Fibromyalgia is often misunderstood.  It is a rheumatic condition that is comprise of widespread muscle and joint pain as well as fatigue and other symptoms.  Many specialists consider fibromyalgia to be a syndrome; this is because there is no clear-cut method or laboratory test that can diagnose fibromyalgia.  Instead, doctors and specialists rely on diagnosing the condition by looking for a set of symptoms that, when present together, imply the presence of the fibromyalgia syndrome.

Fibromyalgia Symptoms

When examining a patient for the possibility of a fibromyalgia diagnosis, doctors look for the following symptoms:

• Anxiety or depression
• Incapacitating fatigue
• Widespread pain throughout the body
• Decreased pain threshold and/or tender points

Those are the four symptoms that commonly occur together in nearly all fibromyalgia sufferers.  Additional possible symptoms include:

• Abdominal pain
• Chronic headaches
• Insomnia or difficulty maintaining sleep
• Hypersensitivity to cold and/or heat
• Dryness in mouth, nose, and/or eyes
• Inability to concentrate (sometimes called “fibro fog”)
• Numbness or tingling in the extremities
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Incontinence
• Stiffness
• Painful menstruation

Fibromyalgia Treatment

There is no cure for fibromyalgia, nor is there a specific treatment plan that will work for every sufferer.  In addition, there are no medications or treatments that will address all of or even most of the fibromyalgia symptoms.  Therefore, doctors must use a variety of traditional drugs and alternative treatments in order to build an effective treatment program for each patient.

Because the causes of this syndrome are not yet known, each of the options for fibromyalgia treatment works by treating certain symptoms of the condition.  Here are some of the commonly used types of treatment:

• FDA-Approved Medication: Three drugs—Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Savella—have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of fibromyalgia.
• Tricyclic Drugs: Low doses of some of these medications (including Cycloflex, Elavil, Endep, Flexeril, and Flexiban) can help with fibromyalgia pain.
• Antidepressants: Medications such as Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft can help with depression; they can also help with sleep disorders and pain issues associated with fibromyalgia.
• Therapeutic Massage: This type of massage can help to ease deep muscle pain in some patients.
• Myofascial Release Therapy: This works to lengthen, stretch, and realign the connective tissue in the joints to ease discomfort.
• Exercise: Moderate aerobic exercise can help some patients.
• Clinician-Assisted Therapies: Acupuncture, hypnosis, and chiropractic treatments can benefit some fibromyalgia sufferers.

Tags | Fibromyalgia