The symptoms of fibromyalgia

If you talk to someone diagnosed with Fibromyalgia Syndrome you may be aware of a feeling of helplessness that they convey. Although millions suffer from this “syndrome,” (it is not considered a disease) it is one of the most misunderstood conditions you can have. Many people may perceive the patient to be a hypochondriac or a malingerer, which only adds insult to injury. FMS (fibromyalgia syndrome) is a misunderstood condition -- a musculoskeletal problem -- and has only been thought of as legitimate syndrome since 1987! Part of the reason for this is because there is not a laboratory test, that can determine, conclusively, if a person has fibromyalgia. The best physicians can do is study a person’s symptoms, their medical history, and do a test that measures the pain in 18 different “tender points” of the body. The points are located near areas where muscle is attached to bone and include spots at the base of the skull and the tops of the hips, on the shoulder blades and the breastbone, and on the outer edges of the forearms, about an inch below the elbow, and they are very tender and painful to the touch. If you have pain in at least 11 of the 18 points, spread out over all four quadrants of your body, for at least three months, the American College of Rheumatology would suggest strongly that you have FMS. Another diagnostic tool is testing for other diseases and ruling out other conditions, such as hypothyroidism or lyme disease.

The most common symptom in fibromyalgia is pain. Although fibromyalgia can be very debilitating, it is not a progressive condition, nor is it life threatening. “Fibro” pain is different from arthritis pain, in that with the fibromyalgia the patient feels pain all day long, not coming and going as with arthritis. Fibromyalgia occurs within muscles, tendons or joints, while arthritis affects the joints. FMS afflicts between three million and six million Americans. Many people with “fibro” also experience depression.

1. Physical - such as a serious fall, a muscle strain or even the flu.

2. Emotional - a long period of grieving or an extended depression.

3. Physical and emotional -- the birth of a child followed by loss of sleep.

A frequent complaint of the FMS sufferer is the inability to fall asleep and stay asleep. This is almost an across-board-symptom, and researchers have looked for a clue to the cause of this syndrome in the area of sleep deprivation. Most people with this condition wake up exhausted. Lack of energy is also a common symptom of other ailments such as irritable bowel syndrome, myosfascial syndrome and interstitial cystitis and in this area FMS overlaps symptoms.

Although fibromyalgia seems like a new condition and is sometimes thought of as an ailment brought on by the stresses of our fast-paced modern world, scientist have been describing similar conditions of muscular soreness and fatigue for nearly two centuries.

We are making progress, however. There are presently about 15 new FMS research projects with over $3.6 million in funding. Some of the things being studied by researchers are:

1. The relationship between low levels of cortisol and fibromyalgia.

2. How specific structures in the brain may be involved.

3. The relationship between FMS and a syndrome affecting people who have had Lyme disease.

4. Sleep disorders and pain perception.

The best advice for someone who thinks they may suffer from this disorder is to find a doctor who is familiar with fibromyalgia. A rheumatologist is an internist or pediatrician who is qualified by additional training and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of arthritis and other diseases of the joints, muscles and bones. A rheumatologist would be a specialist in the diagnosing and treating of FMS, and although a conclusive laboratory test is not available at this time, this physician would be able to run tests and rule out other disorders -- treating you with the most up-to-date procedures.