibromyalgia increases when a family member already suffers from it. My grandmother on my Father's side had lupus, and I highly suspect that my grandmother on my Mother's side had fibromyalgia.  

Fibromyalgia is characterized by incessant muscle pain and fatigue but this condition is something that is not visible and patients face difficulties in finding out what is exactly happening to them. Some people consult a physician as soon as they feel abnormal pain in muscle joints while others associate it with tiredness caused by increased physical activity. Symptoms of fibromyalgia are associated with abnormal and widespread muscle and joint pain. There is no blood test or biomarker for fibromyalgia. On the same lines, fibromyalgia is a disorder that is characterized by widespread muscular pain and causes fatigue, sleeplessness, stress and mood swings. Researchers reveal that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by having an effect on the way your brain processes pain signals. 

This is the beginning of a series of discussions we will have about Fibromyalgia, IBS, Chronic Fatigue and a few related others. Please subscribe, share, like and comment below!