subject: Fibromyalgia Several Questions Asked [print this page] Fibromyalgia Several Questions Asked Fibromyalgia Several Questions Asked
Fibromyalgia is proving to be difficult to diagnose. This is because the symptoms that can be related to it are also the common symptoms of many other diseases. The doctors will have to rule out all other diseases until they are left with fibromyalgia. Because most of the symptoms of fibromyalgia are subjective the patient will usually have to consult with a number of doctors to find one who is willing to really sort through the symptoms and diagnose it accordingly. Most patients find the process of diagnosing frustrating and discouraging because some will think that "it's all in your head" since the symptoms are again subjective.
If you are starting to experience certain symptoms that you think can be related to fibromyalgia, then it is helpful to keep a symptom diary with you. Some of the important things that you will have to include in your symptom diary are your feeling for that day, the food you ate, activities which you have done and the like. Keeping a symptom diary will be of great help to you and your doctor and will in turn make the diagnosing process less stressful.
Though little is known about fibromyalgia, doctors have come up with some of the hallmark signs of this condition. Anyone with fibromyalgia has one if not all of these hallmark signs. Here is a look on the hallmark signs that is the basis for diagnosing fibromyalgia.
The first and most debilitating symptom of fibromyalgia is the pain. At the early onset, the pain may be as common as back sores and you may think that this is just due to your activities in the previous day. As the disease progresses, the pain will be mostly felt on the joints and will radiate to the muscles. The areas affected will become sensitive and tender to touch thus they are termed as tender points. Along with joint pains, the joints of a patient may also become stiff. Joint stiffness can be greatly experienced in the morning or triggered by weather changes, emotional trauma, and other environmental changes.
Another hallmark sign of fibromyalgia is fatigue. Fatigue in fibromyalgia is not like the common fatigue that we experience in our day to day lives. In this condition it is not easy to brush off and can be accompanied with a little forgetfulness, unclear thoughts, and difficulty and concentration. Because the level of fatigue is quite deep, it is commonly termed as brain fog.
One of the early symptoms of fibromyalgia is headache. The headaches experienced by fibromyalgia vary from tension headaches all the way to debilitating migraines. They may come and go and can even change in intensity.
Finally, patients will also have to suffer greatly form disturbances in their sleeping patterns. Some may suffer from insomnia while others just wake up more often in the night than they used to. The disturbances in their sleeping pattern usually tend to exacerbate their condition since it adds to the fatigue that they are already experiencing.
All of the symptoms presented above are the most common symptoms of fibromyalgia. There are still many other signs and symptoms that come with this condition. If you do feel like you are experiencing some of the symptoms of this disease then it is very important that you consult your physician immediately. The prognosis for those who were diagnosed and treated early is better than those who were diagnosed and treated late. If you're a fibromyalgia patient keep in mind that though this requires lifestyle changes, there is hope for cure.
