What is fibromyalgia and who can it affect?

Answer 1

The primary symptom of fibromyalgia is widespread, diffuse pain, often including heightened sensitivity of the skin (Allodynia), achiness around joints, and nerve pain. Chronic sleep disturbances are also characteristic of fibromyalgia, and some studies suggest that these sleep disturbances are the result of a sleep disorder called alpha wave interrupted sleep pattern, a condition in which deep sleep is frequently interrupted by bursts of brain activity similar to wakefulness. Many patients experience "brain fog," which is objectively proven abnormally slow brain waves and objectively proven cognitive deficits. Many experts feel that "brain fog" is directly related to the sleep disturbances experienced by sufferers of fibromyalgia. Other symptoms often attributed to fibromyalgia (possibly due to another comorbid disorder) are physical fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, genitourinary symptoms such as those associated with the chronic bladder condition interstitial cystitis, dermatological disorders, headaches, myoclonic twitches, and symptomatic hypoglycemia. Although it is common in people with fibromyalgia for pain to be widespread, it may also be localized in areas such as the shoulders, neck, back, hips, or other areas. Not all patients have all symptoms.

Answer 2

Fibromyalgia is a common and chronic disorder characterized by widespread muscle pain, fatigue, and multiple tender points. Tender points are specific places on the body—on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, and upper and lower extremities—where people with fibromyalgia feel pain in response to slight pressure.

Is is common among women, however, men and children also can be affected.

Answer 3

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a long-term problem that causes pain in the muscles and soft tissues of your body. You may lack energy or have trouble sleeping. These and other symptoms can be severe enough to affect your work and home life. But fibromyalgia does no permanent damage to your muscles, joints, or organs.

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome—a set of symptoms that occur together but do not have a known cause.

What causes fibromyalgia?

There are theories as to what may cause fibromyalgia, but at this point there is not enough evidence to support any single cause. Some experts think that fibromyalgia may be related to nerve cells that are too sensitive. Others think that chemicals in the brain (neurotransmitters) may be out of balance. Or it may be related to disturbances of the deep phase of sleep.

What are the symptoms of fibromyalgia?

Most people with fibromyalgia have pain in their muscles, soft tissues, back, or neck, as well as sleep problems. Many people get so tired (fatigued) that they become weak. If pain and fatigue are severe enough, the person can become disabled. A more specific sign of fibromyalgia is the presence of up to 18 specific tender points on the body. These are painful only when you press directly on them.

Although they are less common than pain, fatigue, and sleep problems, a variety of other symptoms may occur as well. These include headaches, morning stiffness, trouble concentrating, and irritable bowel syndrome. As with many conditions that cause chronic pain, it is common for people with fibromyalgia to have anxiety and depression. These can make symptoms worse.

Symptoms tend to come and go. Times when they are constant (flares) may be followed by times when they occur less often with less intensity, or are absent (remissions). Some people find that their symptoms are worse in cold and damp weather, during times of stress, or when they try to do too much.

How is fibromyalgia diagnosed?

Doctors diagnose fibromyalgia based on two things. One is widespread pain, defined as pain on both sides of the body above and below the waist. The other is tenderness in at least 11 of 18 tender points when pressed.

How is fibromyalgia treated?

There is no cure for fibromyalgia, but doctors can treat and control the symptoms. If you have fibromyalgia, you can help manage the symptoms by taking an active role in your treatment.

Treatment may be different for each person. It can include:

Getting regular exercise to help with muscle aches and stiffness.
Changing your routine, schedule, and surroundings to improve your sleep habits and reduce stress.
Taking medicine to help you sleep better and to relieve pain.
Getting counseling to help you to manage long-term (chronic) pain and find better ways to handle stress.
Some people with fibromyalgia also find complementary therapies helpful. These include acupuncture, massage, behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques.

Answer 4

It is basically pain. It is in a wide variety of people and the pain is in different places per person. It can affect anyone. It may affect someone so bad as to get dissability or only affect them once a year. My mother was just diagnosed with this a couple of days ago and has been off work all week because of the pain.

Answer 5

it is usually reserved for those who keep whining about pain and the Doctors can not find anything wrong so they diagnose fibromyalgia so they can send them to A specialist ( get rid of them)

Answer 6

Fibromyalgia is a rare skin cancer i believe and it can effect anyone! Search yahoo not right sure i think thats what it is!

Answer 7

It's a chronic disorder characterized by the widespread musculoskeletal pain and it's found mainly in woman.

Answer 8

webmd.com