What The Heck is Fibromyalgia?

introduction

Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that causes pain, stiffness, and tenderness of muscles, tendons and joints. Fibromyalgia is characterized by restless sleep, awakening feeling tired, fatigue, anxiety, depression and impaired bowel function. Fibromyalgia is not progressive, it is not life threatening, but it is still incurable.

Fibromyalgia is not new, but the awareness that is growing rapidly. Fibromyalgia is difficult to diagnose because the only physical findings are generalized pain and tenderness.

fibromyalgia

Name fibromyalgia, introduced by Muhammad Yunus MD and his colleagues in 1981, literally means pain in the muscles and tissues. No ethnic group seems more likely to have fibromyalgia, but women develop about 8 times more often than men. While the medical community still does not understand the pathology underlying fibromyalgia, more and more information about this condition becomes known.

Medical researchers are now actively seeking the causes, mechanisms and best treatments for fibromyalgia and related disorders. To keep abreast of the scientific literature on fibromyalgia, you can search and read summaries of articles on MEDLINEplus, the database of the National Library of articles from medical journals medicine.

diagnostic criteria

In 1990, the diagnosis of fibromyalgia entered the mainstream in the United States. These diagnostic criteria provide an important empirical basis for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. People affected by fibromyalgia do not realize they have sensitive points until someone familiar with the state applies pressure on them. This was the case that people with fibromyalgia are an average of five doctors before receiving the correct diagnosis, but as physicians to familiarize with the offer consideration of the item, diagnoses are made ​​more quickly.

The diagnosis of fibromyalgia is based not only on sensitive points, but a complete medical history and to exclude other diagnostic tests appropriate laboratory. Until recently, however, all symptoms of fibromyalgia or fibrositis is one of its former names were considered largely psychogenic. This was the case of fibromyalgia, because it lacks clear evidence to verify their existence, their victims "look good" and are mainly women, a group less likely to believe. This skepticism began to change in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when he became a research longer available on sleep disorders and sensitive and reproducible in fibromyalgia points.

Treatments for fibromyalgia

The good news about fibromyalgia is that it does not seem underlying condition worsens. Therefore, treatments are focused on the relief of symptoms of pain and insomnia. Treatment may include: medication to help you sleep better, relax muscles or relieve muscle and joint pain. Treatment and self-care steps can improve fibromyalgia symptoms and your general health. The treatment may be different for each person.

conclusion

Fibromyalgia is a long-term problem that causes pain in the muscles and soft tissues of the body. Fibromyalgia is a syndrome (a group of symptoms that occur together, but have no known cause). Fibromyalgia is gained respect in the scientific community and the lay community because of all the research that has been done - on the one hand, demonstrates that this is a real disease, and secondly, show there are drugs that work specifically for treating fibromyalgia.

An article suggesting that fibromyalgia is not real, appeared in the New York Times recently, and has certainly opened a Pandora's box of the FM community. Instead of helping to dispel the myth that people with fibromyalgia are crazy, lazy, or depressed, they chose to focus on the minority of doctors believe that fibromyalgia is not real.

I encourage you to write the New York Times and let them know that fibromyalgia is real and is exacerbated by the arrogant doctors who contribute to the spread of the idea that the syndrome is psychosomatic in nature. For example fibromyalgia is recognized as a disorder diagnosed by the National Institutes of Health, the American College of Rheumatology American Medical Association and the Social Security Administration.

If you are a health professional or a person who suffers from fibromyalgia, it is important to understand what fibromyalgia is and how you can effectively manage.