Posted by MERM on 5/26/2009, 10:22 am
Fibromyalgia Pain
Pain is the most prominent symptom of fibromyalgia. Originally it was thought to be a disease of the muscles and tissues because that’s where the pain is usually felt most. In fact, that’s how it got its name. “Fibro” refers to fibrous tissues and “myalgia” means pain, so the name fibromyalgia literally means “pain in fibrous tissues.”
However, research for the past few years has begun to reveal that, although pain may be felt in the muscles, the problem actually originates in the central nervous system (CNS). There is a malfunction in the CNS, which causes abnormal pain processing. The result is pain amplification. Something that would cause little to no pain in a healthy person can be extremely painful to someone with fibromyalgia. For example, what feels like a nice firm handshake to the average person can make the person with FM feel as if their hand is being crushed.
The pain of FM is chronic and widespread. It affects all four quadrants of the body (right and left sides, above and below waist), although not necessarily all at the same time. Its intensity may range from mild to profound. FM pain tends to migrate, sometimes affecting one part of the body and sometimes another. Patients also report that their bodies ache all over, much like having the flu. In addition to the aching, FM pain has been described by different people as burning, throbbing, sharp, stabbing or shooting pain. Most people with FM also complain of feeling stiff and achy when they first get up in the morning.
ENERGY AND FATIGUE
The fatigue experienced by fibromyalgia patients is nothing like the fatigue most people experience at the end of a long day or following a strenuous workout. It is a pervasive, all-encompassing exhaustion that can interfere with even the most basic and simple daily activities. For example, FM patients frequently say that by the time they shower and get dressed to go out, they are too tired to go anywhere.
Another defining factor of the fatigue of fibromyalgia is that it is not relieved by sleep. Patients may awaken feeling just as fatigued as they did before they went to sleep. Because getting good, deep, refreshing sleep is essential for the body to replenish itself, healthcare professionals will often address sleep issues first. If sleep problems can be corrected, fatigue symptoms should begin to improve as well.
SLEEP
Fibromyalgia specialists agree that getting a good night’s sleep is essential and most say inadequate sleep is the first symptom they treat. Many of the FM symptoms – body aches and pains, fatigue, headaches, depression, irritability, digestive problems – are also the classic symptoms of sleep deprivation. That’s not to say fibromyalgia is simply a sleep disorder; there’s much more to it than that. But it’s clear that unrefreshing sleep does make the symptoms worse. Conversely, correcting the sleep problems will usually result in symptom improvement.
Your doctor may ask you to have a sleep study done to determine whether you have sleep apnea. If you do, using a CPAP (Continuous Positive Air Pressure) machine when you sleep may be all you need. If you don’t have sleep apnea, your doctor may give you a prescription for an antidepressant (which can help improve sleep), or a medication specifically designed as a sleep aid. If you would rather not take prescription drugs, talk to your doctor about taking an herbal supplement like melatonin, valerian rood or GABA. In addition to medications or supplements, it’s important for you to develop good sleep habits.
COGNITIVE FUNCTION
Most fibromyalgia patients report having problems with memory and cognitive functioning. The cognitive functioning difficulties FM patients must cope with include:
Short-term memory loss
Difficulty with concentration
Inability to retain what is read
Word-finding difficulty
Inability to calculate numbers
Slowed comprehension
Impaired speech
Inability to keep track of things
Problems with reasoning
Fibromyalgia patients have coined the term “fibro fog” to describe their cognitive functioning problems. It’s an accurate description because it feels as if your brain is in a thick fog, unable to “see” its surroundings
DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY
Depression, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, personality changes and panic attacks are all symptoms that may accompany fibromyalgia. They do not cause FM; in fact, they are more likely to be the result of it. According to Dr.Robert Bennett, a reknowned FM expert and researcher, the number of fibromyalgia patients who experience depression is no greater than for any other chronic illness.
Despite multiple studies proving fibromyalgia to be a very real physical illness, some patients still have to cope with healthcare professionals who persist in thinking it is primarily a psychiatric problem. However, the tide is turning. With the FDA approval of two medications to treat FM, more and more healthcare professionals are taking it seriously and learning how to treat it.
If you have symptoms of depression, anxiety, or any of the other mood disorders mentioned, be sure to talk with your doctor about it. Left untreated, these symptoms can actually exacerbate many of your other symptoms (e.g., Anxiety causes stress; stress contributes to pain, insomnia, increased fatigue, digestive problems, etc.) and seriously interfere with your quality of life.
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