Category: Fibromyalgia

According to WebMD, “The first medication doctors will often try for people with fibromyalgia is an antidepressant, which helps relieve pain, fatigue, and sleep problems. In addition, antidepressants help depression, which is commonly seen in people with fibromyalgia. Older antidepressants, called tricyclics, have been used for many years to treat fibromyalgia.”
“The tricyclic antidepressants, including Elavil (amitriptyline) and Pamelor (nortriptyline), work by raising the levels of chemicals (neurotransmitters) in the brain. Tricyclic antidepressants increase levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. People with chronic pain often have decreased levels of these calming neurotransmitters. Tricyclics can relax painful muscles and heighten the effects of endorphins — the body’s natural painkillers. While these medications are often very effective, the side effects can sometimes make them difficult to take as they may cause drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, dry eyes, and constipation.”
“There are several different types of antidepressants and several of them have been shown to help relieve the pain, fatigue, and sleep problems in people with fibromyalgia. The most well-studied antidepressants for fibromyalgia include Cymbalta (duloxetine), Savella (milnacipran), and Effexor (venlafaxine). Cymbalta and Savella are specifically FDA-approved to treat fibromyalgia. There is less medical research to show that Effexor helps fibromyalgia. Other antidepressants that have also been studied for fibromyalgia and may help include Prozac (fluoxetine), Paxil (paroxetine), and Celexa (citalopram).”
“Different antidepressants work differently in the body. In addition, what works for one person with fibromyalgia may not work for someone else. That’s why people with fibromyalgia may have to try more than antidepressant to find the one that best relieves the pain, fatigue, and sleep difficulties associated with the condition. Your doctor may even want you to try a combination of more than one antidepressant at a time.”

But it is not all antidepressants that doctors recommend to patients; they also recommend painkillers, “Different types of pain relievers are sometimes recommended to ease the deep muscle pain and trigger-point pain that comes with fibromyalgia. The problem is these pain relievers don’t work the same for everyone with fibromyalgia.”

“The over-the-counter pain reliever acetaminophen elevates the pain threshold so you perceive less pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), when taken alone, don’t typically work that well for fibromyalgia. However, when combined with other fibromyalgia medicines, NSAIDs often do help. NSAIDs are available over the counter and include drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.”
Beware the side effects, though, “Be careful taking aspirin or other NSAIDs if you have stomach problems. These medications can lead to heartburn, nausea or vomiting, stomach ulcers, and stomach bleeding. This risk of serious bleeding is even higher in people over the age of 60. Don’t take over-the-counter NSAIDs for more than 10 days without checking with your doctor. Taking them for a prolonged period increases the chance of serious side effects. Aspirin and other NSAIDs can cause or worsen stomach ulcers. If you’ve had ulcers or any kind of stomach or intestinal bleeding, talk to your doctor before taking NSAIDs.”

According to Livestrong.com, “Fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis are potentially debilitating disorders that lead to chronic pain. Fibromyalgia is characterized by muscle pain and stiffness, profound fatigue and difficulty sleeping. Multiple sclerosis can cause a wide range of symptoms, including vision problems, muscle weakness, painful muscle spasms and poor bladder control. Both fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis tend to affect women more often than men. Neither disorder has a clear-cut cause. Despite these similarities, important distinctions separate the two conditions.”
“Estimates vary, but about 5 million people in the U.S. have fibromyalgia, say authors of a January 2008 article in “Arthritis and Rheumatism.” People with fibromyalgia experience widespread muscle pain and tenderness typically involving the neck, shoulders, hips and back. Severe muscle stiffness is often present in the morning and tends to improve over the day. Many people with fibromyalgia report insomnia and intense fatigue. Headaches, depressed mood, anxiety and difficulty concentrating are also common. Researchers have not identified the cause of fibromyalgia, but immune system or hormonal abnormalities may be to blame.”
What about multiple sclerosis? “Approximately 300,000 people in the U.S. have multiple sclerosis, according to a March 2012 review article in “Pharmacy and Therapeutics.” As with fibromyalgia, researchers are not entirely sure why people develop MS. Nevertheless, multiple sclerosis is classified as an autoimmune disorder, whereas fibromyalgia is not. An overly active immune system is thought to trigger the body to attack brain and spinal cord tissue, leading to MS symptoms. People with MS frequently report trouble with blurry vision, difficulty walking and loss of bladder control. MS symptoms tend to fluctuate in intensity over time. In contrast to fibromyalgia, however, MS symptoms are not necessarily worse in the mornings.”
Even their treatment is different, “Although overlap exists between fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis symptoms, different medications are used to treat the two disorders. As of the time of publication, three medications have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration specifically for fibromyalgia: duloxetine (Cymbalta), pregabalin (Lyrica) and milnacipran (Savella). Though these medications address chronic pain, they have not been approved for the specific treatment of MS. A number of other drugs, called disease-modifying agents, have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to help prevent multiple sclerosis flare-ups. Disease-modifying drugs used with MS include glatiramer (Copaxone), mitoxantrone (Novantrone) and natalizumab (Tysabri). Unlike medications for fibromyalgia, these agents target immune system activity thought to contribute to MS.”
One thing they share is that they tend to extensive evaluation processes, “An extensive physical exam can aid in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis. Since fibromyalgia predominantly causes muscle symptoms, diagnosis is based, in part, on a detailed muscle exam. According to 2010 American College of Rheumatology guidelines, a fibromyalgia diagnosis is likely when a person has muscle tenderness at 7 or more specific anatomic sites. To be considered fibromyalgia, no other underlying disorder can explain symptoms, and symptoms must persist for at least 3 months. Multiple sclerosis, on the other hand, causes more neurological symptoms than fibromyalgia. As a result, the physical exam focuses more on brain and nerve function. Evaluation of the brain with magnetic resonance imaging and a spinal tap is also helpful in diagnosing MS, according to widely used criteria published in February 2011 in “Annals of Neurology.” These tests do not play a role in the diagnosis of fibromyalgia.”

Fibromyalgia (or pain in the muscles) is not a disease. According to ezinearticles.com, “It’s actually classified as a “syndrome” rather than “disease”. A “syndrome” is defined as a group of symptoms that together are characteristic of a specific disorder, disease or the like. In contract, the word “disease” is a term which implies that all people with a given disorder have the same problem that result from the same underlying cause.”
“Its simplest definition is this – FMS is a medical condition that is characterized by chronic pain in the muscles and other soft tissue (ligaments, tendons, etc.). It is the most common cause of chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain.”
What is the typical symptom of fibromyalgia, you are probably asking, “97% of patients report pain as their main symptom and complaint. And, it’s the symptom that prompts sufferers to go to see their doctor. Pain can be described as being felt all over the body and is deep, sharp, dull aching, burning or throbbing. The sensations range from mild to severe and are felt deep within the muscles, tendons and ligaments around the joints. The discomfort from the pain can be so severe that it limits the sufferer’s ability to function at work or home and in life in general. Pain often increases with activity, stress and cold or damp weather.”
“Along with muscle pain, 75% of sufferers complain of stiffness upon awakening in the morning. The duration of the stiffness varies in each patient with it lasting only a couple of minutes in some and hours in others. With others it seems to be present all day then worsening again in the evening.”
Those with fibromyalgia have what is called “tender points,” “Tender points are sensitive or tender areas around the joints (not the joints themselves) that hurt when pressed with a finger yet don’t cause pain anywhere else in the body. There is no inflammation that accompanies these tender areas and the location of tender points are in predictable places in the body. A physician in-the-know when diagnosing FMS will conduct a tender point exam to determine how many of the predictable sites are tender as well as the degree or severity of the tenderness. The source of tender points are not known.”
“25% of FMS sufferers complain about having great difficulty maintaining their attention on activities such as work, reading or completing a task. They also mention being forgetful and experiencing general confusion. Some patients talk about being unable to complete the rest of a sentence or easily losing their train of thought. This is commonly referred to as “fibro fog”. Because there is no test to confirm or detect this in an individual, it can add to the sufferer’s frustration.”
“There is no cure for Fibromyalgia. However, more and more therapies, treatment options and support systems are available to help sufferers get back in the game of life and even resume their normal lifestyle before their FMS diagnosis.” Good luck with the fibromyalgia. Feel better

According to fibrocenter.org, “Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than 3 months. That’s the main symptom of fibromyalgia: widespread muscle pain and tenderness that lasts longer than 3 months. Widespread pain is defined as pain both above and below the waist and on both the right and left sides of the body. At its best, fibromyalgia may be described as “mild.” At its worst, intense pain can get in the way of doing normal day-to-day activities.”
“Some fibromyalgia sufferers describe their pain as “all over” or “everywhere.” For some people, the pain and stiffness are worst when they wake up. Then it improves during the day. Symptoms may increase again at night. But other people have all-day, non-stop pain. This could include combinations of neck pain, arm pain, shoulder pain, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, feet pain, and pain in just about every other body part.”
“The pain may get worse with physical activity, stress, or anxiety. Fibromyalgia patients may also be more sensitive to things around them. This may include heat/cold, bright lights, loud sounds, and more. Even a gentle hug could be painful.”
Here are some symptoms: Overlapping conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, restless leg syndrome, migraines, and others; Problems with depression and/or anxiety; Problems with memory and thinking clearly (sometimes called “fibro fog”); Chronic fatigue and sleep problems.
WebMD adds, “Unlike the joint pain of osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia pain is felt over the entire body. The pain can be a deep, sharp, dull, throbbing, or aching, and it is pain that’s felt in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the joints. The Arthritis Foundation describes the muscle and tissue pain as tender, aching, throbbing, sore, burning, and gnawing.”

“Along with the deep muscle soreness and body aches, people with fibromyalgia may have painful tender points or localized areas of tenderness around their joints that hurt when pressed with a finger. It’s the tissue around the muscles and joints rather than the joints themselves that hurts. These tender points are often not areas of deep pain. Instead, they are superficial, located under the surface of the skin.”
And then aside from having tender points and pain, there is also “Next to pain and tender points, fatigue is a major complaint. Fatigue in fibromyalgia refers to a lingering tiredness that is more constant and limiting than what we would usually expect. Some patients complain of being tired even when they should feel rested, such as when they’ve had enough sleep. Some patients report the fatigue of fibromyalgia as being similar to symptoms of flu. Some compare it to how it feels after working long hours and missing a lot of sleep.”
According to fmnetnews.com, “People with fibromyalgia often describe their symptoms as a flu-like infection that doesn’t go away. It leaves you exhausted and unable to think or find the right words (symptoms of fibro fog). With fibromyalgia, you have trouble sleeping and wake up stiff and achy. Your symptoms can be debilitating and you probably feel as though you have to push yourself to get anything done.”

According to eHow.com, “Look at pain management over-the-counter medications types which consist of ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen,” and “Consider prescription pain management prescriptions such as Tramadol/Ultram and Lyrica, which are non-narcotic medications, or low dosages of anti-depressants, which are serotonin re-uptake inhibitors such as Cymbalta, which helps to improve sleep and relieve pain.”
Moreover, when it comes to sleep problems, “Work on sleep management through improving and increasing the amount of healthy sleep cycle. Avoid eating right before going to bed and also avoid sugar, alcohol and drinking caffeine.”
“Try alternative therapies such as acupuncture, acupressure, massages, relaxation techniques, heat and cold compress treatments, light cardio therapy, biofeedback, physical therapy , aromatherapy, and chiropractic methods”
“Change the way you eat by eating more produce and non-processed foods . Avoid sugar, caffeine, and alcohol or use sparingly.”
“Practice self-care management such as breathing exercises to help reduce stress. Exercise regularly, maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating well and try to pace yourself by not overloading yourself with too many activities. This can cause the pain to escalate.”
Lifescript.com explains, “There’s no cure, which means you just have to learn to live with fibromyalgia pain and take steps to ease its symptoms. “Effectively treating fibromyalgia requires a combination of medication and lifestyle skills,” says Daniel Clauw, M.D., fibromyalgia expert and professor of anesthesiology and medicine at the University of Michigan. He’s also director of the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center there. “
“Working out is recommended for most everyone, but it can especially help fibromyalgia sufferers, who often feel stiffness (especially after waking in the morning) and restless leg syndrome. Exercising regularly – whatever you can manage on a routine basis – can boost mood, ease pain, improve sleep, reduce fatigue, improve circulation and strengthen your heart. Among recommended activities for fibromyalgia patients: stretching, walking, yoga, cycling, swimming, water aerobics and strength training.”
“But be careful: Sometimes exercise can be counterproductive, says Stephen MacPherson, N.D., a naturopathic doctor at the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Center in Seattle. Many are so fatigued, that it makes it difficult to exercise.”
“Fibromyalgia patients suffer pain more intensely than other people do. They may feel it all over their body or in multiple tender points. Water therapy, light aerobics, application of heat or cold, acupuncture, and osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation have helped fibromyalgia patients, say the experts at the National Fibromyalgia Association. So has physical therapy.”
“It can increase mobility, improve physical function and ease pain. Experts at the National Pain Foundation believe that physical therapy can help people regain their muscle tone and flexibility.
“Eating lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and dairy also will energize you, lower weight and improve overall health as you battle fibromyalgia. Janet Horn, M.D., Lifescript’s women’s health expert and a practicing physician in Baltimore, suggests eliminating the following foods, which appear to bother some people with fibromyalgia:
• Food additives like MSG and nitrates (the preservative in hot dogs and bacon)
• Aspartame (NutraSweet)
• Sugar”
And make sure you get plenty of sleep!

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome (fibromyalgia syndrome, or FMS), or a cluster of problems. People who have fibromyalgia suffer with pain, either all over or in particular places, have sleeping problems, are overwhelmingly tired and may have many other symptoms.

Five to ten per cent of the population has fibromyalgia. Most of them are women, but men and children do experience the symptoms, too.

Pain is the most distinguishing characteristic of fibromyalgia. Medically, it’s described as generalized musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness. For the pain to be diagnosed as fibromyalgia, it has to be present in all four body quadrants (arms and legs) for at least 3 months, and there has to be pain when pressure is applied to at least 11 of the 18 identified trigger points.

That’s the medical description. Here is how people with fibromyalgia describe it.

“I can hardly move because of the pain I’m in. I’m fighting to stay mobile.”

“There is no way to describe the pain. You live with it on a daily basis.”

“What people don’t realize is that I am in pain all the time, every day.”

“Sometimes you think, no big deal, it’s just pain. It’s not life threatening. Sometimes you wish it was. At least there’d be an end in sight.”

The pain waxes and wanes, varying in intensity. People have good days and bad days. Some days it’s not too bad; some days it’s pretty much disabling. The pain of fibromyalgia often gets worse on cold or humid days, when you haven’t slept well, when you are too inactive or too active, when you are stressed or when your hormones change.

The second most disabling characteristic of fibromyalgia is fatigue. Recent findings suggest that the fatigue is due to a stage four sleep disorder called alpha EEG anomaly. During deep stage four sleep, the brain has bursts of awake-like activity, so there is not enough undisturbed deep sleep for the body to get sufficient rest.

In addition to alpha EEG anomaly, many FMS sufferers also have sleep apnea, upper airway resistance syndrome, bruxism (teeth grinding during sleep), limb movement and jerking and restless leg syndrome. All of these contribute to the fatigue of fibromyalgia.

Again, this is how fibromyalgia sufferers describe their fatigue.

“The fatigue is worse than the pain.”

“Some days going to the bathroom feels like a ten-mile hike.”

“On bad days, all I can do is turn on the TV for the kiddies and veg with them.”

Pain and fatigue are the most disabling features of fibromyalgia, but there are other distressing symptoms, too. 40-70 per cent of fibromyalgia sufferers experience irritable bowel syndrome or other gastrointestinal problems. Constipation and diarrhea, abdominal pain, excessive gassiness, nausea and gastroesophageal reflux are common.

Many fibromyalgia sufferers are distressed by associated mental and emotional problems that manifest themselves alongside the physical ailments. Anxiety and depression are common. It’s not known whether they are independent factors, or if they are related to living in constant pain and fatigue and the social stigma of fibromyalgia. People also complain of confusion, experiencing difficulty thinking clearly and a reduction in ability to perform mental tasks. This overall mental fogginess has been termed “fibro fog.”

Other symptoms of fibromyalgia include headaches, restless leg syndrome, skin sensitivity and rashes, dry eyes and mouth, Reynaud’s syndrome, and various neurological problems.

Fibromyalgia is an invisible disease. Sufferers look fine on the surface. However, under their outward appearance they are often exhausted and in excruciating pain. Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness that is, at its worst, incredibly disabling. The symptoms have to be managed, and even then the pain and fatigue wax and wane. It’s a difficult disease to live with, but it’s not hopeless. Medical care and lifestyle management can make a big difference in how you feel if you are suffering from fibromyalgia.

There is more information on <a href=”http://xxxxxxx.fibromyl01.hop.clickbank.net” target=”_blank”><strong>Fibromyalgia symptoms</strong></a> to be found at Eliminate Fibromyalgia.

According to fibrocenter.org, “Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts longer than 3 months. That’s the main symptom of fibromyalgia: widespread muscle pain and tenderness that lasts longer than 3 months.

Widespread pain is defined as pain both above and below the waist and on both the right and left sides of the body. At its best, fibromyalgia may be described as “mild.” At its worst, intense pain can get in the way of doing normal day-to-day activities.
“Some fibromyalgia sufferers describe their pain as “all over” or “everywhere.” For some people, the pain and stiffness are worst when they wake up. Then it improves during the day. Symptoms may increase again at night. But other people have all-day, non-stop pain. This could include combinations of neck pain, arm pain, shoulder pain, back pain, hip pain, knee pain, feet pain, and pain in just about every other body part.”
“The pain may get worse with physical activity, stress, or anxiety.

Fibromyalgia patients may also be more sensitive to things around them. This may include heat/cold, bright lights, loud sounds, and more. Even a gentle hug could be painful.
Here are some symptoms:

Overlapping conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, restless leg syndrome, migraines, and others; Problems with depression and/or anxiety;

Problems with memory and thinking clearly (sometimes called “fibro fog”); Chronic fatigue and sleep problems.
WebMD adds, “Unlike the joint pain of osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia pain is felt over the entire body. The pain can be a deep, sharp, dull, throbbing, or aching, and it is pain that’s felt in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the joints. The Arthritis Foundation describes the muscle and tissue pain as tender, aching, throbbing, sore, burning, and gnawing.”

Along with the deep muscle soreness and body aches, people with fibromyalgia may have painful tender points or localized areas of tenderness around their joints that hurt when pressed with a finger. It’s the tissue around the muscles and joints rather than the joints themselves that hurts. These tender points are often not areas of deep pain. Instead, they are superficial, located under the surface of the skin.
And then aside from having tender points and pain, there is also “Next to pain and tender points, fatigue is a major complaint. Fatigue in fibromyalgia refers to a lingering tiredness that is more constant and limiting than what we would usually expect. Some patients complain of being tired even when they should feel rested, such as when they’ve had enough sleep.

Some patients report the fatigue of fibromyalgia as being similar to symptoms of flu. Some compare it to how it feels after working long hours and missing a lot of sleep.
According to fmnetnews.com, People with fibromyalgia often describe their symptoms as a flu-like infection that doesn’t go away. It leaves you exhausted and unable to think or find the right words (symptoms of fibro fog). With fibromyalgia, you have trouble sleeping and wake up stiff and achy. Your symptoms can be debilitating and you probably feel as though you have to push yourself to get anything done.

According to eHow.com, “Look at pain management over-the-counter medications types which consist of ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen,” and “Consider prescription pain management prescriptions such as Tramadol/Ultram and Lyrica, which are non-narcotic medications, or low dosages of anti-depressants, which are serotonin re-uptake inhibitors such as Cymbalta, which helps to improve sleep and relieve pain.”
Moreover, when it comes to sleep problems, “Work on sleep management through improving and increasing the amount of healthy sleep cycle. Avoid eating right before going to bed and also avoid sugar, alcohol and drinking caffeine.”
“Try alternative therapies such as acupuncture, acupressure, massages, relaxation techniques, heat and cold compress treatments, light cardio therapy, biofeedback, physical therapy , aromatherapy, and chiropractic methods”
“Change the way you eat by eating more produce and non-processed foods . Avoid sugar, caffeine, and alcohol or use sparingly.”
“Practice self-care management such as breathing exercises to help reduce stress. Exercise regularly, maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating well and try to pace yourself by not overloading yourself with too many activities. This can cause the pain to escalate.”
Lifescript.com explains, “There’s no cure, which means you just have to learn to live with fibromyalgia pain and take steps to ease its symptoms. “Effectively treating fibromyalgia requires a combination of medication and lifestyle skills,” says Daniel Clauw, M.D., fibromyalgia expert and professor of anesthesiology and medicine at the University of Michigan. He’s also director of the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center there. “
“Working out is recommended for most everyone, but it can especially help fibromyalgia sufferers, who often feel stiffness (especially after waking in the morning) and restless leg syndrome.

Exercising regularly – whatever you can manage on a routine basis – can boost mood, ease pain, improve sleep, reduce fatigue, improve circulation and strengthen your heart. Among recommended activities for fibromyalgia patients: stretching, walking, yoga, cycling, swimming, water aerobics and strength training.”
“But be careful: Sometimes exercise can be counterproductive, says Stephen MacPherson, N.D., a naturopathic doctor at the Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Center in Seattle. Many are so fatigued, that it makes it difficult to exercise.”
Fibromyalgia patients suffer pain more intensely than other people do. They may feel it all over their body or in multiple tender points. Water therapy, light aerobics, application of heat or cold, acupuncture, and osteopathic or chiropractic manipulation have helped fibromyalgia patients, say the experts at the National Fibromyalgia Association. So has physical therapy.
It can increase mobility, improve physical function and ease pain. Experts at the National Pain Foundation believe that physical therapy can help people regain their muscle tone and flexibility.
Eating lots of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and dairy also will energize you, lower weight and improve overall health as you battle fibromyalgia.

Janet Horn, M.D., Lifescript’s women’s health expert and a practicing physician in Baltimore, suggests eliminating the following foods, which appear to bother some people with fibromyalgia:
• Food additives like MSG and nitrates (the preservative in hot dogs and bacon)
• Aspartame (NutraSweet)
• Sugar”
And make sure you get plenty of sleep!