Fibromyalgia and symptoms

Fibromyalgia and symptoms

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread, chronic pain and tenderness. Many also experience fatigue, sleep disturbances, headaches and mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Fibromyalgia is often referred to as a pain syndrome, that is, a collection of symptoms and signs that make up the diagnosis. The cause of Fibromyalgia is unknown.

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition in the muscles and bones. To be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, one must have had muscle pain in large parts of the body for at least 3 months. The doctor must also find 11 out of 18 pressure points, and other diseases (such as arthritis and low metabolism) must be ruled out. Fibromyalgia tends to get worse with time, and most people who are diagnosed late with fibromyalgia can tell of problems going back to a young age. 90% of those affected by fibromyalgia are women.

Causes of fibromyalgia

It is assumed that there are several causal factors. Mental and/or physical overload over time can be a contributing factor. Many have a medical history where the pain started locally in one specific place, but which over time spreads to large parts of the body. Infections are also mentioned as a possible trigger.

Symptoms of fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that causes pain in the muscles all over the body. In addition to this, one also has tender points on the body that hurt when touched. To be diagnosed with fibromyalgia, one must have had chronic muscle pain in large parts of the body for at least 3 months. It is common to experience that the symptoms are at their strongest in the morning, and they can often vary somewhat from day to day. The pain is described by many as a deep piercing or burning and aching sensation in larger muscle groups. They can also be unpredictable and on the move. How prominent the various symptoms are varies from person to person. The symptoms may vary in intensity and you will experience good and bad periods.

People with fibromyalgia may also experience other symptoms, in addition to muscle pain:

• Persistent fatigue – feeling tired even after sleeping

• Sleep disturbances – difficulty falling asleep/waking up repeatedly at night

• Sleep apnea (if you stop breathing while you sleep)

• Restlessness – uncontrolled urge to move the legs

• Stiffness (especially in the morning)

• Headache

• Oresus

• Depression

• Anxiety

• Concentration difficulties

• Feeling of prickling/stinging in the body

• Numbness

• Feeling of pride

• Abdominal pain

• Diarrhea or constipation

• Frequent urination

• Pain in the jaw or face

• Many people experience a worsening of their symptoms due to stress, weather changes and after physical work. The condition is more common in women than men, and most people first develop symptoms between the ages of 30 and 55.

Diagnosis

There are no specific tests to diagnose fibromyalgia. The diagnosis is therefore usually based on the patient's symptoms and investigations to rule out other diseases (for example, arthritis and low metabolism).

The doctor diagnoses fibromyalgia if no other cause can be found and if the patient has:

• Muscle pain all over the body (at least 80%).

• Severe tenderness in at least 11 out of 18 pressure points.

Sometimes the doctor can diagnose fibromyalgia without checking the number of pressure points. This can happen if the patient has many painful areas and is troubled by other symptoms that are often caused by fibromyalgia (for example fatigue, concentration difficulties or mood disorders).

Disease course in fibromyalgia

The condition is chronic, but it does not get worse over time or is life-threatening. Some people experience getting over the pain and living a fairly normal life by managing the condition. There are drugs and strategies to help people with fibromyalgia, but there is no treatment that works for everyone. Treatment is based on combining physical exercise with relaxation, and in some cases supplementing this with medicines. For the best possible treatment for the individual patient, each individual should receive customized treatment through collaboration with the doctor.

The goal of treatment is to achieve the best possible quality of life. This is attempted to be achieved by reducing pain, ensuring improved sleep quality and maintaining the best possible ability to function. It is also important to avoid insecurity and thinking through familiarity with the disease. Experience shows that the best results are achieved without medical treatment.

To achieve this, several tools are used, these may include:

• Medicines to relieve pain, improve sleep or improve mood

• Physiotherapy and adapted physical activity

• Relaxation therapy

• Acupuncture

• Psychotherapy

Treatment

There are no drugs or treatment that cure fibromyalgia, but physical activity and certain drugs can have a relieving effect. So-called tricyclic antidepressants (prescription drugs) have shown an effect on both sleep disorders and pain. Common painkillers such as paracetamol and NSAIDs normally have a poor effect in fibromyalgia.

Various alternative forms of treatment such as relaxation, psychomotor physiotherapy and acupuncture can help.

Good advice for fibromyalgia

Be open to medication. Sometimes your doctor may suggest a medicine that is usually used for depression or seizures. Even if you are not depressed or having seizures, these drugs can help because they work on areas of the brain that deal with pain.

• By keeping active, this can help relieve the muscle pain. At the start of training, the pain can worsen, so it is important to start small. The recovery continues as long as you maintain regular physical activity. If you stop exercising, the symptoms will normally return.

• A positive mindset can also help alleviate the symptoms. Positive thoughts can have a big effect on how you feel the pain.

• Avoid stress and ensure adequate rest.

• A healthy and varied diet is recommended

Sources: Up2date, BMJ, Norwegian health informatics for healthcare personnel, Norwegian electronic medical handbook, Norwegian Fibromyalgia Association