subject: Fibromyalgia Symptoms [print this page] Fibromyalgia Symptoms Fibromyalgia Symptoms
Fibromyalgia is a disease of the muscles and fibrous connective tissue. It affects both sexes although it seems to have a predilection for women. It usually occurs between the age of thirty to fifty years old although it can start at childhood. It has been said that fibromyalgia affects around two percent of the world population.
PAIN
The most common feature of fibromyalgia is pain. The pain is defined as widespread and chronic and capable of affecting any part of the body at different levels of intensity. It is usually worse in the morning than any other time of day. When a patient with fibromyalgia experiences pain, it is often described as profound and can either be stabbing, throbbing or shooting pain. Some patients experience deep muscular pain as well as twitching. It is often associated with some amount of numbness and tingling sensation which adds to the patients discomfort even more.
Patients may also experience muscle spasms and muscle weakness. They usually wake up with body pain and stiffness. The joints are generally not affected although it may seem like it is. The pain may increase during cold weather, when the patient is stressed out and with increased activity.
SLEEP PROBLEMS
Patients with fibromyalgia often suffer from some form of sleep disorder. They usually have trouble sleeping or staying asleep. Some of the patients experience waking up several times every night because they are unable to achieve deep sleep. These patients usually wake up in the morning tired and unrefreshed.
FATIGUE
Aside from the fatigue borne out of a sleepless or restless night, patients with fibromyalgia feel a deep kind of fatigue that make them feel really exhausted all the time. This can affect their daily activities as well as their social, personal and work life.
HEADACHES
They can also experience chronic headaches, usually migraine or tension headache. These headaches can be so severe that it can render patients unable to go ahead with their daily activities. The source of the pain is usually around the neck and shoulders. These headaches occur in fifty to seventy percent of patients with fibromyalgia. Patient may also experience jaw pain due to a probable involvement of the temporo-mandibular joint. This also affects around seventy percent of patients.
OTHER SYMPTOMS
There are quite a host of other symptoms that are related fibromyalgia. Among these would include problems in memory and concentration referred to as the fibro fog' that makes the patient more prone to being distracted. This can severely affect his ability to function effectively.
Another symptom is an irritable bowel. This can affect 20 to 40 percent of patients. It encompasses constipation, diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain. Some patients also have an irritable bladder. Patients should also be careful about exercising too much. It has been found the fibromyalgia patients are not able to experience the natural analgesic high that comes with moderate exercise. It is absolutely important not to exert too much effort when working out because it might do more harm than good.
