What is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a poorly understood disorder characterized by chronic muscle pain, non-restorative sleep, profound fatigue, and diffuse and widespread chronic pain. Although Fibromyalgia symptoms may imitate an autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis, blood tests rarely come back positive and joint changes almost never develop. In fact, although symptoms can worsen over time, Fibromyalgia rarely progresses to anything that could be officially categorized as "life-threatening" (although sometimes long-term disability may occur).
Even after what may appear to be a good night's sleep, a person with Fibromyalgia frequently wakes up feeling fatigued and experiences muscle aches or stabbing pains. Symptoms may be constant, or may subside for up to months at a time only to return seemingly for no reason. Diagnosing Fibromyalgia can be difficult unless your physician is specifically looking for it. Blood tests and X-rays do not detect it, and its symptoms can be very similar to those of other disorders, particularly chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and depression.
To distinguish Fibromyalgia from other conditions, a doctor will apply pressure to 18 specific body sites called tender points, which are mainly areas where fibrous tissues tie muscles to bones. Light pressure on a tender point can cause a person with Fibromyalgia to cry out or flinch in pain. There is also a test involving a needle biopsy that can be administered. A diagnosis of Fibromyalgia is made when muscle pain and fatigue last for three months, other similar conditions have been ruled out, sleep is not refreshing, and the patient reports pain to fingertip pressure at least 11 of the 18 tender points.
Fibromyalgia affects women more often than men, especially women between the ages of 20 and 50. Although Fibromyalgia sometimes appears to be triggered by physical trauma such as whiplash (secondary Fibromyalgia syndrome), longstanding chronic emotional stress seems to predispose many people to developing this condition. In fact, Fibromyalgia often appears to be a change the body undergoes in response to chronic stress, much like irritable bowel syndrome or migraine headaches. In all these conditions, physical symptoms are very real and often quite incapacitating. Like chronic fatigue syndrome, Fibromyalgia can involve a dizzying array of symptoms, presenting researchers with many avenues for investigation. Although studies to find possible causes and treatments are ongoing, in the meantime there are many ways to help patients with Fibromyalgia feel healthier.
What Causes Fibromyalgia?
Although the exact cause of Fibromyalgia is unknown, some scientists attribute the disorder to low levels of serotonin, a chemical that relays messages throughout the brain and nervous system. The lack of serotonin may either cause muscle pain directly or aggravate it by disturbing sleep patterns. Another possible cause may be an excess of substance P, which is thought to play a role in the transmittal of pain messages from the body to the brain. Very high levels of substance P may lead to the abnormal sensitivity to pain-producing stimuli in people with Fibromyalgia. Genetics may also play a role.
Other factors that seem to trigger or are somehow associated with the disorder include:
- An especially severe case of the flu
- A physical injury such as whiplash
- An impaired immune system
- Emotional stress and depression
- Lack of exercise, poor physical fitness, and impaired circulation
- Chronic fatigue syndrome (the two disorders may occur together).
Treatment and Prevention
Maintaining physical fitness through regular exercise and good nutrition can reduce your risk of developing Fibromyalgia, but there is no known way to prevent it. Once the disorder occurs, the aim of treatment is to relieve pain and stress and promote deep sleep and relaxation.
A physician will probably recommend over-the-counter pain relievers and prescription medications to induce restful sleep and reduce pain. Nutritional supplements that relax muscles and raise serotonin levels, combined with regular aerobic exercise, combined with massage, can help control the symptoms of Fibromyalgia.
For many patients, the real breakthrough in their Fibromyalgia occurs when they appreciate the connection of their symptoms to longstanding stress. For example, the discovery that the Fibromyalgia pain dramatically lessens during an extended vacation or a change in jobs can be eye opening. Treatment is then less focused on taking medicines to control pain and more on making whatever lifestyle changes may be in order.
Just a reminder: If you have a serious medical condition, it's always a good idea to talk to your doctor before beginning any treatment program.
