Posted by Heidi/Mermie List of Fibromyalgia Symptoms and Associated Syndromes, Fibromyalgia is a complex, chronic disorder which causes widespread pain and fatigue usually accompanied by a variety of other symptoms. I know personally that many times I could only explain and describe my pain to my physicians as a feeling as if my entire body was [ON FIRE]! Not like a sunburn or surface irritation, but a deep down, in the muscles, bones and joints type burning! I feel it is very important that we be as descriptive as possible when discussing our pains and symptoms with our doctors. Doing this can help the physician to better ascertain our condition and possibly uncover any hidden serious illnesses that we have brushed off as fibromyalgia. It is important to note that these fibromyalgia symptoms will and do vary in intensity and duration from person to person. As a result, the effect of fibromyalgia symptoms on our quality of life is also different for each of us who have to contend with this disorder. Stiffness: Body stiffness may be particularly apparent upon awakening and after prolonged periods of sitting or standing in one position or coincide with changes in temperature or relative humidity Increased Headaches Or Facial Pain: Fibromyalgia patients may experience frequent migraine, tension, or vascular headaches. Pain may also consist of referred pain to the temporal area (temples) or behind the eyes. Approximately one-third of patients with fibromyalgia are thought to have pain and dysfunction of the temporomandibular joint, or TMJ, (located where the jaw meets the ear) which produces not only headaches but also jaw and facial pain. Sleep Disturbances: Despite sufficient amounts of sleep, FMS patients may awaken feeling non-refreshed, as if they have barely slept. Alternatively, they may have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Some also suffer from the condition, sleep apnea. The reasons for the non-restorative sleep and other sleep difficulties of fibromyalgia are unknown. Gastrointestinal Complaints: Digestive disturbances, abdominal pain, and bloating are quite common in FMS as are constipation and/or diarrhea (also known as "irritable bowel syndrome" or IBS). Genito-Urinary Problems: FMS patients may experience increased frequency of urination or increased urgency to urinate, typically in the absence of a bladder infection. Women with FMS may have more painful menstrual periods or experience worsening of their FMS symptoms during this time. Conditions such as vulvar vestibulitis or vulvodynia, characterized by a painful vulvar region and painful sexual intercourse, may also develop in women. Paresthesia: Numbness or tingling, particularly, in the hands or feet, sometimes accompanies FMS. Also known as "paresthesia", the sensation can be described as prickling or burning. Temperature Sensitivity: Persons with fibromyalgia tend to be highly sensitive to ambient temperature. Some often feel abnormally cold (compared to others around them) while others feel abnormally warm. An unusual sensitivity to cold in the hands and/or feet, accompanied by color changes in the skin, sometimes occurs in persons with fibromyalgia. This condition is known as "Raynaud's Phenomenon". Skin Complaints: Nagging symptoms, such as itchy, dry, or blotchy skin, may accompany FMS. Dryness of the eyes and mouth is also not uncommon.
on 8/28/2007, 3:08 am
"If you find a pathway with no obstacles, it probable doesn't lead anywhere."
Apart From General Pain and Fatigue"
Few symptoms are outwardly visible, which has led to much confusion. Sometimes FM has been called "the invisible disability".
Fibromyalgia pain usually consists of diffuse aching or burning described as "head-to-toe".
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