Fibromyalgia Syndrome is chronic illness that as of this date there is still no cure. We are hopeful that with wider investigations and research done through medical science that this will one day change. If not in our life time than to those of our children. Fibromyalgia is invisible and largely unknown to most people. This illness is deceiving as you appear to look 'normal' in appearance, which makes it hard for family members, friends or even employers to understand how it can be so disabling. The person with severe FMS finds it a huge task to manage social activities. On bad days, even speaking to a friend on the phone can be exhausting. Entertaining can be compared to climbing a mountain in terms of available energy. The result is that friends depart and life closes in. Fibromyalgia is called a syndrome rather than a disease because it is recognized by a collection of symptoms rather than by a specific malfunction. People with fibromyalgia can be effected in many ways, although the most prominent symptoms are widespread pain and fluctuating fatigue. These symptoms may flare (increase) or subside (decrease) at times, but very rarely disappear entirely. Other health problems that may go along with Fibromyalgia involve the digestion, the skin, and the memory, among others. Either migraine or tension type headaches often occur. Poor sleep is almost universal. The actual cause of FMS is probably an interaction of many processes involving viral action and neurological conditions that effect blood flow, sleep, muscle use and brain function, as well as the transmission of pain. The diagnosis of fibromyalgia is based mainly on objective evidence found exclusively in FMS. The presents of at least 11 out of 18 tender points at certain precise locations in the body in combination of widespread pain. These tender points can be exquisitely painful when pressed. Although tender points can occur in other conditions, FMS is virtually the only one with multitude tender points in the upper and lower segments of the body as well as both sides. Lab tests such as blood and urine analysis, X-rays and neurological testing will usually come back 'normal', unless another condition co-exists with your FMS. The chief characteristics of fibromyalgia are pain, fatigue, tender points, morning stiffness and a sleep disorder. People with FMS usually say they 'hurt all over' because the pain doesn't concentrate on one area of the body. Rather it spreads throughout the musculosketetal system which includes muscles, tendons and ligaments in several regions of the body from head to toe. FMS pain can also change in nature similar the way the pain of a toothache does. People have described it with words such as aching, burning, gnawing, smarting, throbbing and tingling, amongst others. The pain can change from one type to another at different times. Factors like stress, weather, too much activity or even inactivity may cause the pain to flare. At other times it seems to improve or worsen for no reason at all. The pain can migrate, perhaps appearing mainly in hips and ribs one day, and shoulders and upper back a few days later. You may get sharp or burning pain where muscle joins bone at major joints, especially after physical activity. Frequent rests during periods of activity helps keep the pain as low as possible. We call this pacing ourselves. For some people, the fatigue is barely noticeable, but for others it is profound, like the exhaustion that comes with a bad case of the flu. The muscles refuse to work, and effort just results in feelings of weakness and frustration. Fatigue may always be present to some degree, or it may suddenly overwhelm a person like a wave, bringing with it a longing to lie down. Rest is the only way to cope with this kind of fatigue. Sometimes an hour spent sitting down will be restorative, while at other times a full day of bed rest will only leave you wishing for more. The morning stiffness that is associated with this condition, mostly often occurs when the body has been in one position for some time, such as sleeping or riding in a car. This is sometimes described as gelling in the tissues and can be extremely painful to work or massage out. The stiffness of fibromyalgia can in fact be worse than that of rheumatoid arthritis. This makes it difficult to work, even at desk jobs, reluctant to attend movies, take trips or go to sporting events, unless you know you will be able to move around freely. People with FMS rarely get refreshing, restorative sleep. They often tend to wake up feeling sore all over and more tired than when they went to bed. The reason being that delta sleep is broken into by bursts of alpha waves. It's the delta-wave sleep that much of the restorative work goes on in the body. Some medications being used for fibromyalgia can increase the number of hours a person sleeps, however they have not yet been shown to help with the alpha-delta sleep disorder. ~Conners~ 'The siloettes of multi faces as the background on this page represents the many hidden faces of FMS' Don't forget to sign my guest book, Please!! * animated .gif (c) Kitty Roach. FOR THE FREE WEB PAGE SPACE AND ALL THE HELP Like to Have Your Own Web Page? Click the Banner Below! "We Can Help"
Fibromyalgia Syndrome is chronic illness that as of this date there is still no cure. We are hopeful that with wider investigations and research done through medical science that this will one day change. If not in our life time than to those of our children.
Fibromyalgia is invisible and largely unknown to most people. This illness is deceiving as you appear to look 'normal' in appearance, which makes it hard for family members, friends or even employers to understand how it can be so disabling.
The person with severe FMS finds it a huge task to manage social activities. On bad days, even speaking to a friend on the phone can be exhausting. Entertaining can be compared to climbing a mountain in terms of available energy. The result is that friends depart and life closes in.
Fibromyalgia is called a syndrome rather than a disease because it is recognized by a collection of symptoms rather than by a specific malfunction. People with fibromyalgia can be effected in many ways, although the most prominent symptoms are widespread pain and fluctuating fatigue. These symptoms may flare (increase) or subside (decrease) at times, but very rarely disappear entirely.
Other health problems that may go along with Fibromyalgia involve the digestion, the skin, and the memory, among others. Either migraine or tension type headaches often occur. Poor sleep is almost universal.
The actual cause of FMS is probably an interaction of many processes involving viral action and neurological conditions that effect blood flow, sleep, muscle use and brain function, as well as the transmission of pain. The diagnosis of fibromyalgia is based mainly on objective evidence found exclusively in FMS.
The presents of at least 11 out of 18 tender points at certain precise locations in the body in combination of widespread pain. These tender points can be exquisitely painful when pressed. Although tender points can occur in other conditions, FMS is virtually the only one with multitude tender points in the upper and lower segments of the body as well as both sides.
Lab tests such as blood and urine analysis, X-rays and neurological testing will usually come back 'normal', unless another condition co-exists with your FMS.
The chief characteristics of fibromyalgia are pain, fatigue, tender points, morning stiffness and a sleep disorder. People with FMS usually say they 'hurt all over' because the pain doesn't concentrate on one area of the body. Rather it spreads throughout the musculosketetal system which includes muscles, tendons and ligaments in several regions of the body from head to toe.
FMS pain can also change in nature similar the way the pain of a toothache does. People have described it with words such as aching, burning, gnawing, smarting, throbbing and tingling, amongst others. The pain can change from one type to another at different times.
Factors like stress, weather, too much activity or even inactivity may cause the pain to flare. At other times it seems to improve or worsen for no reason at all. The pain can migrate, perhaps appearing mainly in hips and ribs one day, and shoulders and upper back a few days later. You may get sharp or burning pain where muscle joins bone at major joints, especially after physical activity.
Frequent rests during periods of activity helps keep the pain as low as possible. We call this pacing ourselves. For some people, the fatigue is barely noticeable, but for others it is profound, like the exhaustion that comes with a bad case of the flu. The muscles refuse to work, and effort just results in feelings of weakness and frustration.
Fatigue may always be present to some degree, or it may suddenly overwhelm a person like a wave, bringing with it a longing to lie down. Rest is the only way to cope with this kind of fatigue. Sometimes an hour spent sitting down will be restorative, while at other times a full day of bed rest will only leave you wishing for more.
The morning stiffness that is associated with this condition, mostly often occurs when the body has been in one position for some time, such as sleeping or riding in a car. This is sometimes described as gelling in the tissues and can be extremely painful to work or massage out. The stiffness of fibromyalgia can in fact be worse than that of rheumatoid arthritis. This makes it difficult to work, even at desk jobs, reluctant to attend movies, take trips or go to sporting events, unless you know you will be able to move around freely.
People with FMS rarely get refreshing, restorative sleep. They often tend to wake up feeling sore all over and more tired than when they went to bed. The reason being that delta sleep is broken into by bursts of alpha waves. It's the delta-wave sleep that much of the restorative work goes on in the body. Some medications being used for fibromyalgia can increase the number of hours a person sleeps, however they have not yet been shown to help with the alpha-delta sleep disorder.