A Brief Look at Fibromyalgia My sister & others that I know have have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. Following is a brief look at this disorder, because you can do a search and find quite a bit on the internet. This is a painful illness, causing pain and stiffness, tender spots in soft muscle tissue, muscle and skeletal (musculoskeletal) aches and pains, fatique and trouble sleeping. The pain can be significant enough for some to make it hard to function, whether it be at work or home. Woman seem to suffer this disorder more than men, but men and even children are not immune. |
Some notice that their pain or stiffness is more significant in the morning. I have read the pain described as "deep muscular aching, throbbing, twitching, stabbing and shooting". There can be numbness and tingling. The fatigue is more debilitating than just feeling tired, and includes a real drop in energy.
Other problems that can be associated with Fibromyalgia are headaches, trouble with memory, rashes, anxiety, depression, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome, dizziness, ear ringing, trouble with vision, various neurological symptoms, and more.
Fibromyalgia is hard to diagnose from a medical perspective, something that seems common to those with this illness is tender spots located in specific areas of the body, as indicated on the chart on this page. The symptoms can be similar to Lupus or Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Fibromyalgia can be present with either of these disorders. It can literally take years to accurately diagnose Fibromyalgia, but to be diagnosed with Fibromyalgia the following criteria must be present:
As a Nutritionist, I look at all ailments from a nutritional perspective. I am more inclined to think that things missing in the diet can help cause ailments and adding things missing can improve them. This does not mean that the things that are discovered by those in the laboratories are not valid, but in many cases our ailments may be the consequence of poor nutrition. Or perhaps excess stress, which causes the body to need more nutritional support.
My sister finds that stress aggravates her condition. In the past, she also has found relief by taking Fibralgia (*use the form below to request a "fact sheet" about any of the "bold" items)l. *St John's Wort is used by some in place of the anti-depressants doctors often prescribe. It is also available in a time-release form. Please be sure to read any cautions in the product descriptions, and my disclaimer.
The image above shows the tender points used to help diagnose Fibromyalgia
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Updated 11/9/11