Freedom From Fibromyalgia Ebook

Freedom From Fibromyalgia

A Medical Definition Of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a condition that affects between 3 and 10% of the worlds population, most of whom are female. It is most commonly found between the ages of 20 and 50.

Also known as fibromyositis, Fibromyalgia is part of a group of common rheumatoid disorders (those not involving the joints). It is characterized by achy pain, tenderness, and stiffness of muscles.

The painful condition of the muscles can occur as a result of stress, muscle injury, or muscle overuse. Tender areas in the muscles commonly called "knots" but in medical terminology called "tender points" create muscle spasm and tightness.

Fibromyalgia is not contagious, and recent studies suggest that people with fibromyalgia may be genetically predisposed. It affects more women than men, with a ratio globally of 3-5:1.

Estimates now put between three and six percent of the population in the United States alone as having been diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

A related condition that can be present with fibromyalgia, is Myofascial Pain Syndrome or MPS. This condition is also characterized by painful muscles, however people with MPS have trigger points not tender points. Trigger points are places anywhere on the body that when pressed cause pain to radiate in repeatable ways. MPS sometimes follows injuries, overuse injuries such as RSI, and trauma.

MPS sometimes spreads, and a condition which was localized can eventually become quite generalized if left untreated.

Initially MPS and Fibromyalgia were thought to be the same, however it is increasingly clear that they are not. However the confusion arises because they are often present together.

The Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

What was once a little known illness that frustrated both doctors and patients has become more common than many people think. The first step to diagnosis is going through a checklist of fibromyalgia symptoms to see which and how many you are experiencing or have experienced.

While fibromyalgia's symptoms are certainly not easy to deal with, you can find at least some comfort in knowing that fibromyalgia is not a life-threatening disease.

Pain. One of the predominant fibromyalgia symptoms is widespread pain that often affects every part of the body. Because everybody is different, pain often differs from patient to patient. Pain may be burning, stabbing, throbbing, or tingling. It is also common to suffer from stiffness upon waking.

Fatigue. Being tired is one thing. Suffering from the fatigue of fibromyalgia, one of fibromyalgia's predominant symptoms, is a whole other ballgame. Those who have suffered from fibro fatigue often complain of feeling as though they have the flu, their muscles weak and their bodies and minds sluggish.

Sleep problems. Getting a good night's sleep is often illusive for those with fibromyalgia while a predominant fibromyalgia symptom for others is getting too much sleep. Regardless of whether you sleep too much or can't get enough sleep, talk with your doctor about possible remedies.

Painful menstruation. Woman with fibromyalgia often must deal with painful menstruations with menstrual cramps lasting several days. While this fibromyalgia symptom and condition is extremely frustrating, women can generally find relief to some extent with medication.

Extreme sensitivity. Those with fibromyalgia are often extremely sensitive, another common fibromyalgia symptom. For example, you may bump into a door that results in stinging pain. Someone else, who doesn't have fibromyalgia, may bump into that same door and barely feel it.

Numbness. Numbness, another common fibromyalgia symptom, can occur anywhere in the body, but is often predominant in the arms and hands and legs and feet. If you spend time typing during the day, for example, you may find that your arms and hands go numb after a period of time. In other instances, you could simply feel numb, without any aggravating factors.

Mood swings. Mood swings are a natural fibromyalgia symptom. After all, you're dealing with a very unpredictable illness. You could feel great one day, making plans to do something fun or fruitful the following day then wake up the next morning in the middle of a flare-up. Realize that mood swings are common, and as you learn to cope with fibromyalgia, you'll still experience mood swings but they'll be more infrequent.

Depression. Dealing with the chronic pain of fibromyalgia can be extremely difficult. You're likely dealing with myriad of fibromyalgia symptoms that often change from one day to the next, making life more complicated. As a result, many who have fibromyalgia suffer from depression at one point or another.

While depression is a common fibromyalgia symptom, it is something you can control with the right medication. Many opt for anti-depressants, which can help both the pain and the depression in many cases, to help them learn to deal with their diagnosis.

Inability to concentrate. The inability to concentrate, or fibro fog as many call it, can be one of the most frustrating fibromyalgia symptoms. During days where you suffer from fibro fog, you're going to have to work hard to focus.

Keep in mind that everyone suffers from different fibromyalgia symptoms. Indeed, you may have periods where you only have one or two symptoms, and other times you're dealing with more than you can count. And, remember, just because these are listed as fibromyalgia symptoms doesn't mean you're necessarily going to suffer from all of them.

Talk with your doctor about your fibromyalgia symptoms and what you can do to regulate them. Ultimately the good news is, while you're going to suffer from flare-ups from time to time, you should be able to regulate them with the proper treatment and/or medication. Alternately, you must realize there will be times when you'll flare-up because of a sudden change in the weather or a stressful situation.

A Medical Cure for Fibromyalgia?

Everyone reacts to fibromyalgia differently. But, while no one wants to hear a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, one thing makes the diagnosis somewhat easier to handle: Fibromyalgia is not a life-threatening illness. And, while to date no medical cure for fibromyalgia has been found, there is hope that a cure is in the future.

However, despite the fact that no cure for fibromyalgia has yet been discovered, there are those who believe they've found the key to ending the pain and other symptoms of fibromyalgia. Those with chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia thought they were close to a cure when, in 2000, the ABC News magazine program "20/20" ran a story "A Surgical Cure."

The story excited viewers, who thought they now had a medical cure for fibromyalgia. The show claimed that both CFS and FMS are caused by a malformation of the spine, or cervical spinal stenosis, which they claimed could be cured through surgery. Only those fibromyalgia patients, however, who have undergone a thorough neurological examination and that examination has revealed neurological abnormalities are eligible for surgery.

Additionally, an MRI must find abnormalities at the base of the fibromyalgia patient's skull. The surgery has not yet been proven to be a medical cure for fibromyalgia. However, the story generated a high level interest in those with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, though it proved to be a letdown for many of them.

One medical doctor, Dr. G. Blair Lamb of Canada, claims he has the medical cure for fibromyalgia. Dr. Lamb contends that the symptoms of fibromyalgia can be reversed with a combination of medication, physical therapy, and meditation.

Dr. Lamb goes on to say that the medical cure for fibromyalgia is as simple as each patient being proactive in getting better. Being proactive, according to Dr. Lamb, must complement aggressive therapy that includes stress reduction, stretching, chiropractic care, physical therapy, advanced needle therapy, and pain killers.

What Dr. Lamb describes is aggressive treatment that many fibromyalgia patients actively pursue. Indeed, because there is no medical cure for fibromyalgia, most fibromyalgia patients try to aggressively treat their symptoms anyway.

It's also important to remember to be wary of doctors or others promising a cure. Some may be legitimate, but there are always people out there, ready to take advantage of someone desperately looking for an alleviation of symptoms. Therefore, it's good practice to remain cautious when dealing with those who insist there is a medical cure.

Because there is no medical cure for fibromyalgia, that doesn't mean there isn't any hope. The key to living a happy, productive life is to find the right combination of treatment. First and foremost, you must have a positive attitude, and you must be proactive. You cannot expect your doctor to cure you. If you want to live as pain-free of a life as possible, you must actively pursue that goal.

Sure, you're going to have bad days when optimism seems impossible. Expect them. Deal with them. Eventually the bad day will pass, and you'll be able to return to being positive and proactive. And, while it may not be a medical cure, optimism goes a long way in dealing with chronic illnesses.

While you might not find a medical cure for fibromyalgia, you may well find a therapy that lessens or even dissipates your symptoms for a considerable time. And, as anyone with fibromyalgia knows, even a few days or a few weeks of relief offers hope and encouragement for the future.

Start by finding a good doctor. Choose a doctor who takes the time to listen to you during your appointments. If you don't feel comfortable with the first doctor you visit, find another one. Do not work with a doctor until you find one you like, are comfortable with, and trust. While you might not find a medical cure, you might find a temporary cure for your fibromyalgia.

Once you find a doctor to work with, find a combination of medication and treatment that works best for you. Keep in mind that it may take some time to find that combination that alleviates your symptoms. But, even if several months or even a year passes, don't get discouraged. You will find a treatment that works for you. And, when you find that treatment, stick to it, even when you feel better than you have in years. Giving up your treatment because you feel good is the surest way to find yourself in a flare-up.

While there may not yet be a medical cure for fibromyalgia, researchers are constantly researching ways to make the lives of those with fibromyalgia more comfortable and more productive. And with the advancement of medicine, it's bound to be only a matter of time before there is a cure for fibromyalgia.

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