Fibromyalgia Awareness Day: May 12. MSW won Best Fibromyalgia Blog again and this post is a tribute to some of my fave fibro advocates.
I wanted to provide you with a checklist for fibromyalgia symptoms because my wife suffers from this disease. Fibromyalgia symptoms...
What are the main fibromyalgia symptoms? Anyone living with fibromyalgia will tell you there are so many symptoms. In fact, before I was diagnosed I use to try to remember them all when I went to a new specialist by working through the parts of my body and listing all the symptoms in each part. For example head was scalp pain, blurry vision, tingling in lips and jaw pain and a feeling I could not relax my jaw. As you can see there are a lot of unrelated, unique symptoms and not every person will get all of these and they will not get them all at the same time as the symptoms fluctuate. So here I will be listing the main symptoms that most people get. 18 Tender Points of Fibromyalgia (scroll down for image with more detail) One unique thing about fibromyalgia is the 18 tender points on the body. These are specific locations, in the diagram above, that hurt when pressed. People who do not have fibro only feel pressure, not pain, when touched on these points. These are the main symptoms of Fibromyalgia: Widespread, chronic, muscle pain and tenderness (tender points) · pain in arms, legs, neck, shoulders, back, hips Often with: · Morning stiffness · Headache · Fatigue · Sleep disturbances including insomnia, inconsistent sleep patterns, unrefreshed sleep · Memory problems · Light sensitivity · Dizziness · Numbness/tingling in arms/legs Sometimes also: · Irritable bowel syndrome · Bladder control problems · Depression · Anxiety American College of Rheumatology (ACR) fibromyalgia tender points 1990 classification criteria If you are trying to get a diagnosis of fibromyalgia (FMS) you may want to see the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for diagnosing fibromyalgia. This was endorsed in 2010. Prior to this the tender points were used as a major diagnostic tool. Now that we have the 2010 criteria it does not mean that the tender points have magically gone away. They can still be used as a diagnostic tool but they are only part of what is needed. Here is an excerpt from the ACR. If you are looking for a more in-depth list I suggest you go to MORE INFORMATION ON SYMPTOMS OF FIBROMYALGIA Thanks for dropping in today and if you have just been diagnosed you may want to sign up for my coping tips for living with fibromyalgia. I have been living with fibro for 20 years and have found many helpful ideas to help you reduce the many symptoms you may have.
This recipe is rich in magnesium, a mineral that can help to relieve pain and tenderness in the body.
I wanted to provide you with a checklist for fibromyalgia symptoms because my wife suffers from this disease. Fibromyalgia symptoms...
The standard pain scale doesn't really work when you live with chronic pain. There are better ways to express your pain.
Are you experiencing brain fog, strange tingling and body aches? These may be signs of fibromyalgia. Read to learn more about this condition.
This is the ultimate guide to managing fibromyalgia from a chronic pain and fatigue veteran who has radically improved her quality of life
Fibromyalgia eye problems can become chronic and be a debilitating part of the condition. Here is what you should now about how Fibromyalgia affects the eyes.
What's in your crisis kit?
This recipe is rich in magnesium, a mineral that can help to relieve pain and tenderness in the body.
| Author: Sharon Ostalecki | Publisher: Jones & Bartlett Learning | Publication Date: May 01, 2007 | Number of Pages: 330 pages | Language: English | Binding: Paperback | ISBN-10: 0763746401 | ISBN-13: 9780763746407
Listening to music can reduce pain, improve functional mobility, increase sleep quality, and reduce depression in people with fibromyalgia. It is a truth universally acknowledged that we may not al…
Which is your favorite?
An estimated 5 million American adults (most of them women) have fibromyalgia according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In this blog post, we will cover what Fibromyalgia is and what the symptoms are as well as known and potential ways that are being studied to help manage Fibromyalgia and Fibromyalgia-like
What are the main fibromyalgia symptoms? Anyone living with fibromyalgia will tell you there are so many symptoms. In fact, before I was dia...
CFS and fibromyalgia may significantly affect your quality of life. Learn about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and health-promoting changes you can make.
November is Bladder Health Awareness Month Update: I’ve been recently diagnosed with a rare disease that they think is actually underdiagnosed-Fibromuscular Dysplasia (FMD). I have it in my carotid arteries and am having tests soon to see if it’s anywhere else. FMD causes arteries to harden or become brittle. This can lead to aneurysms or […]
If you have heard of both fibromyalgia and myalgia, you may wonder what the two terms mean. We are going to look at both the differences between ...
I had the FM/a blood test and this is what I learned.
Read why learning about the cause of your fibromyalgia pain can improve your symptoms.
If you're worried about pain you're experiencing, watch for these fibromyalgia warning signs. It affects about 10 million people in the U.S.
43 Signs of Fibromyalgia You Should Be Aware Of https://onlyhealth.info/465/43-signs-fibromyalgia-aware/
Allodynia is a common co-morbid condition which means wearing a bra can literally be a pain. Here's why fibromyalgia and bras do NOT go hand-in-hand. My experience with bras and why I HATE them. Yes - hate them.
Pain is not the sole symptom of fibromyalgia. Beyond pain many experience fatigue, sleep disturbance, cognitive impairment, and a long list of symptoms.
The best diet for fibromyalgia is one that helps you manage and mitigate your symptoms. Here’s how to create a diet that works for you!
Applying for Medicare disability for fibromyalgia can be a struggle and is much more difficult than for some other illnesses, but it's not impossible.
What is Fibromyalgia? Living with fibromyalgia is tough. It invades all parts of your body and affects your quality of life. The major symptom is pain,
The symptoms of fibromyalgia are found in so many other illnesses. That's why diagnosis is problematic. Here are 14 reasons why it may NOT be Fibromyalgia... Fibromyalgia has many, varied and fluctuating symptoms. It should be considered when a patient describes a history of widespread pain, with no evident cause, that lasts three months or more. As well as this chronic musculoskeletal pain, whichaffects the bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves and tendons they have fatigue and sleep problems and stiffness. These symptoms are usually accompanied by a number of other conditions such as sensitivity to chemicals, irritable bowel or restless legs and depression or anxiety. The symptoms can often start, or worsen, during a period of severe psychosocial or physical stress. Fibromyalgia presents a unique medical problem: Its symptoms are so common, that it is both underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. Because there are no blood tests or scans to easily diagnose it, many physicians have trouble detecting the disorder. It can NOT be easily confirmed or ruled out with a simple blood test. It can't be seen on an X-ray or MRI. Instead, fibromyalgia appears to be linked to changes in how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals. Because there is no test for fibromyalgia, your doctor must rely solely on your group of symptoms to make a diagnosis and rule out other conditions. The key symptoms of fibromyalgia are also commonly found in many other illnesses, and a thorough examination and investigation needs to be undertaken in order to ensure there is not another pathological cause for the symptoms – particularly if there are any ‘red flags’ in the patient’s history suggestive of another serious pathology (Table 1). Table 1. Red flags Older age at new symptom onset Weight loss Night pain Focal pain Fever or sweats Neurological features History of malignancy Doctors need to rule out: arthritis lupus multiple sclerosis chronic fatigue syndrome polymyalgia rheumatica hypothyroidism depression polymyositis hyperparathyroidism adrenal insufficiency myasthenia gravis cushing’s syndrome sjogren's syndrome Infection: chronic viral infection, HIV, hepatitis, Lyme disease So if a doctor asks you about your mood, or skin rashes, or sends you for a blood test of your antibodies or an MRI they are just doing their job. They are ruling out these 14 conditions which have similar symptoms to Fibromyalgia. It is important to do so because these 14 conditions have specific treatments. Symptoms NOT usually found in Fibromyalgia include: arthritis: swelling and redness, loss of motion in joints lupus: butterfly-shaped rash across cheeks and nose, anemia, abnormal blood clotting multiple sclerosis: brain lesions on an MRI chronic fatigue syndrome: profound fatigue that is more intense than pain, sore thoat polymyalgia rheumatica: average age of onset is 70, elevated levels of inflammatory proteins in blood. hypothyroidism: thyroid autoantibodies are common depression: polymyositis: muscle weakness in proximal muscles: upper arms, thighs. hyperparathyroidism: presence of hypercalcemia adrenal insufficiency: severe exhaustion, not typically associated with chronic widespread pain. myasthenia gravis: neurologic signs characteristic of specific disease. cushing’s syndrome: characteristic facial and skin signs of Cushing’s syndrome sjogren's syndrome: dry eyes and dry mouth, presence of anti bodies specific to Sjogren's Infection: chronic viral infection, HIV, hepatitis, Lyme disease Getting a Diagnosis I suggest that you keep a diary of your symptoms. This should make it easier to talk to your doctor or specialist. Especially if you have memory problems, writing things down will provide the doctor with the information that they need to make a correct diagnosis. When you go to a consultation go with: a list of questions a list of current medications a brief medical history including your parents main conditions a list of your symptoms When writing the list of your symptoms try and remember what were your first symptoms and what year they started and then the next symptoms and the year etc. as many doctors ask these questions. More clues for fibromyalgia diagnosis (from MayoClinic) People who have fibromyalgia also often wake up tired, even after they've slept continuously for more than eight hours. Brief periods of physical or mental exertion may leave them exhausted. They may also have problems with short-term memory and the ability to concentrate. If you have these problems, your doctor may ask you to rank how severely they affect your day-to-day activities. Fibromyalgia often coexists with other health problems, so your doctor may also ask if you experience: Irritable bowel syndrome Headaches Jaw pain Anxiety or depression Frequent or painful urination Remember that all ongoing pain should be evaluated. I am saying this because after a while of not getting a diagnosis you may start to question whether the pain is all in your head. Lee Good has 20+ years of experience helping people with chronic illness to understand research information and is recognized as a leader in patient advocacy. She is the WEGO winner, 2018/19 for building the best patient community around Fibromyalgia and editor at Fibro Blogger Directory, which is a community of fibromyalgia bloggers. RESOURCES: Fibromyalgia: Understand the diagnosis process MayoClinic Diagnostic challenges: Australian Family Physician Musculoskeletal Pain: Cleveland Clinic
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic health disorder that causes intense fatigue and extensive muscle pain. It can be life-changing for people ...
Do you succumb to the thought process of New Year, New You? I do not, and I will tell you why. First of all, having a chronic pain illness often limits my mobility. Really, the term “new you” sounds awesome, but is unrealistic for someone with an incurable condition. Do I really want to set […]
Are you experiencing brain fog, strange tingling and body aches? These may be signs of fibromyalgia. Read to learn more about this condition.
"Fibro doesn’t care if you have things to do that day; if it is a bad pain day, it is a bad pain day.”
How are myofascial pain syndrome and fibromyalgia related - or are they? How to treat myofascial pain syndrome and why doing so may help your fibromyalgia pain.
The symptoms of fibromyalgia are found in so many other illnesses. That's why diagnosis is problematic. Here are 14 reasons why it may NOT be Fibromyalgia... Fibromyalgia has many, varied and fluctuating symptoms. It should be considered when a patient describes a history of widespread pain, with no evident cause, that lasts three months or more. As well as this chronic musculoskeletal pain, whichaffects the bones, ligaments, muscles, nerves and tendons they have fatigue and sleep problems and stiffness. These symptoms are usually accompanied by a number of other conditions such as sensitivity to chemicals, irritable bowel or restless legs and depression or anxiety. The symptoms can often start, or worsen, during a period of severe psychosocial or physical stress. Fibromyalgia presents a unique medical problem: Its symptoms are so common, that it is both underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed. Because there are no blood tests or scans to easily diagnose it, many physicians have trouble detecting the disorder. It can NOT be easily confirmed or ruled out with a simple blood test. It can't be seen on an X-ray or MRI. Instead, fibromyalgia appears to be linked to changes in how the brain and spinal cord process pain signals. Because there is no test for fibromyalgia, your doctor must rely solely on your group of symptoms to make a diagnosis and rule out other conditions. The key symptoms of fibromyalgia are also commonly found in many other illnesses, and a thorough examination and investigation needs to be undertaken in order to ensure there is not another pathological cause for the symptoms – particularly if there are any ‘red flags’ in the patient’s history suggestive of another serious pathology (Table 1). Table 1. Red flags Older age at new symptom onset Weight loss Night pain Focal pain Fever or sweats Neurological features History of malignancy Doctors need to rule out: arthritis lupus multiple sclerosis chronic fatigue syndrome polymyalgia rheumatica hypothyroidism depression polymyositis hyperparathyroidism adrenal insufficiency myasthenia gravis cushing’s syndrome sjogren's syndrome Infection: chronic viral infection, HIV, hepatitis, Lyme disease So if a doctor asks you about your mood, or skin rashes, or sends you for a blood test of your antibodies or an MRI they are just doing their job. They are ruling out these 14 conditions which have similar symptoms to Fibromyalgia. It is important to do so because these 14 conditions have specific treatments. Symptoms NOT usually found in Fibromyalgia include: arthritis: swelling and redness, loss of motion in joints lupus: butterfly-shaped rash across cheeks and nose, anemia, abnormal blood clotting multiple sclerosis: brain lesions on an MRI chronic fatigue syndrome: profound fatigue that is more intense than pain, sore thoat polymyalgia rheumatica: average age of onset is 70, elevated levels of inflammatory proteins in blood. hypothyroidism: thyroid autoantibodies are common depression: polymyositis: muscle weakness in proximal muscles: upper arms, thighs. hyperparathyroidism: presence of hypercalcemia adrenal insufficiency: severe exhaustion, not typically associated with chronic widespread pain. myasthenia gravis: neurologic signs characteristic of specific disease. cushing’s syndrome: characteristic facial and skin signs of Cushing’s syndrome sjogren's syndrome: dry eyes and dry mouth, presence of anti bodies specific to Sjogren's Infection: chronic viral infection, HIV, hepatitis, Lyme disease Getting a Diagnosis I suggest that you keep a diary of your symptoms. This should make it easier to talk to your doctor or specialist. Especially if you have memory problems, writing things down will provide the doctor with the information that they need to make a correct diagnosis. When you go to a consultation go with: a list of questions a list of current medications a brief medical history including your parents main conditions a list of your symptoms When writing the list of your symptoms try and remember what were your first symptoms and what year they started and then the next symptoms and the year etc. as many doctors ask these questions. More clues for fibromyalgia diagnosis (from MayoClinic) People who have fibromyalgia also often wake up tired, even after they've slept continuously for more than eight hours. Brief periods of physical or mental exertion may leave them exhausted. They may also have problems with short-term memory and the ability to concentrate. If you have these problems, your doctor may ask you to rank how severely they affect your day-to-day activities. Fibromyalgia often coexists with other health problems, so your doctor may also ask if you experience: Irritable bowel syndrome Headaches Jaw pain Anxiety or depression Frequent or painful urination Remember that all ongoing pain should be evaluated. I am saying this because after a while of not getting a diagnosis you may start to question whether the pain is all in your head. Lee Good has 20+ years of experience helping people with chronic illness to understand research information and is recognized as a leader in patient advocacy. She is the WEGO winner, 2018/19 for building the best patient community around Fibromyalgia and editor at Fibro Blogger Directory, which is a community of fibromyalgia bloggers. RESOURCES: Fibromyalgia: Understand the diagnosis process MayoClinic Diagnostic challenges: Australian Family Physician Musculoskeletal Pain: Cleveland Clinic
Understand fibromyalgia and arachnoiditis, chronic pain conditions affecting daily lives. Learn about their causes, symptoms, and management strategies.
Are you experiencing brain fog, strange tingling and body aches? These may be signs of fibromyalgia. Read to learn more about this condition.
There is no one way to treat fibromyalgia. Learn how some top bloggers effectively combat their chronic pain and if it could help you!
